CLS was originally established by a collective of West Dunbartonshire community-based housing associations in April 2002.

The organisation is committed to working with community-led housing associations to create connected, thriving, and safe communities and currently supports 20 housing associations to deliver their wider role/community investment programmes. It does this by developing projects through engaging with tenants, staff, committee and local partners; securing funding or enhancing partnerships; supporting delivery and project monitoring

CLS has a small staff team of 9 whose collective service spans an impressive 100 years – a testament to the commitment and experience that CLS offers. It has worked on over 1,017 individual projects with over 330 community-led organisations, securing an incredible £51 million in project funding for its clients.

In its 21st year, CLS has launched two new targeted projects to enhance the quality of life for local residents in West Dunbartonshire. West Dunbartonshire Energy Advice Service – developed in partnership with local community-led housing associations, supports households to prevent fuel poverty, tackle fuel debt and reduce household energy consumption through better energy usage.

Clydebank Can - The Threads of Time - researching Clydebank through oral histories, stories of people, places and pride, interpreted and shared in resources including- published book/booklets, digital story sharing and textiles. Both projects complement our Healthy Pathways programme which brings individuals together, providing personal development opportunities to build on confidence, self-care, and self-esteem through weekly social and training activities.

CLS has clients that it has supported over many years including clients that it has been working with since it was established, a reflection of its flexibility and ability to develop alongside evolving aspirations. Successful projects have included community centres, community gardens, employment training schemes, income maximisation projects, energy advice projects, heritage projects, healthy eating programmes, community development and volunteering and active travel programmes.

Director Stephen Singer, who has been with CLS since it was established, said: “Community Links Scotland, operating for 21 years has helped develop not only community centres, nurseries, gardens, woodlands, staff positions and community plans, it has also worked closely with clients through a trusting partnership approach which has seen them develop their own approach to community regeneration and the impact it can have on the lives of local residents.

“Facilitating in excess of £50m for clients from a very wide range of funders has been a great achievement for staff and our partners and not something we could have envisaged 21 years ago, but continuing to alter the perception of wider action, wider role, community regeneration into the mainstream throughout this period has maybe been a greater achievement.”