We have put together some key services that might be useful to you. Sometimes it can be hard to find the right place to reach out to and get help for specific things. The services and organisations below might be of use and most will also have a local office or point of contact based in Renfrewshire.
There are quite a few services, we have put shortcut links below to take you straight to that section. Don’t forget, if you are looking for more general things like clubs and groups for young people in Renfrewshire, we have a section just for that!
- Mental and Physical Health Support
- Social Work and Social Services
- Work and Careers
- Information and Advice Services
- Money Worries and Foodbanks
- Help for Carers
- Help for Care Experienced
- Asylum Seeker, Migrants and New Scots
- Housing and Homelessness
- Digital Support and Inclusion
Mental and Physical Health Support
Ren10.co.uk
Ren10 is your go-to place for resources and links to services supporting your mental health and well-being. Information is available based on your age and there is also information available if you are a young carer too.
Visit the Ren10 website.
Recovery Across Mental Health (RAMH)
RAMH is a charity that offers support to people recovering from mental ill health. They offer free resources and help that can empower you and give you the skills and knowledge to build an independent and fulfilled life.
Visit the RAMH website or give them a call on 0141 847 8900. They also have a contact form on their website.
Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (RHSCP)
RHSCP is a partnership between lots of different services that can work together to help you get the help and support you might need. Life is complex and sometimes there can be more than a few things going on at any one time that affect your mental health. It could be alcohol and drugs, getting support for learning disabilities, or extra help if you are an unpaid carer. The website is packed with easy-to-navigate sections and you can even find information on local GP surgeries and dentists.
Visit the RHSCP website or give them a call on 0141 487 2888.
Renfrewshire Youth Health and Wellbeing Service
This service is available to 12-17 year olds in Renfrewshire. It runs as a drop-in one night a week and you can get information and support on a range of things including hygiene, mental health, healthy eating, periods, drugs and alcohol and more. The service is based within the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley.
Visit the RHSCP Website section on the service for more information.
Renfrewshire Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Resource (RADAR)
The RADAR team is there for 12-20 year olds in Renfrewshire. Support is based on referral (this can come from you, your family, school, GP or any other service or agency working with you) and you can get help and information to manage drug and alcohol misuse. They are based in Paisley.
Check out the RADAR leaflet for more information or call them on 0141 618 2585.
Sandyford Sexual Health
Sandyford Clinics provide sexual health services, including contraception advice, STI testing, and counselling. Services are confidential and they have a clinic based in Paisley (although you can use their other clinics if you prefer). There is even a dedicated Young Person’s Service evening you can access.
Visit the Sandyford website for information and locations of clinics, and opening times. You can also call Sandyford Paisley on 0141 314 9402.
Roar – Connections for Life
Aimed at older adults (maybe your gran, grandpa or an older family friend), Roar offer lots of services like help to learn new skills to use the internet, groups where people can meet up to try and combat loneliness, befriending, information on local services and supports that might be available to them. They are based in Johnstone but work across Renfrewshire.
Check out the ROAR website section or call 0141 889 7481.
Star Project
The Star Project offers a range of activities that can help you feel better mentally and physically as well as feel a bit more connected to your community. They offer things like befriending, access to counselling, a community fridge, training, trips out, special projects and drop-ins. They also have activities just for young people.
Find out more on the Star Project website, their Facebook profile or by calling 0141 889 5850.
Social Work and Social Services
Children’s Services Social Work
Services in place to help protect and support children and young people can include intervention if they are at risk of harm, abuse or neglect. They are also there to help ensure that they are supported and have a good quality of life including access to education and accommodation. There are legal responsibilities in place that must be considered when supporting children and young people. This also includes care experienced young people.
Find out more about Children’s Services social, work, and find your local offices by checking out the Renfrewshire Council website section or by calling 0300 300 1199 (0300 343 1505 if in the evening or weekend).
Adult Services and Protection Social Work
There are services in place to help support adults who may need some extra support or might be at risk of harm, abuse or neglect. These services can also support adults who need things to be able to live independent lives, who may be disabled, or who may face circumstances that prevent them from thriving and doing well. You can report concerns about any adults you are worried about.
Find out more about Adult Services and Protection on the Renfrewshire Council website section, by emailing your concerns or by calling 0300 300 1380.
Disability Resource Centre
The Disability Resource Centre located in Paisley helps people who have physical or sensory disabilities in Renfrewshire. It offers lots of different activities that people can enjoy like art, exercise, socialising and lots of interesting classes. Transport can even be provided to help people get to it.
Learn more about the Disability Resource Centre on the Renfrewshire Council website section.
Enable
Enable is a national organisation that offers points of support in communities for people with learning disabilities and people who support them. Support can be around accessing services and rights, employability and also being an active and valued member of your community and helping to ensure your learning disability is no barrier to stop you doing the things you want to do. There are dedicated services and groups for young people. There may not be a specific group running in your community but you can contact them to find out where the nearest one is to you.
Check out the Enable website for more information, send an email or call 0300 0200 101.
Work and Careers
Invest in Renfrewshire
Invest in Renfrewshire’s Employability Service has several options available for young people in Renfrewshire and is based right in the heart of Paisley. They offer advice and support for getting into work. This can include training, access to the Employability Fund to help boost your employability, options if you have just left school, access to local Modern Apprenticeships, CV writing help
Learn more about Invest in Renfrewshire on their website or give them a call on 0300 300 1180. You can also check out the Better Off Renfrewshire website they run.
Skills Development Scotland (SDS)
SDS is the national skills body, helping people build up their skills to help them get into work, offering careers and work advice, apprenticeships, advice for refugees, training and a lot more. There is an SDS Careers Centre located right in Paisley (in the same building as the Invest team above!)
Find out more about SDS by visiting their website. You can also call their national line on 0800 917 8000 or else their Paisley Careers Hub on 0141 849 0942.
Information and Advice Services
Renfrewshire Citizen’s Advice Bureau (RCAB)
RCAB are there to offer free advice on lots of different things that matter to you, whether it is housing, finances and debt, the law, health, immigration or something else. They have experts available to help and give impartial advice. They have an office in Paisley you can visit and they even offer drop-ins in some Renfrewshire libraries so you can just go along. It is always best, if you can, to get in touch ahead of a visit so they can try and arrange the best information and expert advice for you and also advise on what kinds of things you might need to bring to help them understand your situation.
Find out more about RCAB on their website (there is also a contact form and live chat on there) or give them a call on 0141 889 2121.
Advice Works Renfrewshire
Advice Works offers free and confidential advice on things like welfare, benefits, money and debt, bankruptcy, budgeting, negotiating with companies and services you may owe money to and a lot more. They offer drop-in sessions in areas across Renfrewshire.
Find out more about Advice Works on the Renfrewshire Council website section, send an email or you can give them a call 0300 300 1238.
Engage Renfrewshire
Engage support local charities and other groups to come together and respond to issues people and communities experience. It offers information on volunteering and even has a volunteering opportunity search, tips on how you can manage finances and money, and also supports charity groups and organisations to run efficiently and effectively.
Visit the Engage Renfrewshire website for more information or give them a call 0141 887 7707.
Money Worries and Food Banks
Advice Services
Advice services such as Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau (RCAB) and Advice Works mentioned above can help with advice on handling money issues and where you can get help.
Renfrewshire Food Bank
Find your nearest foodbank in Renfrewshire to access food in an emergency.
Visit the Renfrewshire Foodbank website (there is also a contact form you can fill out there) to arrange a referral, send an email , check out their Facebook profile or call 0300 1022 500.
Renfrewshire Council
Renfrewshire Council has put together a list of places that can help of you are struggling with money and need help. This includes information on emergency and crisis payments, covering funeral costs, benefits help or how to access the Family Wellbeing Service.
Visit the Renfrewshire Council website section to find out more about getting local help with the cost of living.
Carers
Renfrewshire Carer’s Centre
If you are a young carer and want information, help or to get involved in activities to help boost yourself and manage your day-to-day life, Renfrewshire Carer’s Centre has services dedicated to young people. There are also other services for any adults you might know who are caring for someone else.
Find out more about Renfrewshire Carer’s Centre (including their Young Carer’s services) on their website or give them a call 0141 887 3643.
Please also check out the Social Work section above as they can also provide information and support if you are a carer.
Care Experienced
Who Cares? Scotland
Who Cares? Scotland offers support and advice to care experienced young people across Scotland. They can help you understand your rights, access advocacy and information services, and have groups running near you that you can join to meet other people, go on trips, chill, and take part in activities.
Visit the Who Cares? Scotland website to find out about their general services and also to see what groups are running in Renfrewshire. You can also email the Renfrewshire team.
Renfrewshire Council Youth Services
Youth Services offer a variety of activities and support for young people aged 11+ Some of these activities are specifically aimed at care experienced young people and there are dedicated groups and opportunities for them to take part. They work in partnership with other teams in Renfrewshire Council to deliver The Promise (The Scottish Government’s pledge to offer more support to care experienced young people) locally. The Youth Services Team helps young people learn new skills, access digital services, understand and access their rights to make change happen, to access information and services (such as the National Entitlement Card and free bus travel, surgeries with your elected Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament) and also to gain recognised awards.
Find out more about Youth Services on the Renfrewshire Council website section, send an email or call 0141 487 1926.
Asylum Seekers, Migrants and New Scots
Migrant Help UK
This organisation helps people and families with issues around seeking asylum, and trafficking, helping people get resettled in a new place and also building a new life and accessing important services. They have a service based in Paisley but you should contact their main offices to get directed to the best help and support for you based on your circumstances.
Visit Migrant Help UK’s website (this also has a live chat and contact form on it) or call their free asylum helpline 0808 8010 503.
The British Red Cross
The British Red Cross offer support and information on a range of subjects that may be useful if you are seeking asylum. This can include emergency help, toolkits to help you through the asylum process and information on how to access other services. They offer information in various languages. Although they have a base in Renfrewshire, you should get in touch using their main contacts first. They also have a dedicated information page for young refugees and asylum seekers (15-25 year olds) and details about their Young Refugee Service.
Visit the British Red Cross website for information and to access translated pages of contact details and guides.
Pachedu
Pachedu is a Paisley-based charity that promotes diversity and equality for minority groups through activities like language cafes, food, well-being drop-ins. They also offer advocacy, mentoring, information and employability information.
Visit Pachedu’s Facebook profile for more information or send an email.
Adult and Family Learning
Adult and Family Learning offer a range of learning opportunities for adults and families in Renfrewshire. There are learning centres throughout Renfrewshire. They offer free ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses to help people get to grips with english, feel part of their new community and access services and support.
Visit the Renfrewshire Council Website section to find out more about the free adult learning courses that are available.
Housing and Homelessness
Renfrewshire Council Housing
Renfrewshire Council can offer advice if you need a place to live. You can use their systems to apply for Council housing. This isn’t always immediate but they can help you check your eligibility and discuss options with you. They can also help you find local Housing Associations who may also be able to guide you. Find out how to apply for Council housing in Renfrewshire.
Did you know that Renfrewshire Council has a legal duty to help someone who is currently homeless or likely to become homeless within the next 56 days? Find out what you can do (you must be 16 or over to do this for yourself or, your parent/guardian can do it) on Renfrewshire Council’s Homelessness Help section. There are also special services in place if you are a young person facing homelessness, have a fallout with your family and you end up with no place to go, or are struggling to maintain your tenancy.
If you know a person who is homeless or facing homelessness soon, you can access a list of services including emergency contacts and places the person can go to get food and warmth here.
You can contact Renfrewshire Council Housing for advice, whether it’s for yourself, another person, a vulnerable person or a family by calling 0300 300 0222 or you can send an email.
Digital Support and Inclusion
Renfrewshire Libraries
Need to get online? Head to your local library in Renfrewshire. You can access PCs and the internet for free. You can also access lots of other offline information including things like social tariffs, where to get reduced or free SIM cards with data and other supports to keep you connected.
Visit the Renfrewshire Libraries website to book a slot on a PC at your local library and get online or call 0300 300 1188.
Paisley YMCA
This organisation specialises in free digital and STEM-based activities for young people aged 8-18 years old. You can boost your digital skills and try out new tech you might never have seen before! There are different Makerspace clubs to suit everyone. They are based on the High Street, Paisley.
Check out the Paisley YMCA website for more information, send an email or call 0141 889 2876.
ROAR – Connections for Life
This service is aimed at helping older adults. So maybe you have a gran or grandad or an older friend of the family who could benefit from their help. They have a special programme of digital activities to help older people get to grips with the internet and everything digital. They run a friendly drop-in and also other types of support.
Check out the ROAR website section or call 0141 889 7481.