Connecting communities: village halls conference

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.

At this conference, you’ll get to:

• 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.

This year’s conference will focus strongly on community learning exchange, with roundtable discussions and opportunities for networking and sharing experiences. 

The in-person experience will include keynote talks, plus round table learn and share sessions on topics such as:

1. Facilities management
2. Key insurance and risk management considerations for your hall
3. Community-led tourism and sustainable revenue generation
4. How much?! Inspecting your energy bills
5. Community resilience
6. Inclusive volunteer recruitment and management
7. Spreading the word: increasing your reach
8. Community Learning Exchange: Peer learning and networks
9. Demystifying digital
10. Intro to Democratic Finance
11. Climate confidence: small changes, big impact
12. Recognising your impact: the role of village halls in repopulation

The online experience will include livestreamed sessions from the in-person conference, plus breakout sessions and discussions with similar themes to the above.

We will share the complete agenda closer to the event. Please note that due to the round table discussions, the in-person experience may not be suitable for delegates with hearing impairments or who are uncomfortable in environments with multiple conversations.

People who run or work/volunteer at village and community halls across Scotland.

This is a hybrid event. In-person bookings have now closed, but you can still book to attend online.

If you have any questions, accessibility requirements, or need assistance booking a place, please contact us at events@scvo.scot.

"I thoroughly enjoyed [the] event at Birnam with the opportunity to meet lots of lovely, energetic and genuine folk each with a heart for what we are doing all over Scotland."

"It really was excellent & I learnt so much besides appreciating the opportunity to speak informally to some of the speakers at various points"