Coming Soon: CLDSC Annual Report for 2021-22

The CLD Standards Council is pleased to announce that the Annual Report for 2021-22 will be published and shared with partners in August 2022 (watch this space!). 

This annual report will summarise the vast range of project work undertaken by the CLDSC and its members over the year, as well as highlighting the impact and influence this work has had throughout the CLD sector.

A few highlights:

• 2,845 total members as at 31 March 2022
• Did you know: On average, 16 new members joined the CLDSC every month
• There were 54 Approvals requests
• 22 Professional Learning events were held
• 5 Policy and Consultation submissions were completed by the CLDSC on behalf of members (including to the Education Reform)
• The Professional Induction Programme was launched at the SCVO Gathering for 2022

If you are not currently a member of the CLDSC and wish to join, you can find out how to register on the CLDSC website.

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August Virtual Members Meet Up – Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland

A final call to sign up for our Virtual Members Meet Up on Wednesday, 3rd August, 1-2pm. Come along to find out more about the recently launched Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland and discuss how CLD Standards Council members can support the implementation of the Strategy and help it achieve its mission and ambitions. 

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Becoming a Numeracy Champion: Children, families and feeling good about maths programme

Education Scotland is working with National Numeracy to run Phase 2 of the ‘Becoming a Numeracy Champion: Children, families and feeling good about maths’ programme in the autumn and is offering free places for CLD Practitioners.

The programme is run as a series of 3 online sessions which equip participants with the knowledge and skills they need to support families to have positive attitudes towards maths.

Each programme covers:

• Numeracy: understanding the numeracy issue
• Supporting positive attitudes in children
• Supporting parents, carers & families

There are free places for CLD practitioners in the three Regional Improvement Collaborative areas which were not included in Phase 1 of the programme. There is also an additional session open to all regions who might have missed the original opportunity to get involved last year. The sign-up links and dates for each programme are below:

• Northern Alliance (1, 8 and 15 September 9.30-11.30am)
• South-East Collaborative (18, 25 October and 1 November 1-3pm)
• Tayside Collaborative (30 November, 7 and 14 December 9.30-11.30am)
• All Regions (1, 8, 15 December 9.30-11.30am)

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Education Scotland Community Learning and Development (CLD) Wakelets

This Community Learning and Development (CLD) Wakelet makes it easy to access relevant materials from the one place. When you explore the Wakelet you will discover a collection of links to online resources. Please check which are available and suitable for use within your organisation, as well as relevant to the learners in your area of practice.

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CashBack for Communities Fund – phase 6 open for applications

CashBack for Communities is a Scottish Government fund that uses funds recovered from criminals to expand young people’s horizons and increase the opportunities they have to develop their interests and skills. £20-million is available in this round of funding and successful applicants will commence from April 2023 to March 2026.

Organisations must have a proven track record of delivering activities which support the Scottish Government’s Justice Vision and the criteria for CashBack Phase 6 as set out below. You can find out more on the Scottish Government’s Vision for Justice in Scotland here.

Phase 6 will fund projects which deliver a range of trauma informed and person-centred services & activities for young people between the ages of 10-25 that:

• Support young people most at risk of being involved in antisocial behaviour, offending or reoffending towards or into positive destinations
• Provide person-centred support for young people, parents and families impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma
• Support young people to improve their health, mental health and wellbeing
• Support people, families and communities most affected by crime

Further information on the criteria for the fund and how to apply can be found on the CashBack for Communities website. 

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YouthLink Recruitment – Chair and Honorary Treasurer

The Board of YouthLink Scotland is currently recruiting for the roles of Chairperson and Honorary Treasurer. YouthLink’s present Chairperson, The Very Rev. Dr. Lorna Hood OBE and Honorary Treasurer, Gavin Whitefield CBE will retire in November having completed their second terms of office. 

YouthLink is asking for members and stakeholders to help to nominate a new independent Chairperson and Honorary Treasurer. The appointments are for someone not currently employed within the youth work sector but with the right skillset and sector fit for the next chapter of the organisation.

For further information and to view the person specifications and job roles, visit the YouthLink website. 

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#NoWrongPath

Launched in 2017, #NoWrongPath is a social media movement led by Developing the Young Workforce, which provides inspiration and reassurance to young people receiving their exam results. 

Developing the Young Workforce are aiming to demonstrate that many people in interesting job roles across Scotland may not have taken a straight, obvious or traditional path to get there – that there is #NoWrongPath. It aims to show young people the options that are available to them and that exams results are not necessarily the key to unlocking future success.

• Step 1: Pledge your support for the campaign and mark Tuesday 9 August 2022 (Scottish Exam Results Day) in your diary.
• Step 2: On Tuesday 9 August 2022, post a photograph of yourself holding a handwritten sign outlining your name, what you did when you left school and what you are doing now. Remember to use #NoWrongPath. Download the #NoWrongPath template PDF file.
• Step 3: Nominate a friend or colleague and encourage them to get involved, too!

Get Involved and Promote Your Pathway into CLD at #NoWrongPath.

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Scottish Government Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy – Consultation

Scottish Government have launched a public consultation on ‘A new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy’ and are keen to hear views from a broad range of stakeholders to help inform the final strategy, which will be published before the end of 2022. The Strategy will aim to focus on every part of what mental health and wellbeing means. This covers a range of things, including:

• Addressing the underlying reasons behind poor mental health
• Helping to create the conditions for people to thrive
• Challenging the stigma around mental health
• Providing specialist help and support for mental illness

There are online consultation events, or individuals and organisations can submit their own responses. There is also an easy read option which may be useful when supporting young people and adult learners to participate in this consultation. The virtual events provide an opportunity for anyone interested to engage with Scottish Government on this work and share views. You can book onto one of five sessions below:

Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation – Wed 3 Aug 2022 at 15:00
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation – Mon 8 Aug 2022 at 10:00
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation – Tue 16 Aug 2022 at 09:30
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation – Fri 26 Aug 2022 at 14:00
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Consultation – Thu 1 Sep 2022 at 15:30

The consultation is open for responses until 9th September 2022.  CLDSC will be submitting a response on behalf of our membership. Details on how you can participate will be available soon. Find out more about the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy consultation.

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August Virtual Members Meet Up – Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland

Don’t forget to sign up for our next Virtual Members Meet Up, which takes place on Wednesday, 3rd August, 1-2pm. Come along to find out more about the recently launched Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland and discuss how CLD Standards Council members can support the implementation of the Strategy and help it achieve its mission and ambitions. 

You can sign up for the session on the August Virtual Members Meet Up EventBrite page. 

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Digital CLD Awards

The pilot was funded by Scottish Government’s CLD Digital Development Fund and is focused on recognising the many planned and ongoing improvements organisations are making in developing the skills of their staff to improve the ways they reach and support learners through digital technologies. The awards highlight how well these increasing uses of digital approaches are impacting on the experiences and skills of learners and stakeholders. Awards were granted to:

• CLASP (Community Led Action & Support Project, North Ayrshire)
• Dundee City Council – Adult Learning ESOL Team 
• Glasgow ESOL Forum 
• Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Community Development Project
• LEAD Scotland
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• Youth Space (Fife Council)

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training said: ‘I offer my congratulations to all organisations who have achieved the Digital CLD Award. This is an important digital achievement for them and will make a real difference in helping to build the digitally literate, inclusive and talented young people, adults and communities of the future.’ 

You can find out more on the Digital CLD Awards Scotland website. 

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A Shout out for Cultural Videos – WCDC 2022

The World Community Development Conference 2022 (3rd-5th October 2022) is a great event that brings together hundreds of people involved in community development from around the world. 

This event is always accompanied by traditional songs, national dances and performances which is always very exciting and inspiring. The virtual format of the conference this year includes the regular cultural programme, so attendees can still enjoy the culture and traditions from different parts of the world! It’s going to be wonderful! 

THEY NEED YOU! Please send your cultural video to them, so that everyone around the world attending the conference will be able to enjoy songs and dances together, and explore the full of the colours of the culture of all countries involved.

For more information visit the World Community Development Conference 2022 website.

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DTAS Conference – 4th-5th September 2022

The theme is Gather, Connect and Thrive. This year’s speakers include CEO of Circular Communities, Michael Cook, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful, Barry Fisher, as well as Mr Tom Arthur MSP, Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth. The conference programme includes a study visit to Cranhill Development Trust in the east end of Glasgow, a virtual study visit to Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association and a total of nine workshops to choose from. Workshop topics include succession planning and collaboration, Community Ownership Support Service and Community Shares Scotland sessions. Attendees will be able to participate in a speed-networking session and browse the Marketplace which will include stands from a wide range of different organisations. 

For those unable to attend in-person, selected sessions from the programme will be available online free of charge, including the virtual study visit, AGM and the opening and closing plenaries.

For further information and to book your place, visit the DTAS website.

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Scotland Learns

Education Scotland have published a schedule for August 2022 until June 2023 detailing publication dates and submission deadlines for Scotland Learns. You can find out at more details on the Education Scotland website.

This newsletter focuses on offering up to date information to support you, as educational practitioners, in creating ideas and learning activities to support children, young people and family learning. It also includes news, resources and useful links, as well as sharing practice from around Scotland. With well over 35,000 subscribers, this is a great way to share your news with stakeholders. 

There are still a few weeks until the newsletter resumes, so if you’d like to submit content, please send around 40 words and a link to further information to scotlandlearns@educationscotland.gov.scot or email them to subscribe and receive your monthly copy.

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The Promise Partnership Fund

Phase 3 of the Promise Partnership Fund has launched on the Corra Foundation website. The three key areas of focus for applications are around a supported workforce, supportive school structure (right to education) and youth justice & rights.  Find out more about the next steps and the challenge briefs/application criteria on the The Promise Partnership – Corra website.  

The closing date for applications is 16th September 2022, with outcomes from the Decision Making Panel announced in December 2022.

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Launch of CYPFEI & ALEC Fund Replacement

Third sector organisations that support children, young people, families and adult learners are now able to apply for core funding from the new Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund (CYPFAL). The fund is a replacement for the previous CYPFEI & ALEC fund and will provide up to £16-million funding for 2 years from April 2023.

The new fund focuses on providing core funding to organisations that are delivering services and support that are targeted towards positive outcomes for children, young people, families and adult learners with particular focus on the Scottish Government policy priorities:

• Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learners affected by Poverty
• The Promise
• Implementation of UNCRC
• Family Support
• Mental and Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing
• Equalities and Wellbeing

Applications can be completed online from 12:30pm on 6 July 2022 via the Corra Foundation website where guidance and the online application form is available. The deadline for submitting applications is at 3pm on 5 September 2022.

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August Virtual Members Meet Up – Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland

The next Virtual Members Meet Up will take place on Wednesday, 3 August, 1-2pm, hosted by Simon Ashpool  from Scottish Government CLD Policy Team. This month it will focus on the recently launched Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland and will explore how CLD Standards Council members can support the implementation of the Strategy, and help it achieve its mission and ambitions. You can sign up for the session on the August Virtual Members Meet Up EventBrite page. 

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Scottish Government – Covid 19 Principles

Scottish Government official information on the guiding principles to manage Covid-19 including for a community learning and development (CLD) setting was revised on the 22nd of June 2022. 

Specifically, the Overview and Principles have been updated to reflect current guidance. For further information, visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19): universities, colleges and CLD providers page on the Scottish Government website. 

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World Community Development Conference – 3-5 October 2022 – online

Inclusion, Challenges, Opportunities is the unifying theme for #WCDC2022, in order to encourage a global discussion and reflection on the new reality that community development practice has to operate in as we enter a post pandemic world. This will build upon the work many have been doing in realizing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Agenda 2030.  

The deadline for submitting abstracts has been extended until August 1, 2022, so if you’d like to present at the conference, please visit the Call for Participation page on the WCDC2022 website.

If you’d like to attend as a participant, you can now register at the WCDC2022 website.  Keep up to date with news and events on Twitter using #WCD2022.

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New Guide to Accessing Community Based Adult Learning for Disabled People

LEAD Scotland recruited and paid six disabled people, all with some past or current experience of accessing CBAL, to co-produce the guide. It was important for the group to reflect their experiences of being disabled and sharing tips on how to ask learning providers for the right support to learn. The guide is full of useful advice and information related to various disability related topics, such as knowing your rights under the Equality Act and using CBAL to build knowledge on how to get involved in campaigning.

Find out more about the new Guide to Accessing Community Based Adult Learning for Disabled People. 

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#IWill Ambassador Recruitment 2022

@IWillScotland have opened applications for this year’s #IWill Ambassadors! More than 1 in 5 of us are under 18, but who gets to make the decisions that matter? Do you care or know someone who cares about putting #YouthVoice at the centre of our society? 

#IWillAmbassador applications & nominations are open.  Find out more at YouthLink Scotland  #IWill Ambassador Recruitment.

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Summertime CLD Activities

It’s mid-July and CLD summer activities and programmes are well underway with adult learners, young people and community groups. Please link us in to your work by tweeting – tag us on @cldstandards and use the hashtag #BecauseOfCLD. We love seeing the amazing practice being undertaken in communities across Scotland and want to share it widely.

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Adult Learning Strategy Launch Videos

Following the launch of the Adult Learning Strategy on 29 June, the recordings of the session are now available on i-develop. We are also pleased to welcome Simon Ashpool, from the CLD Policy Team in Scottish Government, to host our August Virtual Members Meet Up which will focus on the Adult Learning Strategy and workforce development in CLD. You can sign up for the event on the August Virtual Members Meet Up EventBrite page.

Watch the introduction from Mhairi Harrington OBE, Chair of the Adult Learning Strategic Forum for Scotland followed by Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education, Youth Employment and Training.

Watch recordings of the workshops centred around each of the Strategy’s key themes. 

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CLD Career Day

Following feedback from our further and higher education partners, we are delighted to announce that the CLD Standards Council will be hosting our first CLD Career Day in Autumn 2022. The purpose of the event will be to promote all aspects of Community Learning & Development as a career.  We will have employers, education providers, student support providers, CLD partnerships and alliances all in one room where current and prospective CLD students can hear all about the opportunities available to them in the CLD sector

We will be releasing details of the event soon, including a ‘Save the Date!’ and information on the location. In the meantime, if you would like to be involved in shaping the event and contributing ideas, please contact us at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk by 15 July and we will be in touch!

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CLD Standards Council Conference 2022 – 2 December – Save the Date!

Book the date(s) in your diary and keep a look out for the conference registration opening after the summer.

Please note, the conference is for members of the CLD Standards Council.  If you or a colleague are not currently members and would like to attend, find out how to apply for membership.  

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Community Development Alliance Scotland (CDAS) Annual National Conference 2022 – Save the Date!

CDAS have announced that their Annual National Conference will be held on Tuesday, 20 September 2022, 10am – 3pm in person in Edinburgh. The event will include workshops, speakers and participation from a number of CDAS membership organisations highlighting the social, environmental, physical and economic impact of community development.

Registration will open soon and you can find out more by following CDAS on Twitter @CDAScotland and through the CDAS Facebook page.

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National Voluntary Youth Work Organisations Support Fund 2022-2023

The National Voluntary Youth Work Organisations Support Fund 2022-23 is now open for applications! Funded by Scottish Government and administered by YouthLink Scotland, this fund supports workforce development with the voluntary youth work sector. In addition to funding national voluntary sector youth work organisations, the fund this year – for the first time – also offers support to specialist equalities focused voluntary youth work organisations to support them to build on and develop their reach and offer to young people with protected characteristics. Grants of up to £35,000 are available for national youth work voluntary organisations, £10,000 for regional equalities focused organisations, and £5,000 for local equalities focused organisations.
 
The deadline for submissions is 22 July 2022 and you can find out more on the YouthLink Scotland website.

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Let’s Do Net Zero Community Buildings Fund 2022-2025

Funding from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) is here to support communities to engage with, participate in and benefit from the energy transition to net zero emissions. The fund opens in May 2022 and is planned to run until the end of March 2025, subject to funding availability.

Funding is available for many types of self-managed community buildings, including:

• village halls
• community centres
• community hubs
• sports facilities
• faith buildings

Find out more information about the Let’s Do Net Zero Community Buildings Fund at the Local Energy Scotland website. 

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Adult Learning Strategy Launch

Thanks to everyone who came along this morning to celebrate the launch of Scotland’s first Adult Learning Strategy today, led by Jamie Hepburn MSP – Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training. We were especially pleased to hear the importance that workforce development is playing, both in the strategy itself and in its implementation. 

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Virtual Members Meet Up Reminder – Social Security Scotland

Do you work with people who might be eligible for claiming benefits from Social Security Scotland? If you answered “yes!” this workshop is for you. 

Our next Virtual Members Meet Up is on Tuesday, 5 July – 1pm to 2pm and this month it’s all about Social Security Scotland’s new benefit – Adult Disability Payment, soon to replace Personal Independence Payments and Disability Living Allowance in Scotland. 

Come along to hear about Adult Disability Payments, how you can support any CLD learners you work with to apply, how you can prepare your own services, and have any questions you might have answered. The session will provide an overview of the new benefit, outline special rules for terminal illness, how to apply for the benefit, how decisions are made and information collected, and how appeals can be made. 

This session is for anyone who might support clients or service users to access benefits, or who works regularly with people who may be eligible to apply. It will give you the knowledge needed to make sure your CLD learners get the support they need.

Join the July Virtual Members Meet Up by registering on Eventbrite.

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Free workshops for guiding blind and visually impaired people

This one-hour, free virtual training is ideal for people who work or volunteer with members of the public and teaches sighted guiding. It is available to anyone over the age of 18 and is delivered in a live, online session by one of Guide Dogs’ expert staff. It will cover: 

• How to start a conversation when you meet someone who is blind or partially sighted
• The confidence to ask someone if they need assistance
• Basic guiding techniques for crossing roads, getting around obstacles and getting in and out of cars
• An introduction to common eye conditions and their impact
• Awareness of access rights and barriers to independence

Sessions are limited to 15 people and you can sign up for the sighted guiding training sessions on the Guide Dogs’ website.

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LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Report

The Health Needs Assessment (HNA) was commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), NHS Lothian and Public Health Scotland from 2020 who recognised that there are gaps in knowledge about the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ groups.

The comprehensive HNA sought to better inform approaches to public health for LGBT+ people, differentiated for each of seven groups: lesbian and gay women, gay men, bisexual women, bisexual men, trans women, trans men (trans masculine) and non-binary people across the Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Lothian areas.

The HNA Report brings together the findings from all aspects of the HNA including the presentation of the survey findings.

Find out more and read the full HNA report.

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International Association of Community Development (IACD) AGM – Save the date!

The International Association of Community Development’s (IACD) AGM takes place on Wednesday, 13 July 2022 at 1pm and members and friends of IACD are welcome to attend.

You can register for the IACD AGM on Eventbrite.

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Local Funding Streams

Local Recovery is a non-political group which works to give communities a louder voice. They advocate for local priorities and believe that the policies of local authorities and national governments should deliver for local communities

Local Recovery can provide advice and support to local groups who are looking to access funding from schemes such as the Place Based Investment Programme Fund, the Investing In Communities Fund and the Aspiring Communities Fund.

Find out more about resources available for local areas on the Local Recovery website. 

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Open University in Scotland Graduation – Congratulations

Marion Allison (left) and Ruth Washbrook (right)

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Adult Learning Strategy Launch

The official launch of Scotland’s first Adult Learning Strategy is taking place virtually on Wednesday, 29 June 2022. Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education, Youth Employment and Training, will officially launch the strategy and a series of workshops centred around each of the strategy’s key themes.

Places are still available to attend and the closing date for registration is this Friday, 24 June. Please email SGCLDPolicy@gov.scot if you’d like to attend and you’ll be sent registration details as soon as possible. 

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Launch of Scotland’s new Volunteering Action Plan

Last week saw the launch of Scottish Government’s new Volunteering Action Plan. The plan aims to create a Scotland where everyone can volunteer, more often, and throughout their lives. It is designed to provide actions over a 10‐year period as a living plan and it seeks to raise the profile of volunteering and its impact on society.

We were pleased to be invited to be part of the working group for the plan’s creation and hope it will serve as a useful tool to the CLD sector as a whole. 

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July Virtual Members Meet-up – Scotland’s New Benefits System

Our next Virtual Members Meet Up is on Tuesday, 5 July – 13.00-14.00 and this month it’s all about Social Security Scotland and the new benefits system coming to people in Scotland.

Come along and hear what Adult Disability Payments are, how you can support any CLD learners you work with to apply, how you can prepare your own services, and have any questions you might have answered. The session will provide an overview of the new benefit, outline special rules for terminal illness, how to apply for the benefit, how decisions are made and information collected, and how appeals can be made.

This session is for anyone who might support clients or service users to access benefits, or who works regularly with people who may be eligible to apply. It will give you the knowledge needed to make sure your CLD learners get the support they need.

Join the July Virtual Member Meet Up by registering on Eventbrite.

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Building Racial Literacy and Education Leadership Programmes

Don’t forget, CLD colleagues can submit applications for these two programmes until 23:45 on Monday 27th June. 

• Building Racial Literacy – The national Building Racial Literacy programme promotes anti-racism as a baseline professional value, empowering educators to identify and implement anti-racist behaviours and processes in their everyday practice. To find out more about the programme, please watch the Story of the Building Racial Literacy Programme video and visit the Education Scotland website and select the section on ‘Applying for the programme’. 
• Educator Leadership Programme – Growing from the success of the Teacher Leadership Programme (TLP); the new Educator Leadership Programme (ELP) welcomes applications from Early Learning and Childcare practitioners, Community Learning and Development practitioners and classroom teachers. To find out more please watch the Educator Leadership Programme video and visit the Education Scotland website and select the section on ‘Applying for this programme and further information’ section.

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CashBack for Communities Fund – phase 6 open for applications

Cashback for Communities is a Scottish Government fund that uses funds recovered from criminals to expand young people’s horizons and increase the opportunities they have to develop their interests and skills. Phase 6 of the fund is now open for applications and closes at noon, Friday 12 August. £20-million is available in this round of funding and successful applicants will commence from April 2023 to March 2026.

Organisations must have a proven track record of delivering activities which support the Scottish Government’s Justice Vision and the criteria for CashBack Phase 6 as set out below. 

Phase 6 will fund projects which deliver a range of trauma informed and person-centred services & activities for young people between the ages of 10-25 that:

• Support young people most at risk of being involved in antisocial behaviour, offending or reoffending towards or into positive destinations
• Provide person-centred support for young people, parents and families impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma
• Support young people to improve their health, mental health and wellbeing
• Support people, families and communities most affected by crime

Further information on the criteria for the fund and how to apply can be found on the CashBack for Communities website. 

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Congratulations to the winners of the Scottish Charity Awards

As always, the Scottish Charity Awards event was an evening of inspiration and CLD practice was at the forefront! All 44 finalists deserve to be recognised and the first in-person Awards ceremony for 3 years was the only place to be last Wednesday evening. You can read more about the winners on the night on the SCVO website. 

CLD Standards Council was delighted to sponsor the Community Action Award at this year’s Scottish Charity Awards. Warm wishes go to the finalists and huge congratulations to the winners Feldy-Roo! Feldy-Roo was set up at the beginning of the pandemic to provide daily hot meals, free newspapers and a friendly chat for isolating residents in Highland Perthshire during both lockdowns. Feldy-Roo created a social experience for both volunteers and residents, and continues to work within the community, seeking to improve social and health opportunities for all ages.

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CLD Standards Council Professional Induction Programme Launch

We were delighted to launch our new Professional Induction Programme at The Gathering today! Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Higher Education, Further Education, Youth Employment and Training officially launched the programme and highlighted its importance in developing a professional CLD workforce and making sure practitioners at all levels feel supported to deliver high quality learning opportunities for all.

The Professional Induction Programme is available on i-develop and has been created by a group of committed CLD Standards Council Members who volunteered their time and also piloted the first programme. Thank you to everyone who participated, and special thanks to Mike Naulty, Graham Hewitson and John Galt from the CLDSC Professional Learning Committee for driving its development forward. 

Whether you’ve been a CLDSC member for years or have recently joined, we encourage you to complete the Induction programme. Email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk to register. And look out for a Virtual Member Meet up later in the year where we will talk through the Induction Programme in more detail. 

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Scottish Education Awards 2022 Winners

Huge congratulations to Mobilize Music Project at East Kilbride Universal Connections, South Lanarkshire Council on winning the CLD Award.

Big shout out to other nominees, Neil Young at St Paul’s Youth Forum, Glasgow and FARE Scotland, Glasgow. 

Delighted to see such high quality CLD youth work recognised and applauded.

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July Virtual Members Meet Up – Tuesday, 5 July 2022 – 1pm-2pm – Social Security Scotland

It’s not too late to sign up to the July virtual members meet up!

Following the successful pilot of Adult Disability Payment in Scotland, Social Security Scotland will begin accepting new applications for Adult Disability Payment from clients living in all local authorities in Scotland as part of the national roll out of this form of assistance on 29 August 2022.

Come along on Tuesday, 5 July at 1pm to hear what Adult Disability Payments are, how you can support any CLD learners you work with to apply, how you can prepare your own services, and have any questions you might have answered. The session will provide an overview of the new benefit, outline special rules for terminal illness, how to apply for the benefit, how decisions are made and information collected, and how appeals can be made.

This session is for anyone who might support clients or service users to access benefits, or who works regularly with people who may be eligible to apply. You can join the virtual members meet up by signing up on Eventbrite.

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UK Pride Month & LGBT Youth Scotland

Happy Pride Month to all our LGBTQI+ members, allies, friends and family.

It is 50 years since the first UK Pride. Despite a lot of progress, young people say that it is still tough to be LGBTQI+ in Scotland in 2022. Our friends at LGBT Youth Scotland need your help to change that story.

The dream is for Scotland to become the most inclusive place in the world for LGBTQI+ young people to reach their full, fabulous potential.

This summer for Pride, they are asking for your help to make that dream a reality by supporting their life changing work and becoming part of their story.

There are lots of ways you can help: 

• Donate and be #partofthestory
• Organise your own Pride event
• Share how proud you are to be #partofthestory by sharing the appeal across your social media. Follow @LGBTYS on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

And if your organisation wants to proactively include LGBTQI+ people in every aspect of its work, why not check out the LGBT Charter for Organisations?  

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Building Racial Literacy and Education Leadership Programme – extended deadline!

Education Scotland’s Professional Learning and Leadership team are extending the application deadline for Building Racial Literacy and Educator Leadership Programmes for our CLD colleagues. Applications will remain open until 23:45 on Monday 27th June. 

• Building Racial Literacy – The national Building Racial Literacy programme promotes anti-racism as a baseline professional value, empowering educators to identify and implement anti-racist behaviours and processes in their everyday practice. To find out more about the programme, please watch the Story of the Building Racial Literacy Programme video and visit the Education Scotland website and select the section on ‘Applying for the programme’. 
• Educator Leadership Programme – Growing from the success of the Teacher Leadership Programme (TLP); the new Educator Leadership Programme (ELP) welcomes applications from Early Learning and Childcare practitioners, Community Learning and Development practitioners and classroom teachers. To find out more please watch the Educator Leadership Programme video and visit the Education Scotland website and select the section on ‘Applying for this programme and further information’ section.

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Have your say on how technology is used in maths education in Scotland

Education Scotland is supporting this survey and is keen to encourage contributions from the CLD sector. The survey is collecting information on how technology is being used by teachers and learners of mathematics and numeracy in UK schools, colleges, early years and community learning settings. It is being conducted by the Joint Mathematical Council, which represents all of the mathematics organisations across the four nations, to inform our advice to policy makers. There is an option to say you don’t use technology much, or at all. 

Find out more and complete the Maths and Technology survey. 

All responses are anonymous and you are not required to give personal data or contact details. The survey should take between 5-10 minutes to complete and closes on 30th June 2022. 

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Digital Accessibility and Online Security Webinars

Less than 10% of the internet is fully accessible and many organisations are now committing to making their online spaces easy to use by disabled people and people with impairments. Lead Scotland is here to help with free webinars looking at different aspects of digital accessibility. Many people are also worried about the rise in online scams – check out one of their ‘Stay Safe Online Over the Summer’ webinars! 

Everyone is welcome to attend and you can find out a full list of the webinars at the Lead Scotland website.  The dates of the webinars are listed below:

• Mon 20 June – Creating Accessible Layouts 
• Tues 21 June – Accessible Colours and Contrast 
• Wed 22 June – Accessibility and Cyber Security 
• Thurs 23 June – Using Alt Text 
• Fri 24 June – Creating Captions and Transcripts 
• Mon 27 June – Stay Safe Online Over the Summer 
• Fri 1 July – Stay Safe Online Over the Summer (with BSL interpreter) 

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Welcome to Ross Martin

Ross was the lead for the CLD Regulations and Planning, CLD Workforce Development, CLD Performance & Improvement, Public Protection and Equalities.  Part of his remit was managing a team in the areas of ESOL, Literacies, Digital Youth Work, Volunteering, Performance & Workforce Development, Food Insecurity, Gaelic Community Development and Youth Research.

We’re delighted to have Ross join the team and know he is looking forward to meeting CLDSC members across Scotland in his new role.

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Standards Mark Approval – Aberdeenshire CLD Service

The standard of this submission was very much appreciated by the approval panel who stated that they had enjoyed reading another Gold Star submission as it was clear and easy to find the evidence. The panel are keen to see some of the approaches to professional learning shared with other organisations. The hard work and commitment to CLD professional learning from the Aberdeenshire CLD Service is to be commended. 

The panel also wished to share some of the areas that had impressed them within the submission: 

• Great to see a high level of CLD Workforce Registered with CLDSC
• Excellent video demonstrating their Professional Learning SharePoint site navigation
• Good to see a clear commitment to the CLD values and principles 
• Professional learning record used by Workforce to capture 35 hours of PL incorporates the competences and this will make it easier for the workforce to provide evidence for re-registration. 

Well done!  

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The Gathering is back for 2022!

Come join us at the Gathering on Wednesday, 15 June (next Wednesday!) for the official launch of our newly created Professional Induction Programme, a CLD Standards Council e-learning course for new and existing members of the CLDSC!
 
As well as hearing about the benefits of the professional induction, you’ll also hear from us about the benefits of CLDSC membership and why CLD is important. Jamie Hepburn MSP – Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training – will also be joining us.
 
Sign up for our event, on Wednesday, 15 June 2022, 9.30-10.30am at the Gathering website.

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July Virtual Members’ Meet-up – Tuesday 5 July 1-2pm – Social Security Scotland

Following the successful pilot of Adult Disability Payment in Scotland, Social Security Scotland will begin accepting new applications for Adult Disability Payment from clients living in all local authorities in Scotland as part of the national roll out of this form of assistance on 29 August 2022.

Many CLD practitioners support adults who will be entitled to this benefit. Come along on Tuesday, 5 July at 1pm to hear what Adult Disability Payments are, how you can support any CLD learners you work with to apply, how you can prepare your own services, and have any questions you might have answered. The session will provide an overview of the new benefit, outline special rules for terminal illness, how to apply for the benefit, how decisions are made and information collected, and how appeals can be made. 

You can find out more and register for the session on Eventbrite.

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National Young People’s Advisory Group

Children in Scotland are supporting the new national young people’s advisory group, recently launched under the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group. The group has been set up to make sure young people’s views are heard directly by decision-makers, to influence government policy. More information on this work can be found on the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group page. 
 
The group will be aimed at young people (16-25) who have tried to take their own life or have suicidal thoughts. It is also for people who have experienced suicide (please note that two years must have passed if they have sadly lost someone through suicide for them to get involved) and those who suffer from poor mental health. Due to the nature of the group, it is expected that all young people will have a worker involved who can provide support before and after meetings.  
  
The group sessions will be relaxed and fun, they should also give people the opportunity to meet new people and share their views.  
  
If any young people you work with are interested, please get in touch with Chris Ross from Children in Scotland at cross@childreninscotland.org.uk. Chris would be delighted to speak to anyone interested and is happy to arrange sessions to meet with young people to provide more information and the chance to meet the team behind this project. 

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ESOL Aficionados

Do you know an exceptional, energetic, enthusiastic ESOL practitioner? Of course you do!  Why not nominate a CLD ESOL colleague, volunteer, tutor or manager to be part of the NATECLA ESOL Aficionados page where the work of ESOL practitioners is celebrated and showcased.  Or why not have your own profile on show?

If you’d like to nominate yourself or a colleague, contact the NATECLA team.

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College Development Network – Board Member Vacancies

Two independent Board Member vacancies with College Development Network (CDN) are available.  These are voluntary positions with expenses paid for meetings and events.

This year, CDN will begin building its next multi-year strategy and be growing its commercial activities, range of core services to the education system, and partnerships with many other organisations and agencies.

CDN is headquartered in Stirling’s historic Airthrey Castle but with colleagues and partners across Scotland and beyond. The Board of Directors would like to welcome two new independent members as it take the next steps in our growth and development.

Prior board level experience is not a pre-requisite for the role – enthusiasm, creativity, and an interest in skills education are.

Although applicants from all backgrounds will be considered equally, CDN is particularly looking for individuals who have professional or non-executive experience in the fields of:

• Digital learning and communications
• Commercial training and personal professional development
• Working across and between the four nations of the UK

Please submit a CV and covering letter to recruitment@cdn.ac.uk  if you are interested in these roles. You can also request a confidential conversation with CDN’s Chief Executive or Chair, prior to formal application, by emailing this address. 

Please note that the closing date for applications is Friday 24 June at 5pm, with initial sifting of applications during w/c 27 June. Interviews will take place in July and August. 

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Welcome to Vikki Carpenter

Vikki is enthusiastic about raising the profile of the profession in Scotland through improving policies and practice, as well as growing, developing and supporting all practitioners within CLD.

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Last chance to sign up – Virtual Members’ Meet-up – 6 June 2022, 1-2pm – Keep Scotland Beautiful

Don’t forget that Keep Scotland Beautiful will be hosting our monthly virtual members’ meet up session for us in June.

The event will introduce the community engagement and learning programmes that support Keep Scotland Beautiful’s vision for a clean, green sustainable Scotland; and will demonstrate the Climate Emergency Toolkit for Youth Workers, discussing effective methods of communicating the climate emergency to a youth audience, and considering ways in which the toolkit can be adapted for a range of CLD learners and communities.

You can find out more information and sign up for the meet-up on Eventbrite.

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Standards Mark Approval – West Dunbartonshire Council

CLDSC is delighted to announce the re-approval of West Dunbartonshire Council’s (WDC) Standard Mark approval. The Approval Panel commented that the submission for approval was ‘Gold Standard’ and have been granted permission from WDC to use the submission for training purposes. 

The submission provided lots of clear, strong evidence of West Dunbartonshire’s commitment to CLD and the values, principles, code of ethics and competences. Evidence provided illustrated how the code of ethics is a foundation of CLD practice. Examples provided in the submission were as a result of ethical consultation, practice and statements of intent, as demonstrated in the WDC three year CLD plan. The Approval Panel also highlighted that a good range of digital support is available and particularly appreciated the use of Padlet to share information.   

It is heartening to see that WDC recognise the value of providing CLD Practice Placement opportunities.  And, great to see the importance placed on CLD qualifications as a requirement on job specifications. 

Well done!  And a final message from the Approval Panel – ‘Congratulations and thanks for making our decision so much easier’.  

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Buddies needed!

This programme is aimed at old and new members and can either be an opportunity to learn all about the CLDSC and what we do, as well as CLD as a whole, or it can be used as a refresher for long-serving members. Participants in the Induction Course are allocated a buddy to guide them through and ask any questions.  You can find out more about our Supporting Professional Learning Together offer and how to be a buddy on i-develop.

If you’re a fountain of knowledge on all things CLDSC and CLD, or you could be with a bit of coaching, then we’d love to hear from you if you’d be interested in being a buddy. Please contact us at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk for more information. 

And if you’re interested in attending The Gathering, you can see the programme and register on The Gathering website.

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Volunteers Week, 1-7 June 2022

Volunteers’ Week is a UK wide campaign that takes place from 1-7 June every year. It’s a time when volunteering involving organisations are encouraged to thank and celebrate their volunteers, past and present. 

There are thousands of CLD volunteers across Scotland helping adult learners get back into work, supporting new Scots to learn English, building the confidence of community members to make a difference in their neighbourhoods, changing the lives of young people through youth work activities and much more.  

Here at the CLD Standards Council, we want to say…..

If you are a CLD volunteer, or if you support CLD volunteers, why not pop along to our dedicated CLD Volunteer page on i-develop where you’ll find resources and information on how to register with CLD Standards Council.

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Healthy Eating Week, 13-17 June 2022

The British Nutrition Foundation’s (BNF) Healthy Eating Week is an annual event that highlights what we can all do to have healthier lifestyles. Taking place on 13-17 June 2022, you are invited to get involved! 

Resources have been created in support of the Healthy Eating Week and these are now online for primary schools, secondary schools and workplaces.  The resources are freely available online, but BNF are encouraging anyone/organisations to register in order that they receive updates about the week as well as some free support resources and BNF can track participation levels around the country and across sectors.  

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CLDSC Member Benefits

As members of the CLD Standards Council, there are benefits available to all of you that we wanted to remind you of. Whether you’re an Associate or Registered member, you have the following benefits at your fingertips.

Top Ten Member Benefits:

• monthly virtual member meet-ups (see below article for the next meet up)
• a members’ slack space
• an annual members’ conference
• buddying and mentoring
• free online access to Times Educational Supplement Scotland Magazine (requires you to be logged in to i-Develop)
• membership of Scotland-wide University and College Libraries
• access to Scottish Council of Development and Industry (SCDI) development & industry materials and events
• access to funded places at professional learning events and programmes
• opportunities to join CLD Standards Council committees and / or working groups
• i-develop access to member only areas

We’d really encourage all of you to take advantage of the above and to get in touch with us at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk if you have any questions about any of the CLD Standards Council member benefits or if you are having difficulty logging into your i-develop account. 

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Virtual Member Meet-up – 5 May 2022, 1-2pm

Last chance to register for our May Member Meet Up.

Join us to hear about how CLD practitioners in North Lanarkshire Council implemented the Youth Guarantee Programme to support CLD employment. For the past year, North Lanarkshire Council’s CLD team employed 19 CLD Assistant Support Workers (ASW’s) aged between 16 and 24 years for one year’s paid employment under the Youth Guarantee Programme. Each employee worked in all areas of CLD and had a robust training schedule. All but one ASW has continued onto a positive destination.

This session will showcase the ASW’s learning journey and what the evaluation has shown. Join us to find out more.  

Register for the May Virtual Member Meet Up on Eventbrite.

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University of Dundee – Community Education Symposium

The University of Dundee, School of Education and Social Work’s Annual Community Education Symposium took place on Tuesday 3rd of May. 

This event showcased community-based research and innovative practice, with final year undergraduate students presenting their research projects alongside Community Education academics. Furthermore, a number of Masters’ students at the University led on lightening talks to discuss their experiences of undertaking impactful Community Education Practice. Key note speakers included Alison Urie, Community Development Practitioner of Vox Liminis and Dr Alan Mackie, lecturer within the Community Education team at the University of Dundee.

These inspiring presentation and discussion sessions included topics ranging from stigma and recovery, men’s perspectives on violence against women, adult learning and social inequalities, innovative community-based pedagogies, the impact of community-based ESOL classes, youth-led community arts, care-experienced young people moving to accommodation, global community perspectives on climate change, and many more.

A selection of photos from a CLD focussed storyboard shared at the event can be found below!

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SCDC Participation / Appeals Process Event – 11 May 2022 An appealing prospect – appeals process for participation requests exploratory event

The Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) is inviting community organisations, public bodies and other interested organisations and individuals an online event on 11 May 2022, 9:30am-2:30pm. This will explore how participation requests – a way that communities can request to work with public bodies to improve outcomes or services – could be supported by reviews or appeals.

The purpose of this online event is to share findings so far, based on the deliberations of a working group. This group met twice in February 2022 and consisted of both community organisations with experience of making participation requests and public agencies who deal with participation requests. Draft findings have focused on principles behind an appeals mechanism and proposals for both local reviews and appeals to Ministers. There have also been draft proposals around improved practice guidance for participation requests and discussion regarding other forms of scrutiny. This event will offer the chance to discuss these findings and also to further shape them before they are brought together and fed back to the Scottish Government. 

Find out more and sign up at SCDC website.

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Communities Channel Scotland

The Communities Channel Scotland was developed by Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) with funding from the Scottish Government.  It was launched in 2014 as a place where community groups could find information, ideas and inspiration to help them achieve their aims. The website was refreshed recently, with the aim of making it even easier for you to find and share useful content. There’s plenty of new stuff too, including a series of hot topic sections focused on covid-19, climate change, human rights and other pressing issues. You’ll also find useful resources, accessible guides to relevant policy and great examples of community groups in action.

The website also hosts the Social Impact Pledge, a Scottish Government initiative which asks public sector organisations across Scotland to commit to increasing their social impact by committing to changing three aspects of their current operations or policies.

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Scotland’s Census 2022

The census collection period will now continue until the end of May 2022 to ensure everyone is included.  

Households can complete their questionnaire online, but they still have the opportunity to request paper forms to complete through the contact centre (0800 030 8308). Other support such as being able to complete over the telephone, and language support and accessibility assistance is also available. Updated assets have been added to the stakeholder promotional materials such as the toolkit, advertising campaign, social media assets (@ScotCensus2022, using #ScotlandsCensus2022) and the latest TV advert.

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