SLCVO

This week’s blog shares highlights from across the team, including a look at this week’s Community Hub and how SLCVO reports on our work to the Highland Third Sector Interface (HTSI). We also explore how to make monitoring and evaluation work for your group, introduce Red Chair Highland—a digital inclusion CIC looking to expand into our area—and round up a range of news, opportunities and updates that local groups have asked us to share. Team Update This week has been another

This week’s blog shares highlights from across the team, alongside a look at three key themes: why governance structures matter, the relationship between boards and sub‑groups and how to get the balance right, and the importance of making meetings matter to ensure time is used effectively and groups can focus on delivering impact. Team Update This week has been quite busy for Jo‑Anne, with Michelle unexpectedly having to take some time off, resulting in a whirlwind of meeting

This month's Forum focused on Children and Young Peoples Services with participants looking at future work of the Forum, a round up of news from across the area and local initiatives. Guest speaker Vicki Clark, Health Improvement Specialist for Planet Youth, provided an overview of the recent Planet Youth school report for Plockton High School. This report is based on data gathered through the September 2025 S3 and S4 Health and Wellbeing Survey. Within the school, the findin

This week’s blog shares highlights from across the team alongside a deeper look at community profiling and engagement—key building blocks for strong, effective community projects. Whether you’re starting something new or improving an existing service, taking time to involve your community is essential. Team Update With the May Bank Holiday, election-related school closures, and Michelle taking some well-earned leave, it’s been a shorter week for the team. Matt and Kal have

This week’s blog shares highlights from the past two weeks, including team updates, Quarter 4 reporting, and ongoing support for unpaid carers. It also features new funding and volunteering opportunities, a Highland‑wide employability survey, and the launch of the Highlands and Islands Climate Collective for young people. Team Update This week’s blog covers two weeks of SLCVO’s work, and it has been a very busy fortnight. Last week, SLCVO welcomed Kal to the team. Kal is th

This weeks blog brings together practical guidance for community groups and social enterprises, covering charity trading, starting a social enterprise, funding options in Scotland, and support programmes like Just Enterprise. It also explains the key differences between charities and Community Interest Companies (CICs), helping groups understand their options and decide which structure is right for their purpose, plans, and capacity. Team Update This week was busy with a mix

This month's Community Social Care & Wellbeing Forum focused on Adult Services looking at the increasing complexity of adult mental health needs, ongoing gaps in support for unpaid carers, and potential changes to adult social care. It also shared updates on the rollout of Community Outreach Hubs, promoted upcoming local events and training opportunities, highlighted new social policy reports on fuel poverty and food insecurity, and outlined wider strategic developments shapi

This week’s blog explores online hubs where people can access support and information. With the launch of the Skye and Lochalsh Community Hubs just two weeks away, and the development of SLCVO’s own online information hub underway, we thought it would be a good time to highlight some of the useful online hubs we’ve come across. Particularly the new Highland Neurodivergent Hub hosted by Thriving Families. Team Update This week was a shorter working week due to the long bank ho

This week’s blog explores why members are so important for community groups, and how third sector organisations can benefit from being active members of local networks and forums. We also share an update on what the SLCVO team has been working on and take a closer look at Michelle’s work with SLCVO members. Team Update This week, third sector support has seen Michelle begin work with someone exploring the idea of starting a new social enterprise. She spent time understanding

This week’s blog highlights the work of Uig Community Trust, explores key discussions from the Children & Young People Wellbeing & Support Forum, and considers how NDTi can support the development of our local Community Outreach Hubs. It also provides a brief update on SCDC’s review of co‑production within the HWWS Collaboration and outlines recent changes to SLCVO’s team structure, including the introduction of a new role. Team Update With Michelle away on a well‑earned holi

This month’s Forum focused on children’s and young people’s services. Members from Mikeysline, The Highland Council, Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association, Public Health Scotland, and SLCVO explored a number of issues that have emerged over recent months and began working together on ways we can collectively address them. If you would like to find out more about the Forums or register for the next one, please visit: https://www.slcvo.org.uk/community-wellbeing-and-support-f

In this week’s blog, we explore what data protection really means for community groups and charities. We look at the common pitfalls organisations can fall into—and how to avoid them—along with the core data protection policies every group should have in place. We also explain how the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) can support you to stay compliant, highlight recent changes in legislation, and provide a simple checklist that boards and committees can use to strengthe

In this week’s blog, we take a look at a week full of learning, collaboration and useful tools to support community groups across Skye and Lochalsh. We share updates on our committee governance training, highlights from Michelle’s funding workshop and review our online Cybercrime and Online Fraud Awareness resource hub. There is an update on the new Highland CPP report on health inequalities, insights on volunteer minibus use, and a quick guide to using PowerPoint Live in Tea

This week’s blog highlights a range of consultations and opportunities for groups to get involved in — from funding and childcare to onshore community benefits and Cross‑Party Group meetings on islands. It also reflects on the team’s week and shares useful resources to support young trustees. Team Update This week, the SLCVO team have once again been out and about across the area — covering around 350 miles between us. When not on the road, the team held six 1:1 meetings with

The Skye and Lochalsh Community Wellbeing and Support Forum is a collaborative space for community groups, third sector organisations, and public sector partners to share ideas, propose projects, and shape local health, wellbeing, social care, and welfare. Part of the Skye and Lochalsh Health, Wellbeing, Welfare and Social Care (HWWS) Collaboration led by SLCVO, the forum was created in response to community feedback calling for a shared, inclusive platform to support joint p

This week’s blog highlights the rich tapestry of cultural, recreational, and sports third sector organisations across Skye and Lochalsh, alongside an update on SLCVO’s Spring Training Sessions and what the team has been working on. Team Update This week, Jo-Anne and Matt have been focusing on adult social care—an area where our Befrienders Service contributes alongside many other community groups across Skye and Lochalsh. Early in the week, we were preparing for next week’s D

This week’s blog highlights support for older people across Skye & Lochalsh, signposts useful local services, and explores why intergenerational work is so important for our communities. Team Update This week, Jo-Anne and Michelle met with Jo Cowan, Age Scotland’s National Community Development Officer, who is planning a series of events over the coming months to bring together local lunch clubs and other groups supporting older people. It was great to catch up with Jo and di

This week we explore how to get involved in volunteering, what a group needs to consider when changing their governing documents, and take a look at support for village halls including SCVO’s Village & Community Halls Handbook and OSCR's guidance. This week, the SLCVO team was working at around 50% capacity as Jo‑Anne was off ill for three days. When she was working, Jo‑Anne supported a couple of groups looking to update their governing documents and met with a couple of peop

This week we highlight new collaborations supporting cancer bereavement, update on the Community Outreach Hub project, and shine a spotlight on vital local services shaping community wellbeing. Third Sector Support Services This week, Michelle has been busy working on our Service User Survey and Membership Review, along with planning our spring training week at the start of March. She has also been reviewing the updated UK‑wide Charities Statement of Recommended Practice: A

This week we explore how the third sector brings investment into Skye and Lochalsh. We highlight the scale of funding flowing through local charities—almost £30 million—and where that investment is going, from community facilities and health projects to support for young carers. Nearly £30 Million Flowing Into Our Communities Through Charities Charities bring a significant and often under‑recognised level of investment into our local communities. New analysis from publicly av