Community and neighbourhood issues

Artist development grants

These grants supported professional artists to continue their practice, enabling artists to continue contributing to the local economy and making Renfrewshire a vibrant and inspiring place to live and work.

Over 30 applications were submitted to the Artist Development Grant Fund with over £60,000 being awarded to successful applicants.

• Iain Forbes - to write, rehearse, record and produce an album of original music
• McNicol and Jackson - to form a collection of short illustrated stories for children inspired by the magic and legends of our surrounding countryside and neighbourhood
• A L Brookes - to research and plan a retrospective exhibition of artwork with an associated programme of community outreach
• Fraser Scott - to produce a short film
• Ciaran Whyte - to release new music
• Sita Pieraccini - to create a new and ambitious record of music/audio work inspired and developed as a companion piece to the live show 'Paisley's Echo'
• Gillian Steel - to carry out a period of research and development around collective imaginative responses to dress, and the potential for re-imagining dress in the time of Covid and climate breakdown
• Maureen Rocks Moore - to research, collate and develop artwork based on life during Covid
• Grant McFarlane - to create an original series of compositions based on local landmarks and heritage sites
• Jane Hunter - to develop previous work in textiles into an expressive series of paintings
• Martin Quinn - to develop and produce a 30-minute comedy sketch pilot
• Joseph McFadden - to research the foundations of the Paisley pattern
• Scott Reid - to develop professional practice in song writing, composition and recording
• Indie McCue - to showcase work of local artists during the covid pandemic
• Ewan Sinclair - to research and develop an art installation using sensory objects and materials that can be experienced through a layer of digital content using VR technology
• Linzi Clark - to write, record and release a 4 track EP
• Christine Cooper - to create a research and development project for Maggie Rose's recently written play, New Caliban
• Laura Murray - to allow artist to progress within the Scottish music scene
• Alan Fleming Baird - to support the research and writing of a new piece of classical music for piano and violin
• Evelyn Laurie - to produce physical copies of a recorded album and a launch at the Bungalow in Paisley
• Mark Robb - to record and release a single using the facilities at Starla Studio in Lochwinnoch
• Karen Herbison - to support developing practice and skills as a playwright
• Alasdair Macdonald - to support Starla Studio to record and produce EPs for two new local bands

Town Centre and Neighbourhood Creative Installations Grants

The Town Centre & Neighbourhood Creative Installations Grants supported the animation of sites in town centres and neighbourhoods through awards to artists to create and install artistic interventions across Renfrewshire.

It recognised the importance of neighbourhoods and encouraging people to return to town centres and neighbourhoods safely after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme supported activity across town centres, neighbourhoods and villages in Renfrewshire including:

• Production of new artistic work happening in public spaces in Renfrewshire: high streets, parks, green spaces, local streets, under utilised spaces, walkways, town centres, shop fronts and pedestrianised areas in Renfrewshire
• The development and installation of the following; visual art installation, film installation, light installation, soundscape, sculpture, environmental art, floating art and water-based pieces, landscape engagement and mixed media pieces - this is not an exhaustive list
• Transformative ideas that add value to public and civic outdoor spaces that can be enjoyed during lockdown restrictions
• Interventions demonstrating how the project will enhance the experience of people using local businesses and outdoor public places
• Projects promoting wellbeing and giving access to green space and wild land.

14 applications were submitted to the Town Centre and Neighbourhood Creative Installations Grant Fund with over £40,000 being awarded to successful applicants. These projects are all subject to the appropriate permissions being granted.

Alis Le May - A Gathering Thread

This project will see an art based installation placed within vacant shop fronts in Renfrewshire. The location is still to be confirmed

Friends of Barshaw Park - Barshaw Park Viewpoint

The group plan to install a viewpoint in Barshaw Park, showcasing Paisley's iconic skyline

Indie McCue - Scope

This project will see four exhibitions of work by local artists showcased within a vacant space in Renfrewshire. It will also be available online as a virtual experience. The location is still to be confirmed.

Jessica Ramm - Fate or Fortune

Jessica's project will highlight the White Cart water by hanging illuminated signs reading 'fate' and 'fortune' where the river divides under St James' Bridge.

Maureen Rocks-Moore - Covid Island Diary

Art exhibitions at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and within a space in one of Renfrewshire's town centres will showcase work created by local artists during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mossvale Community Church - Tree of Hope

The Tree of Hope will be an artistic light installation in the grounds of Mossvale Community Church.

Outspoken Arts - artspace37 installations

Outspoken Arts plan to develop a new gallery space within the Piazza Shopping Centre

Philippa Tomlin - My Place In The Crowd

Philippa will gather local stories about crowds and event and create art pieces depicting these to be placed in shop and venue windows and in outside spaces. The stories will be collated and supported by sound design to listen to while observing the artwork.

Soundplay Projects - Soundplay Streetview

This project will see an audio-visual installation placed in a shop window on Paisley High Street.

Cultural Organisations Support

Designed for not-for-profit cultural organisations ineligible to apply for the Renfrewshire Coronavirus Support Fund and facing significant threat

14 applications were submitted to the Cultural Organisations Support Fund with over £100,000 being awarded to successful applicants.

• Jambo! Radio
• Outspoken Arts
• STAR Project
• Right2dance
• Remode
• CREATE Paisley
• Erskine Arts
• Feis Phaislig
• PACE Theatre Company

This funds cultural regeneration programmes including artist development grants, town centre and neighbourhood creative installations grants, and cultural organisations support.

The fund recognises the different elements needed to retain a healthy and sustainable cultural sector in Renfrewshire.

Background

The Scottish Government aims to ensure that every family gets the right support at the right time for long as it is needed, to fulfil children's rights to be raised safely in their own families. 

It introduced the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund in 2022 for the duration of this Parliament to help families to overcome challenges before they reach crisis point, and to significantly reduce the number of children and young people in care by 2030. 

The Scottish Government's ambition is that by 2030 at least 5% of all community-based health and social care spend will be on preventative whole family support measures.

The Renfrewshire Children's Services Partnership (RCSP)

Renfrewshire's Children's Services Partnership (RCSP) is responsible for ensuring that services delivered to children, young people and their families in Renfrewshire are the best they can be.

Membership of the RCSP include the council, other public sector organisations, and the third sector. Together, we identify local priorities and plan how we can join up to add value and deliver services to children, young people and their families that make a real difference to their lives.

One of the aims of the RCSP is for family support to be readily available to families that need it. We want to make sure that families can access the help they need, where and when they need it. 

We want parents to be able to access holistic support which addresses the needs of children and adults in a family at the time of need rather than at crisis point. This will help families to flourish and reduce the chances of family breakdown, and of children entering the care system.

The Scottish Government has provided an amount of Whole Family Wellbeing Funding to the RCSP to build local capacity for transformational system change and to scale up and drive the delivery of holistic whole family support services.

We know from local data that 18% of Renfrewshire's children live in families affected by poverty. Our communities face further challenge through a cost-of-living crisis, with the cost of heating our homes and buying food and basic provisions increasing. Some parents can feel isolated without a strong network of family support, not knowing who to turn to for help.

More and more of Renfrewshire's children and young people are seeking support with their mental health and wellbeing. We understand the link between adverse childhood experiences and the risk this presents to mental health and wellbeing. We also appreciate that the impacts of these events can sometimes carry through to adulthood, and that parents and carers might struggle to cope and respond positively to certain situations or challenges. 

This reinforces our approach to early intervention, and developing ways to work with children, young people, and their families to help them cope before reaching a crisis.
Third sector and community organisations can play a vital role in supporting families within their local communities and are able to use knowledge and connections to build a network of support around vulnerable families.

National principles for holistic whole family support

The 10 principles of holistic family support are:

1. Non-stigmatising: Support should be promoted and provided free from stigma and judgement. Services should be as normalised as accessing universal services.
2. Whole Family: Support should be rooted in GIRFEC and wrapped around about the whole family. This requires relevant join up with adult services & whole system, place based, preventative addressing inequalities.
3. Needs based: Support should be tailored to fit around each individual family, not be driven by rigid services or structures. It should cover the spectrum of support from universal services, more tailored support for wellbeing and intensive support (to prevent or in response to statutory interventions). Creative approaches to support should be encouraged.
4. Assets and community based: Support should be empowering, building on existing strengths within the family and wider community. Families should be able to 'reach in' not be 'referred to'. Support must be explicitly connected to locations that work for local families and the community, such as schools, health centres, village halls, and sports centres.
5. Timely and Sustainable: Flexible, responsive, and proportionate support should be available to families as soon as they need it, and for as long as it is required, adapting to changing needs.
6. Promoted: Families should have easy, well understood routes of access to support. They should feel empowered to do so and have choice about the support they access to ensure it meets their needs.
7. Take account of families' voice: At a strategic and individual level, children and families should be meaningfully involved in the design, delivery, evaluation, and continuous improvement of services. Support should be based on trusted relationships between families and professionals working together with mutual respect to ensure targeted and developmental support.
8. Collaborative and Seamless: Support should be multi-agency and joined up across services, so families don't experience multiple 'referrals' or inconsistent support.
9. Skilled and supported workforce: Support should be informed by an understanding of attachment, trauma, inequality, and poverty. Staff should be supported to take on additional responsibilities and trusted to be innovative in responding to the needs of families.
10. Underpinned by Children's Rights: Children's rights should be the funnel through which every decision and support service is viewed.

Key aims of the fund

The key aims of the Whole Family Wellbeing fund are to:

• support the whole system transformational change required to reduce the need for crisis intervention
• shift investment towards prevention and early intervention.

In accordance with The Promise, the Scottish Government recognises that we need whole system change in line with the 10 Principles for Holistic Family Support incorporating the following core components of how holistic, whole family support is delivered:

• Children and families at the centre of design - a children's rights-based approach to improved family wellbeing, with services designed with children, young people, and their families' needs at the centre, supporting all families to flourish and thrive.
• Availability and access - all families know how to and can access multi-sectoral, holistic, whole family support.
• Leadership, workforce, and culture - cross-sectoral commitment to collaboration and innovation which empowers and supports the workforce to provide family-centred holistic support.
• Whole system approach – a collaborative, multi-agency and multidisciplinary approach to the funding, commissioning, and delivery of family support.

Applications are open to voluntary and community groups and organisations that have a constitution bank account, such as:

• registered charities
• groups or clubs
• not-for-profit companies
• community interest companies
• community councils.

We are looking for projects focusing on community step change.

Your proposal must be a newly developed innovation for your organisation which will engage more parent and families - not just based on the families you are currently working with.

Projects and activities should be:

• open to all families across Renfrewshire, free and easy to access
• inclusive, welcoming, respectful, and safe
• able or willing to provide connections to other services and supports
• flexible in its provision of support to include evenings and weekend where required.

Examples of projects and activities might be:

• out of school and weekend clubs for children with disabilities where children can have fun, and their parents can have some respite time
• organisation to release a member of staff to be trained and to deliver high quality parenting programmes
• parenting support groups for parents / carers of children with autism using a toolkit recommended in the Autism Toolkit
• support in setting boundaries for families of children displaying distressed and risk-taking behaviour through a training programme such as those promoted in the Council Parenting Strategy
• activity group programmes for families to build family cohesion, have fun together and learn new skills around a particular area such as cooking, gardening, arts and crafts etc.

The funding could also be for staffing and related costs that provides a range of supports. 

This could include but is not limited to 

• advice and guidance
• practical help and support
• befriending support
• group work focused on specific outcomes.

What you cannot use the funding for

You cannot use funding for:

• one-off activities, like an open or fun day
• activities that are not free
• events to raise funds for other charities
• costs for activities that have already taken place
• applications to support individuals.

What your application should include

Your application should describe:

• the work the organisation wants to host
• how it meets the needs of families who are in one or more of these categories:
  • families of children with a neurodevelopmental disorder, for example Autistic Spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) either pre or post diagnosis
  • families of children aged 0 to 8 requiring parenting support or support for distressed behaviours
  • families of children aged 11 to 16 displaying distressed or risk-taking behaviour
  • families of children with disabilities.

Your application should be in line with the 10 principles of holistic family support.

You must also make sure your application demonstrates your family engagement and safeguarding procedures.

Email ruth.wallace@renfrewshire.gov.uk before 12noon on Friday 30 January 2026 for an application form.

Information you need to include with your application

Once you have submitted your application form, you’ll need to send these documents to ruth.wallace@renfrewshire.gov.uk:

• an activity plan and schedule for your proposed project
• a copy of your safeguarding policy
• a copy of your Public Liability Insurance certificate (if applicable)
• a bank statement less than 3 months old (unless you are applying as an individual)
• a copy of your most recent annual accounts or an income and expenditure statement - these should be less than 15 months old, dated and signed as approved - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• a signed, dated copy of the organisation’s Constitution or Memorandum and Articles of Association - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• a photocopy of your ID - either a passport, birth certificate or driving licence (for individuals). This data is to verify the applicant's ID only and will not be retained by the Council beyond our eligibility checks.

Include your organisations title and Whole Family Wellbeing in the subject line of the email.

How we make a decision

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of staff from Renfrewshire Children's Services Partnership before a decision is made.

The scoring panel will meet in February.

We may visit you to gather further information about your project before making a final decision.

Final decisions will be made by the end of February 2026.

Conditions of the grant

If you are awarded funding, you must accept and comply with Renfrewshire Council's standard grant terms and conditions.

The funding must demonstrate impact and added value for families. We are required to report to the Scottish Government on how we are positively effecting transformational change for families.

We’ll ask you to submit quarterly reports on progress against your objectives. We’ll create a form to do this and provide you with ongoing support to ensure you have the appropriate data sets in place.

If you’re applying to fund a staff member to be trained and to deliver an evidence-based programme, you must commit to that staff member engaging in the coaching and supervision programmes that we offer, and to the recording and reporting of relevant data which shows impact on family wellbeing. 

The funding must be spent by the end of March 2027.

Ongoing support for successful projects

A WFWF Community of Practice will be set up for the successful bidders to be able to collaborate and share ideas throughout the duration of the lifespan of the fund.

If you would like to discuss the priorities or application process, email ruth.wallace@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

The National Lottery Community Fund- Awards for All Scotland

Who can apply:  Constituted community groups or clubs, registered charities, social enterprises, not-for-profit company or community interest company, schools, statutory body (including town, parish and community councils)

Awards: £300 to £10,000

Apply to the National Lottery Community Fund

Foundation Scotland - Baillie Gifford Community Awards Programme

Who can apply:  Constituted community groups

Awards:  £500 - £2,000 

Apply to Foundation Scotland

Scotmid Co-op - Community Grants

Who can apply: Local community, self-help or voluntary groups and charities (including local branches of national charities) or individuals acting for the benefit of the local community,

Awards: Up to £500 

Apply to Scotmid Co-op

Glasgow Airport - FlightPath Fund

Who can apply: Community groups, charities

Awards: Awards of more than £5,000 will be the subject of a recommendation by the Flightpath Fund Committee to the Managing Director of Glasgow Airport for approval. 

Apply for the Glasgow Airport FlightPath Fund

Asda Foundation Grants

Who can apply: Community groups, charities.

Find out about Asda Foundation Grants

Morrisons Foundation

Who can apply: charities

Awards: maximum amount £20,000 

Find out about Morrisons Foundation grants

Aldi Scottish Sport Fund

Who can apply: Community groups focused on sports, schools or educational organisations, Scout or Guide groups, community interest companies, charities.

Awards: Maximum up to £500 

Apply for the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund

The Love Your Network grant fund for community groups in Scotland

The Love Your Network grant fund, funded by Transport Scotland and delivered by Sustrans Scotland, seeks to empower communities in implementing physical improvements which make journeys on the National Cycle Network more attractive and enjoyable.

Apply for a Love Your Network grant

The Henry Smith Charity

The Improving Lives grant programme provides grants to charitable organisations that help people when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available.

They support established organisations delivering services directly to beneficiaries. We are looking for services which can demonstrate a track record of success, and evidence the effectiveness of the work.

Apply a Henry Smith Charity grant

Invest in Renfrewshire

The Invest in Renfrewshire Communities Team also provide support to access other sources of external funding. 

For more information, email: Econdev.community@renfrewshire.gov.uk

This is a list of external funds that a community group, charity or social enterprise can apply for.

What a justice social work report is

If someone is convicted of an offence, the court may ask for a justice social work report (JSWR).

This is a social background report requested by the sentencing Sheriff to help the court know more about you and your life before deciding on a sentence.

The report is written by a social worker and includes:

• information on your background, previous offences or involvement in offending, your current situation, and any support needs you may have
• your attitude to, and understanding of, your offence
• an assessment of your risk of re-offending
• considerations on the impact on the victim and community  
• a review of the likely sentencing options, considering the most effective to reduce re-offending.

The aim is to reduce the chances of further offending.

The report will help decide if you are suitable for a community sentence, such as a fine or a Community Payback Order.

When reports are asked for

A court may request a report for many reasons but not for every case.

Reports are always prepared for:

• anyone under 21 years of age and convicted
• anyone who could be sentenced to custody for the first time
• anyone who is already subject to supervision.

Justice social work report interview

If a report has been requested, you’ll likely be asked to come into the justice social work office.  

If you need a second interview, it may be at your home, or some other suitable place.  

Our social worker may ask for information on:

• the offence(s) which led to you appearing in court, as well as any previous offending
• your current circumstances, such as where you live and who you live with  
• your financial situation
• your physical and mental health
• any past or current involvement with social work services.  

The social worker writing the report will look at this information alongside other information that has been made available to them.

Information from other people

They will explain to you who they will contact for more information.  

This could include:

• other agencies and access to social work records
• your GP  
• a family member or partner.  

The information you and other people provide will be treated confidentially.  But you need to know that information from the report could be discussed during your court appearance.  

Sometimes, journalists are in court. They are not given a copy of the report but can share news on any case which is discussed in an open court.  

The report will also be seen by the Sentencer, Procurator Fiscal (the prosecutor) and your solicitor.

Information you share with us

It’s your choice what information you share with the social worker.

The court relies on the report to help make a decision on your sentencing. If the report writer does not have enough information to complete the report, a letter will be sent to court explaining the reasons why a report is not available.  

If you're unsure or have questions, you can speak with the social worker. For independent advice, speak to your solicitor.  

When your report is complete

Your solicitor will be provided with a copy of your Justice Social Work Report.  

If you do not have a solicitor, a member of the court social work team can provide a copy.

Sometimes, the social worker who prepared your report may speak with you about what is in it. This is to help you understand the content and to answer any questions you may have.  

When you appear in court

You should attend court on time and meet with your solicitor if necessary.  

You will be sentenced at court. The outcome may involve working with justice social work services as part of a community-based sentence.  

This could start on the same day you are sentenced. If not, you will get information to help you understand what is expected and what happens next.  

More information  

If you want to find out more, contact our justice social work service by: 

We have a number of grants available for community and voluntary organisations to apply for, including:

• Education - Leisure Grants
• Education - Out of School Care Grants
• Pre-five Voluntary Sector
• Local Partnership Grants
• Social Work Section 10 Grants
• Tenant Association Grants.

These grants are available for community and voluntary organisations in Renfrewshire.

We'll give you details and deadlines for applying for these grants.

What Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) are 

Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) is a legal framework that ensures different  organisations work together to robustly assess, monitor, and manage the risks of serious violent and sexual offenders.

Key organisations include Police Scotland, Scottish Prison Service (SPS), our justice social work service, other council services, and Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP).  

These arrangements assess, monitor, and manage the safety risks posed by people convicted of serious crimes.  

These include:

• Registered Sex Offenders who are subject to notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Mentally Disordered Restricted Patients
• Other Risk of Serious Harm Offenders.

These arrangements were established under the terms of the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2005. 

MAPPA reports

North Strathclyde area report

This report covers the North Strathclyde area. Renfrewshire is one of 6 local authority areas within this area:

National annual report

Read the 2023 to 2024 report providing a national overview (Scottish Government website).

More information

If you want to find out more or discuss what services are available to you, contact our justice social work service by: 

What throughcare is

Throughcare is a service provided to prisoners both during and after their sentence.

It aims to:

• help prisoners and their families to prepare for their release from prison and to reintegrate successfully in the community
• increase community safety and public protection by providing services aiming to reduce reoffending
• ensure that high-risk offenders are supervised and monitored after their release from prison.

Depending on the length and type of sentence the court has imposed, a person may be required to undertake a period of supervision upon their release from prison. This is known as statutory throughcare.

Any person on remand or serving a sentence can also ask justice social work for support and advice after their release even when there is no legal requirement to do so. This service is called voluntary throughcare.

Statutory throughcare

Statutory throughcare is provided for people who have been sentenced to custody where there are legal requirements for supervision on release from prison.

It monitors and supports the person and their families during the custodial sentence and following their release from prison.

Justice social work provides statutory throughcare services to people who have been sentenced to 4 or more years in prison and released on:

• life license
• parole license
• non-parole license
• extended sentence
• supervised released order
• short-term sex offender license
• order of lifelong restriction.

A justice social worker will keep in contact during the prison sentence and attend integrated care meetings with prison staff during the person’s time in custody.  

The service provides assessment and review reports on the individual’s progress to court and the Parole Board.  

If a person does not comply with an order’s requirement, this must be reported. This could lead to a recall and return to prison.

Voluntary throughcare

If a person has been remanded or sentenced to custody, and there are no legal requirements imposed when they are released, they can ask for help and advice from our justice social work service.

A person is entitled to request throughcare when they are placed in custody. This can also run throughout a sentence and for up to a year after their release.

If you would like to request voluntary throughcare from our justice social work service after your release from custody, contact us by:

• email: swbscriminaljustice@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone: 0300 300 1199 

National throughcare service

Upside, Scotland’s national prison throughcare service, was launched in April 2025. It supports people moving from short-term custody (sentences under 4 years) or remand back into the community.

Upside has 8 charities involved in the delivery of the programme. In Renfrewshire, Action for Children is the lead delivery organisation and works closely with various partners.  

It can support people with any issues they may experience on release, such as:

• health
• housing
• finance  
• accessing wider community services.  

As well as helping with immediate practical challenges a person may face, Upside also helps to link a person to other supports that may help rebuild their circumstances with dignity and purpose. People can be supported for up to 12 months.

Find out more about Upside national throughcare service (Upside website). 

More information

If you want to find out more or discuss what services are available to you, contact our justice social work service by:

Who it's for

The activities and events are for low-income families and communities in Renfrewshire which may not have access to mainstream activities.

They may be for whole families or for children and young people of different age groups.

Summer of Fun is a programme of free activities and events for families, children, and young people in Renfrewshire during the school summer holidays.

The programme aims to deliver activities and events that are fun and easy to access.

Activities can be during the day, in the evenings, during the week or at weekends.

We have a Summer of Fun Programme Fund which voluntary and community organisations in Renfrewshire can apply to.

We have separate information available if you'd like to apply for the Summer of Fun Programme Fund.