National Village Hall conference announced

Scottish Rural Network are delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and other stakeholders to deliver a national conference aimed at supporting communities manage and develop their Village Halls and Community Hubs. 

Village halls are often the heart of a community; places for people to gather, learn, access services and have fun. This one-day conference at Birnam Arts will allow people running village and community halls across Scotland to do the same – to connect, share ideas, and inspire each other.

• Connect with fellow hall workers and volunteers; learn about how to connect with service providers and funding opportunities; discuss new ways to connect with your communities.
• Share stories, tips, and experiences; share positive experiences and celebrate the impact you’re making on your communities; share difficulties you’ve faced or are facing, problems you’ve encountered and ways to address these.
• Inspire others with creative solutions to common village hall issues; get inspired to apply for funding or investigate new income streams; feel inspired by the wonderful community-building going on in rural and urban communities across Scotland.

The conference comes on the back of the publication of the recently launched Village and Community Halls Handbook, a free online resource designed to help with the running and maintenance of our #EssentialVillageHalls across the country and was developed by SCVO, with help from the Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) and the Scottish Rural Network (SRN). The conference will share some of the essential information in the handbook while also providing networking and learning opportunities. 

Sessions: 

• Going green amidst an energy crisis – with architecture firm New Practice and Local Energy Scotland

• Facilities management – with Utility Aid, Keegan & Pennykid, SCVO, DTAS and more

Workshops: 

• Succession: who will keep the village hall going? With Dr Rona Campbell, senior manager at Highlands and Islands Enterprise

• Governance and compliance: everything you need to know – with Keegan & Pennykid and Àrachas3

• Village hall futures: getting young people involved in village and community spaces – with InspirAlba and the Scottish Rural & Islands Youth Parliament

• A national village halls booking system for Scotland? With Hallmaster

• Enterprise and culture: keys to financial stability – with Community Enterprise

The conference will take place from 9.30am – 4.10pm at Birnam Arts, with two 25-minute breaks and a 1-hour lunch break. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. 

You can book a place at the conference at the link here