Author Archives: CLDSC Editor

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 16 February 2022

Modern Apprenticeships Community Development

Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) in Community Development Work have been available for a number of years, but have not been widely used. A review of the SVQs was undertaken and SVQ Community Development level 5 and 6 were approved by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in 2018.

Since 2018, CLDSC have been working with SQA, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and Skills for Justice to reach agreement that Skills for Justice would be the certification and registration body for the Modern Apprenticeship Community Development. This is now in place and the Modern Apprenticeship will be available.

Find out more about Modern Apprenticeships for Community Development.  

For those training providers who are currently approved delivery centres for SVQ Community Development or training providers who may wish to seek agreement from SQA to become a delivery centre, more information is available on the SQA website.

Your CLDSC needs your help! – Professional Practice Placement Standards

The CLDSC showcased the Professional Practice Placement Standards in our 19 January 2022 Member Bulletin and set up the new page for Practice Placements on the CLDSC website.
 
The page includes resources to support you in your practice placement involvement, whether as a student, an employer, a supervisor or an educational provider. It is important that these standards and resources work for the CLD sector and the only way to know that is to get feedback on their use. Go on give the resources a try! And feed back to us with your thoughts at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk. 

CLDSC Face Masks – First Come First Served!

As part of the goody bag following the CLDSC Conference in December, we sent out some rather lovely and practical CLDSC branded face masks. We have a number of these left over and so if you would like one, please email us at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk. This is on a first come first served basis, so if you want one, be quick to send in your email.

Ruth and Kirsty modelling the CLDSC face masks

Free Accredited Online Learning Microcredentials – application deadline extended!

The Open University in Scotland (OUiS) is offering a number of fully funded places on their online learning Microcredentials courses for those working in the CLD sector. These courses provide strategic skills for practitioners in any learning environment, in community or online and have been identified as relevant to CLD practitioners by the CLD Standards Council. They will help you to develop online programmes for learners which are accessible and inclusive while also focusing on key thematic priorities for the sector.

The courses available will allow you to look at how you can deliver a more digitally accessible service, while broadening your reach to more young people, adults, families and community groups.

The courses on offer are:

  • Online Teaching: Creating Courses for Adult Learners
  • Online Teaching: Evaluating and Improving Courses
  • Online Teaching: Accessibility and Inclusive Learning
  • Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum
  • Online Teaching: Embedding Social, Race and Gender-Related Equity

These courses are at postgraduate level and will start in March 2022 and run for 12 weeks. 

If you missed the CLDSC Virtual Member Meet-Up or the Education Scotland CLD webinar about the CLD Digital Portal and the range of microcredentials, you can view a session recording on Education Scotland’s YouTube Channel. Information about the Microcredentials is 8:05 minutes into the recording. 

For more information and to apply, please visit OUiS Microcredentials for CLD. The deadline for applications is Sunday, 27 February 2022.

Time For You – Free Mental Health and Wellbeing Support

Have you, your staff or the people you support, had a hard time during the pandemic? If so, the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) is providing a new, free service which frontline workers can access right now!

The Time for You service offers instant access to free mental health and wellbeing support for frontline workers in Scotland. There are three levels of support to choose from: online self-help, guided self-help and one-to-one therapy. 

You can find more information at Time for You. 

DyslexiFest, 9 March 2022

Dyslexia Scotland is proud to host DyslexiFest online on 9 March 2022. This one-off event focuses on mental health and dyslexia and features an expert panel discussion and an exclusive preview of an upcoming Scottish documentary on the issue. Penny Aston of GroOops and Professor Amanda Kirby join dyslexic adult Keith Macaldowie and filmmaker Trevor Thomson to explore the barriers, stigma and challenges that affect dyslexic adults’ mental wellbeing.

Register for DyslexiFest on Eventbrite.

For all of Dyslexia Scotland’s free events, visit the Dyslexia Scotland website. 

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 09 February 2022

Virtual Member Meet-Up, 2 March 2022 – Critical Reflection using the CLD Values

What does it mean to be a critically reflective practitioner? How do we go beyond reflective practice to ask the key questions about our practice? How can we be critically reflective practitioners in a positive and supportive way within a group of peers?

Our next virtual member meet-up is taking place on 2 March 2022, 1-2pm and we’re delighted to be joined by Dr Rob Bray, University of Highlands and Islands and Graham MacLellan, Senior CLD Worker, Inverclyde Council. This meet-up is based on a journal article published in the Concept Journal: Critical Reflection and Community Education Values.

The Meet-Up will explore a range of critical reflection tools for use by CLD staff and volunteers. Participants will explore how we can use the CLD values as determined by the CLD Standards Council to ask key questions about our practice at an individual and also at a group level. Participants will also hear about how this work has been built upon within the further education sector.

Register for the March Virtual Member Meet-Up on Eventbrite.

Scottish Charity Awards – Apply Now!

The Scottish Charity Awards are back for 2022 and you can apply now! The Scottish Charity Awards are designed to celebrate the best of the voluntary sector by highlighting the best, most innovative and effective work from the past year by those who make a difference in our communities.

CLD Standards Council is proud to sponsor the Community Action Award again this year and would love to see a range of CLD practice represented throughout the awards category nominations!

The Award categories are:

  • Employee of the Year, Trustee of the Year
  • Community Action
  • Campaign of the Year
  • Charity of the Year
  • Volunteer of the Year
  • Digital Citizen
  • Pioneering Project
  • Climate Conscious

The winners will be decided by a panel of judges and announced at a glittering awards ceremony on 15 June 2022.

All finalists will also be entered into the running for the People’s Choice Award, giving members of the public a chance to vote for their favourite finalist to win. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) received an overwhelming response last year, with hundreds of applications and thousands of votes cast in the People’s Choice Award, and event organisers hope to encourage even more applications this year. 

Charities can apply until 12pm on Friday 18 March 2022. Apply now!

Volunteering during Covid-19 – Third Sector Perspectives: Survey Report

The Scottish Third Sector Perspectives On Volunteering During Covid-19: Survey Report was published on 31 January 2022. This report presents the results of a survey undertaken between April – June 2021 by Scottish Government in collaboration with Volunteer Scotland and gathered third sector perspectives on volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report will be used to help inform and shape the development of the Scottish Government’s volunteering policy; the new Volunteering Action Plan for Scotland and the wider policy response to the pandemic.

The key highlights:

  • Volunteers were an essential part of the COVID-19 response, and that their engagement has helped to support many vulnerable people through an isolated and difficult time
  • Volunteer-involving organisations showed incredible adaptability and resilience, pivoting their work to be able to meet newly emerging needs, and finding ways to adapt their programmes for online and remote delivery wherever possible
  • The spread of informal volunteering and mutual aid groups showed that people are more than ready to step in to help others in their communities – and that they don’t need to be part of formal volunteering programmes and structures to do so
  • It seems likely that hybrid and flexible models that combine the best aspects of remote and in-person volunteering may emerge from the pandemic, but that this will require continued investment in digital inclusion as well a recognition that on-line models do not work well for all volunteers, programmes, and service users
  • Volunteering had gained in visibility and recognition as an essential part of local and national emergency responses
  • Volunteer Involving Organisations and infrastructure organisations stressed that providing support and coordination for volunteers, ensuring their wellbeing, and operating hybrid on-line/in person models for volunteering and service delivery are resource-intensive activities
  • There was clear feedback that more dedicated funding is needed to support volunteering within volunteer-involving organisations and volunteering coordination and support capacity at the level of TSIs or local authorities

More details are available in the full survey report.

SCQF Partnership Conference 2022

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Partnership turns 21 years old this year and as part of the celebrations they will be holding their first online conference on 24 March 2022. The theme is Recognising Skills in a Changing Landscape and it intends to highlight the important part the SCQF plays in supporting learner journeys in these rapidly changing times. It will celebrate the achievements of individuals, showcase best practice in the use of the SCQF across a range of sectors, as well as raise awareness of the SCQFP’s latest projects and developments amongst partners and stakeholders.

Find out more about the conference and register on the SCQF website #SCQF21Years

Wellbeing and Living with Covid Protection Measures – Scottish Government Survey

The Scottish Government are undertaking a short survey to understand the public’s experiences of coronavirus measures, and are keen to gather feedback from people throughout Scotland.

The deadline for response is 13 February 2022. Access the survey and associated materials.

Stigma and Poverty – Scottish Government Survey

The Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on poverty launched an inquiry into poverty and stigma, seeking to better understand the causes, impacts of and solutions to poverty-related stigma.

To inform the inquiry, the group are calling for written evidence, inviting individuals and organisations from across Scotland to submit their views and to help shape the inquiry’s final report, which will be published in May 2022.

Read more about the Inquiry and view the Inquiry Questions (PDF).  

The deadline for submissions is 5pm, Friday 11 March. Please send your submission to neil.cowan@povertyalliance.org

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 02 February 2022

CLD Digital Investment Developments

If you didn’t make it along to the February Virtual Member Meet-up but would like to find out more about the CLD digital work being progressed, read on!  

Through the CLD Digital Investment funding announced in December by Jamie Hepburn MSP, three areas of work are being progressed: development of a CLD Digital Portal; a Digital CLD Award; and updating the CLD Competent Practitioner Framework to take account of digital skills/delivery.

The Open University in Scotland (OUiS) has created a CLD Digital portal to support this work. The portal is split into five areas, providing access to learning opportunities and space for the CLD Digital Award information and digital competence work to be located. 

Pathways
This provides direct access to free OU courses split into the following areas:

  • Digital competence of the individual
  • Skills for collaboration and organisation
  • Skills to facilitate learning

Microcredentials
Access to a range fully funded places on online teaching Microcredentials for those working in the CLD sector. See the article below for more details on what is available!

Complete the Survey
A space to give feedback to the OUiS so they can better understand the needs of the CLD workforce. 

Digital Community Award
Information on the Digital CLD Award being developed which will offer CLD services and organisations recognition of the ways they promote effective use of digital technologies to enhance learning opportunities.

CLD Standards Council
This area will host information and opportunities as part of the review of CLD digital competence. Background materials, consultation events and opportunities, and key findings will be easily accessible.

Watch this space for more information on how the projects are progressing.  

Free Accredited Online Learning Microcredentials

The Open University in Scotland (OUiS) is offering a number of fully funded places on their online learning Microcredentials for those working in the CLD sector. 

These courses provide strategic skills for practitioners in any learning environment, in community or online and have been identified as relevant to CLD practitioners by the CLD Standards Council. They will help you to develop online programmes for learners which are accessible and inclusive while also focusing on key thematic priorities for the sector.

The courses available will allow you to look at how you can deliver a more digitally accessible service, while broadening your reach to more young people, adults, families and community groups.

The courses on offer are:

  • Online Teaching: Creating Courses for Adult Learners
  • Online Teaching: Evaluating and Improving Courses
  • Online Teaching: Accessibility and Inclusive Learning
  • Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum
  • Online Teaching: Embedding Social, Race and Gender-Related Equity

These courses are at postgraduate level and will start in March 2022 and run for 12 weeks. 

For more information and to apply, please visit OUiS Microcredentials for CLD. The deadline for applications is Sunday, 13 February 2022.

CLD Group Coaching Opportunity – Last Call

There are still spaces available on the CLD group coaching which is part of the Education Scotland workforce support package. Some groups have started and feedback from the first session has been very positive. Participants reported feeling very happy, connected, excited, content, grateful and hopeful.

If you would like to join this group, there is still time to register at CLD Group Coaching.

There are still places available on the 1:1 coaching programme and you can find out more about this course and others at Workforce Support Package.

If you have any questions, please email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

The Cycle of Wellbeing in CLD – Webinar

The Cycle of Wellbeing brings together a wide range of resources to support staff and learner wellbeing in education settings. This webinar on Wednesday, 23 February at 4pm, will provide an overview of the Cycle of Wellbeing resources on the National Improvement Hub and explore how they can be used to support staff and learners in CLD contexts.

Register for the event on Eventbrite using a school/establishment/local authority or Glow email address. If you work in Scottish education and would like to attend, but do not have a glow or work email address please email esevents@educationscotland.gov.scot with the name of your setting or service, to request a place. 

CLD and Learning for Sustainability: Joining the Dots

Come along to this webinar discussion on Wednesday, 2 March 2022 at 10am – 11am, to explore the connections between Community Learning and Development and Learning for Sustainability. There are many aspects of CLD practice which align with Learning for Sustainability in terms of building a socially-just, sustainable and equitable society. 

This session will provide the opportunity to share practice and explore these links in more detail with practitioners from across Scotland.

Register for the webinar on Eventbrite.

Illuminating Leadership Festival 2022

Taking place for the first time from 28 February to 3 March 2022, Illuminating Leadership 2022, is a global online festival aiming to shed light on the benefits, opportunities and challenges of collective, systems and place-based leadership. Over the course of the four days, the festival will hold a variety of self-hosted events enabling participants and hosts to reflect, share, and identify ways in which to support people across public services and beyond.  These will aim to make people feel truly empowered, sufficiently emboldened and able to use their creativity in a way that supports real system change.

All events are free and open to anyone with an interest in collective, systems and place-based leadership.

View the Events Calendar and sign up!

Young Scot Awards 2022 – Nominations Now Open

The search is on for Scotland’s most inspiring young people for the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2022. The Awards look for people across Scotland to nominate young people who do extraordinary work to improve their community and the lives of others. The Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards is Scotland’s biggest celebration of young people and shines a spotlight on the outstanding contribution of those aged 11-26, who have made a real difference to the lives of others. 

From hundreds of entries, three finalists will be chosen in each of the 14 categories. Categories include: Young Hero, Community, Volunteering, Unsung Hero, Enhancing Education, Sport, Health and Wellbeing, Equality and Diversity, Arts, Entertainment, Environment, Enterprise and 2022 Young Scot of the Year. 

Young Scot are encouraging people to nominate at Young Scot Awards before the deadline closes on Sunday, 13 February 2022.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 26 January 2022

Virtual Member Meet-up – 1 February 2022, 1pm-2pm

If you would like to find out more about the CLD Digital Workforce investment and have a guided tour of the digital portal being created by the Open University in Scotland, please come along to our February Virtual Member Meet-Up.

There are three initiatives being funded through the investment:

  • Development of digital competences creating a sustainable resource that will set out clear principles and expectations for CLD delivery in the digital age.
  • Development of an online portal for the CLD workforce, focusing on digital skills, confidence and taking teaching online.  
  • Development of a Digital CLD Award which will seek to recognise the ways that CLD services and organisations promote effective use of digital technologies to enhance learning opportunities in youth work, adult learning, and community development programmes.

Kirsty Gemmell has been seconded to an Education Officer (Digital) post for 6 months. In co-production and consultation with the CLD sector and stakeholders, Kirsty will take forward the development of digital competences.

Register on Eventbrite to join the Meet-Up.

Remember to record your Professional Learning

Keeping records of your professional learning is an important part of the professional learning review cycle. 

They hold information for the review of your professional learning and development that can be easily forgotten.

As well as ideas for learning topics you might want to develop further in planning future goals. You might also be asked to supply them at membership renewal time! 

The CLD Standards Council provides templates for recording your professional learning goals and activities, which you can find on i-develop along with further PL advice and guidance. 

Members do not have to use the templates we provide if you have an alternate system, maybe from your employer – the important thing is to keep the record and reflection. So you should use whatever tool or mechanism suits you best.  

You can also store your PL records on the E-Portfolio area of i-develop, (this options appears under the “My CPD” tab once you log in). Contact us if you are having difficulty logging in contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

CLD Plans 2021–2024

The 2021–2024 CLD plans describe priorities of CLD partners in each local authority area. The needs of learners and communities should clearly inform priorities and there should be evidence of effective community engagement which is enabling learners and groups of all ages to have ownership of CLD priorities in the area.  

Links to plans from every local authority area in Scotland are available on the Education Scotland National Improvement Hub.

Scottish Education Awards

Nominations are now open for the Scottish Education Awards.

There is a dedicated CLD category which recognises and celebrates the integral contribution of CLD to improving the educational outcomes and life chances of children and young people. Please take some time to nominate a CLD practitioner or piece of work.

When making an nomination, please consider:

  • How you are focusing on addressing inequalities (e.g. poverty, disability and health related inequalities, narrowing the attainment gap)?
  • How you have identified and overcome barriers to engagement?
  • How you have developed your approach to collaborative working?
  • How have children, young people and learners been involved, in developing and delivering projects and activities?

The closing date for nominations is Wednesday, 23 February 2022.

Scottish Men’s Shed Association in Scotland

This event taking place on 1 February 2022, 4pm-5.30pm will shine a spotlight on Scottish Men’s Shed Association in Scotland – highlighting the impact on individuals and wider communities in the context of Community Learning and Development.

The event will showcase footage filmed recently at Inverclyde Men’s Shed to tell the story of the Shed’s impact on individuals and the wider community. Speakers include Jason Schroeder, Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Men’s Sheds Association and Dr Danielle Hutcheon from Glasgow Caledonian University.

Register for this session on Eventbrite.

Climate Emergency Training for Youth Workers

Register now for this free, essential, climate emergency training for Youth Workers and those working with young people. Gain an understanding of the climate emergency: this course will equip you with the skills and tools you need to support young people in climate action. Following COP26 it has never been more important to support young people’s concerns about climate change and turn it into positive action. 

Not only will you gain knowledge, skills and some real-life ideas for communicating and working with young people on this topic, but for those who successfully complete the course, you have the opportunity to earn a certificate of Carbon Literacy – a vital qualification for supporting young people in climate action. 

The training is part of the Scottish Government funded COP26 Youth Climate Programme and is being delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful and YouthLink Scotland.

New February and March training dates have just been released! 

Find out more and book your place at the Keep Scotland Beautiful website. 

SVQ in Youth Work Update

The re-accredited SVQs are available now. Centres which meet the criteria for currently approved centres will be granted automatic approval to deliver the new SVQs upon signing up for the revised Assessment Strategy.  

The new codes are as follows and were accredited on 1/12/2021 until 31/12/26:

  • SVQ 2 in Youth Work at SCQF level 6 GT3H 22
  • SVQ 3 in Youth Work at SCQF level 7 GT3G 23

For further updates and information visit the SQA website.

Digitally Enabled Learning Platform

The Digitally Enabled Learning Platform (DELP) gives anyone 25 or over, living in Scotland, free access to LinkedIn Learning and FutureLearn courses. Linkedin Learning offers a catalogue of almost 17000 expert lead video training resources and FutureLearn over 1000 upgraded short courses.

Funded by the Scottish Government’s National Transition Training Fund (NTTF), the aim is to help people develop new skills and support transitions into job opportunities. Up to 20,000 licenses will be available in the initial phase and will allow people to access multiple courses until 31 July 2022.

The courses may be of benefit to both practitioners and the adult learners they are working with. The training varies from in-depth to introductory, covering a range of subjects including business, management, technological and creative skills and sustainability. At a range of educational levels, they can be used to enhance existing skills or to explore potential new career paths.

To access the material, eligible users need to register for a My World of Work Careers account at My World of Work. They can then request an unlimited license to LinkedIn Learning and/or upgraded access to the FutureLearn short course of their choice.

The ‘Learn and train’ content at My World of Work has also been updated 
making it easier than ever to find the right learning opportunity. In addition to LinkedIn Learning and FutureLearn, there is access to other NTTF funded opportunities including the Women Returners Fund, SDS webinars and information on a range of ways to develop their skills.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 19 January 2022

Professional Approval and Practice Placement Standards Resources

News not to be missed for Student CLD Practitioners, Practice Placement Supervisors and Educational Providers – read on – this is important!

In the weekly Member Bulletin on 13 October 2021, CLDSC launched the Professional Approval Suite of material. Within that we promised to provide online links to templates and resources to support the process. We are proud to now make these available to you and would ask that they are put into practice as soon as possible.

There is a new page for Practice Placements on the CLDSC website and the Professional Approval page has also been updated with the new Standards.

CLDSC will be checking in with Student CLD Practitioners, Practice Placement Supervisors and Universities throughout the year to ensure the documents are proving to be supportive. For Colleges and other training providers, we are currently reviewing the Developmental Approval Process and as part of that work, we will be looking to ensure that the Practice Placement Standards can be used by anyone involved in CLD learning. In the meantime, feel free to make use of these resources.

It should be noted that the Universities or Colleges may also provide documents as there are certain procedural requirements they need. CLDSC offer huge thanks to the Educational Providers involved in creating this material and for sharing their existing processes. Huge thanks must also go to the Working Groups for their time, commitment, discussions, debates and patience.

Go on give the resources a try. They are your support documents!
Please feed back any comments / suggestions or questions to contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

Virtual Member meet up – 1 February 2022, 1-2pm

As you will have seen in the Christmas Member Bulletin, Kirsty Gemmell has been seconded to an Education Officer (Digital) post for 6 months as part of the CLD Digital Workforce investment.

There are three elements to the initiative:

  • Development of digital competences creates a sustainable resource that will set out clear principles and expectations for CLD delivery in the digital age.
  • Development of an online portal for the CLD workforce, focusing on digital skills, confidence and taking teaching online.  
  • Development of a Digital CLD Award which will seek to recognise the ways that CLD services and organisations promote effective use of digital technologies to enhance learning opportunities in youth work, adult learning, and community development programmes.

In co-production and consultation with the CLD sector and stakeholders, Kirsty will take forward the development of digital competences.

If you would like to find out more about this and have guided tour of the digital portal being created by the Open University in Scotland, please come along to our February Virtual Member Meet Up. You can register for this event on Eventbrite.

Digital Youth Work Conference – All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online

On Safer Internet Day (8 February 2022 from 9.30am to 3.30pm) YouthLink Scotland will be delving into youth work’s role in making the internet a safer and more secure place for young people. Make a day of it and join them to grow your knowledge and share skills with colleagues across Scotland and beyond. Explore how youth workers can help young people develop their cyber resilience.

Hosted online by YouthLink Scotland, the conference will get to grips with:

  • Online gaming and youth work.
  • Practical digital youth work ideas from youth workers.
  • Positive online relationships.
  • Helping young people build their cyber resilience.
  • How makerspaces can grow digital knowledge.
  • Insight from young people.
  • Overcoming common hurdles to successful digital youth work.
  • And more!

You can view the conference programme and register for a place on the 
YouthLink Digital Youth Work Conference webpage. 

Group Coaching sessions for CLD Leaders

Education Scotland are offering an extension to the workforce support package offer to include group coaching sessions to support health and wellbeing.

One to one coaching sessions have been offered to the education profession since 2020 as part of the workforce support package funded by the Scottish Government to help practitioners in navigating the challenges caused by Covid-19. This offer has now been extended to include additional group coaching sessions. The offer, which is managed in partnership between Education Scotland and social enterprise KnowYouMore, will consist of three 90 minute confidential sessions focussing on CLD leaders working in any CLD settings e.g. Third Sector, Local Authority. Groups will consist of no more than six people to ensure practitioners receive quality time. The first session is being held on Wednesday, 25 January 2022, 4pm-5.30pm. Find out more and sign up on the Education Scotland News webpage.

IACD – SCIO Status

Congratulations to our friends at International Association of Community Development who have now moved from being a charity and a limited company to a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). Nothing about the work IACD does will change, and their values and vision remain the same. You can find out more on the IACD website.  And while you’re there, why not find out more about the 2022 World Community Development Conference taking place both in Ureki, Georgia and online 20-22 June 2022. 

SCQF Upcoming Online Workshops

SCQF are holding a series of online workshops in January and February.  These include:

  • My Skills, My Future on 8 February from 10am to 4pm for staff working within Careers, Information Advice and Guidance and in Community Learning and Development. The workshop provides participants with the skills to facilitate the recognition process with learners as outlined in the My Skills My Future toolkit.  Register for the workshop on Eventbrite.
  • Places are also still available for the Would you Credit It? Online Workshop on 25 January, 10am to 4pm.  This workshop is designed to support individuals and organisations who are developing, or already have, a learning programme which they are considering having Credit Rated for the SCQF.  Register for the workshop on Eventbrite.

Details of other upcoming workshops can be found in the SCQF Newsletter. 

SQA Updates

SQA have provided the following information to help support learners and provide materials:

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 12 January 2022

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the first edition of CLD Standards Council Member Bulletin of 2022. We hope you had a peaceful festive season and are feeling refreshed and reinvigorated, ready to take on 2022!

Conference presentation and resources from Dr Karen Edge

The recording of the presentation delivered by Dr Karen Edge at the CLD Standards Council conference is now available on i-develop.

There is also a wealth of suggested follow on articles and reading resources from Karen for when you need to dip in and find some inspiration to recalibrate or take a break to tweak your plan. 

Access the conference space on i-develop
** Please Note – You will need to log in to your i-develop account to access. If you cannot remember your login or are having difficulty accessing please contact us – contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk

Accredited Programmes for CLD Practitioners

It’s getting to that time of year when courses open up for applications and CLDSC is keen to use our newsletter to help promote recruitment by sharing information about what programmes are available on the Developmental Route (below degree level).  

So if you are providing an accredited programme(s) for CLD practitioners, such as HNC Working with Communities, SVQ Youth Work or  PDA Youth Work, even if it is not yet approved by CLDSC, send the details to contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

Or if you are looking to start a course in 2022 then watch this space!

Funded Open University CLD Micro-credential Courses

In response to the Adult Learning Strategy for Scotland 2021-2026, The Open University in Scotland is committed to helping the Community Learning and Development (CLD) workforce to gain new qualifications and become more digitally agile.  

Supported by the Scottish Government, a limited number of fully-funded places are available on the Open University online teaching micro-credentials courses for those working in the CLD sector.

Five courses are available: 

  • Accessibility and Inclusive Learning
  • Creating Courses for Adult Learners
  • Embedding Social, Race and Gender-related Equity
  • Evaluating and Improving Courses
  • Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum

Each micro-credential course lasts for 12 weeks with approximately 13 hours of study per week, and offers 15 credits as SCQF Level 11.  For more information and to apply, visit The Open University | Courses and Qualifications webpage.

Digital Content Accessibility Workshops

Lead Scotland are hosting a series of webinars on Zoom commencing Tuesday, 25th January 2022 about accessibility in digital content. These webinars are intended for people looking to improve their employability through enhancing their digital expertise. 

Each webinar covers a single topic. The topics are: 

  • Layout 
  • Text format 
  • Plain English 
  • Colour and contrast 
  • Mouse friendly navigation 
  • Keyboard friendly navigation 
  • Alt text 
  • Complex images 
  • Captions and transcripts 
  • Forms 

There is more information about the webinars and details of how to register on the Lead Scotland website. 

Preventing Homelessness Consultation

The Scottish Government is investing £53.5 million to support councils and partners to prioritise settled accommodation for all, through the implementation of rapid rehousing transition plans and the upscaling of Housing First for people facing the most significant challenges.

In September 2017, the First Minister set out a new commitment to eradicate rough sleeping, transform the use of temporary accommodation in Scotland and end homelessness. Ministers subsequently established the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group to make recommendations on how these changes could be achieved. Following a recommendation from the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group to create new duties to prevent homelessness, the Prevention Review Group was established. The Preventing Homelessness in Scotland final report (PDF) was published in early 2021 and provides the framework for this consultation document.

Health and social care services, children’s services, police and other public bodies will have a legal duty to ‘ask and act’ to prevent homelessness under Scottish Government proposals. Public bodies would have a legal duty to identify anyone at risk of homelessness and either take action themselves or refer on to more appropriate help. This would represent the biggest change to Scotland’s homelessness legislation in almost a decade.

A consultation on the plans, run jointly with COSLA, will give people with experience of homelessness, alongside those from the housing sector, public bodies and others, the chance to share their views and help shape Scotland’s approach to preventing homelessness. The Preventing Homelessness consultation closes on 31 March 2022.  

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 22 December 2021

Rocking around the Christmas Tree 2021 Style

Rocking around the Christmas Tree is certainly a challenge this Christmas and whilst we may not be able to fully celebrate the festive break in time honoured ways, CLD Standards Council members across Scotland continue to be the rock on which many communities, learners and young people depend. Collectively, our sector demonstrated resilience as we navigated COVID recovery and renewal and now need well deserved time to relax.

Resilience

As COVID advances through our lives, the resilience of our sector has been remarkable. The agility and ingenuity of our members does not go unnoticed as practitioners across the country continue to deliver learning opportunities, food and befriending support.

Supporting members in this work, the CLD Standards Council contributed to COVID guidance and professional learning sessions to help practitioners to deliver services safely. We also represented our collective experiences and ambitions at the Advanced Learning and Science COVID Recovery group which is chaired by Mr Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Higher Education, Further Education, Youth Employment and Training.

Ongoing recovery from the impact of the virus has resulted in digital and blended learning opportunities being applied across all areas of CLD: adult learning, community development and youth work practice. Further to financial support from Scottish Government, the CLD Standards Council will be developing a CLD digital framework with and for the sector. Kirsty Gemmell has been appointed to contribute to the creation of a coherent space for CLD digital support and will work with members and other stakeholders to develop new and relevant digital competences in line with our professional competences, ethics and values.

Renewal

Renewal continues to be a recurring theme for us all. For the team, in 2021 we were sad to say goodbye to Colin Ross who retired in June and Willie Bhari who moved to a new role in Education Scotland in July. However, we were delighted to welcome Ruth Washbrook and Grant Garrett who are making huge contributions to our work. In January 2022 we will wave goodbye to Maggie Paterson who has supported the CLD professional pathways work and look forward to the appointment of new Development Officers and an Assistant Director in the New Year.

We also send our sincere thanks to Robert Hynd the previous Chair of the Approvals Committee welcome Graeme McMeekin to the role. We would also like to wish Ian McLaughlin, a long standing member of the Executive Committee a happy and healthy retirement and thank him for his wise and welcomed contributions to supporting the CLD workforce.

The renewed CLD plans for every local authority in Scotland were submitted in autumn of this year and we look forward to working with our partners in 2022 to consider the implications of the plans for our members. Furthermore, we were delighted to contribute to numerous national consultations and reviews including the proposed reform of Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the review of the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland and are grateful to all our members who participated in this work.

Relax

Staying connected with each other through our members’ conference and catch ups, social media and our weekly newsletter has sustained our health and well-being throughout the year and we want to say a sincere thanks to you all for continuing to support, develop and contribute our professional association. So here’s to celebrating in the “new, old fashioned way”! Wishing you all relaxing, safe and happy holidays and we hope to see you all in 2022.

Best wishes

Marion

CLDSC Members Conference Evaluation – last chance to complete

If you attended the conference and haven’t already done so, we’d really appreciate it if you could take 10 minutes to complete the conference evaluation. Your feedback will help us shape future member events and conferences, so please do let us know your thoughts.

Climate Emergency Training for Youth Workers in 2022

Dealing with climate change is an issue of the utmost concern, with young people aged 18-24 seeing it as an immediate and urgent problem. During COP26, young people in Scotland were engaged in issues around climate change to an unprecedented level.

The youth work sector has an important role to play in ensuring that this momentum is continued among young people, and YouthLink Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Young Scot are offering online Climate Emergency Training specifically for youth workers.

The course aims to build the confidence of youth workers in talking with young people about the climate emergency; providing a basic guide to climate science, policy, climate justice and youth climate action.

The training is split into three 2-hour modules which can be taken over three weeks or condensed into a single day. It is being offered completely free of charge for anyone in the youth work sector, whether paid or voluntary, until March 2022.

At the end of the course, youth workers will take an assessment and be certified as Carbon Literate, a nationally recognised certification. The next dates available to sign up for the training are:

Course Options:

  • Option 1: 19 January / 26 January / 02 February – 10am-12pm
  • Option 2: 19 January / 26 January / 02 February – 2pm-4pm
  • Option 3: 28 January / 04 February / 11 February – 10am-12pm
  • Option 4: 27 January – Full day.

You can find out more and sign up at the Keep Scotland Beautiful website.

Bespoke sessions are also available for organisations with a minimum of 20 participants, and can be arranged at a time that suits you.

Get in touch with Freya at faitchison@youthlinkscotland.org for more information.

Thinking Digitally Course

Lead Scotland will be delivering the Thinking Digitally course, free for disabled people, carers, and those who provide services for disabled people and carers. This course provides a supportive environment for learners to improve their digital skills, earn a qualification (12 credits at SCQF level 6), and create an accessible ‘digital artefact’, such as a website or blog. You may benefit from this course if you are looking to: improve your digital confidence and competence, learn about different online tools for communication and collaboration, and discover how to produce accessible online content.

The course will involve 13 one-hour tutor-led sessions delivered over Zoom, with 10 weeks of supported group learning and 3 weeks to finalise your digital artefact and e-portfolio. To take part, learners will need to have basic digital skills, access to a computer that supports videoconferencing, and a stable internet connection. Learners will also need to be able to complete a course at SCQF level 6. This requires learners to have the time and capability to study independently for a few hours a week, and to reflect upon their learning, with support.

Please visit Lead Scotland’s website for more information about the course or email BuildBackDigital@Lead.org.uk for enquiries or further information.

Upcoming Online SCQF Workshops

SCQF will be delivering online workshops in January 2022. Find out more and Save the Dates for February and March 2022.

CLDSC Festive Break

The CLDSC office will be closed for the festive break from Thursday 23rd December and will reopen on Wednesday 5th January 2022.

We wish you and your loved ones a peaceful festive season.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 15 December 2021

New Chair and Co-Vice Chairs for Approval Committee

The CLDSC and especially the Approval Committee, would like to note huge thanks to Robert Hynd for being a fabulous Chair. Robert is stepping down as Chair of Approval Committee due to his new HM Inspector of Education role. Robert, many congratulations from all your CLD Colleagues.

The Approval Committee are delighted to announce that they have appointed the following to continue their ongoing work:

  • Chair of Approval Committee – Graeme McMeekin
  • Co-Vice Chairs of Approval Committee – Dawn Brown and Liz Green

Good luck in these new roles!

Ayrshire College Developmental Approval

Congratulations to Ayrshire College on their re-approval for HNC Working with Communities.

The Approval Panel noted that they were very impressed with the quality of the engaging online material. The submission also provided clear evidence of the commitment to CLD values, principles, code of ethics and competences.

During discussions within the panel and with Ayrshire College it was evident that an update of the Group Award would be beneficial and the CLDSC will work with the FE discussion group and SQA to support this area of work.

Updated COVID Guidance for CLD Students

In response to the continued disruption to delivery of CLDSC approved programmes caused by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) restrictions, we have updated the guidance issued to Scottish Further Education Institutions (FEIs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Due to the exceptional and rapidly changing circumstances, this guidance is intended to manage and minimise disruption to CLD students, whilst seeking to ensure that the quality of CLD learning programmes is not compromised.

You can view the Guidance and FAQs on our website.

Community Covid Response – Omicron variant

The Scottish Community Development Centre has published information on Community Covid Response – Omicron variant. This includes information on the impact for community based services following changes in Scottish Government guidance from 14 December in relation to the new variant, and how you can help protect yourself and others.

1:1 Online Coaching Opportunity

If you are a local authority CLD leader with responsibility for any area of CLD provision, this digital coaching programme has been designed to support you with any of the issues you are facing during these challenging times. As we know that work and life are not separate, there will be space to talk about personal as well as professional issues.

The programme is delivered by coaches, all of whom have experience of working and coaching within education. You will meet your coach online using a video conferencing face-to-face tool that suits you and your coach. Coaching programmes are 2 hours in length and you can divide the time available to you however works best to achieve your aim.

CLD Standards Council member Stephen Jack, participated in the last round. Stephen, a Lifelong Learning Manager with Dumfries and Galloway Council said:

“I was made aware of this exciting coaching opportunity through my membership to the CLD Standards Council and it sounded too good an opportunity to miss out on. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but [my coach] helped me hone in on what the key priority areas should be in terms of the next steps of my leadership journey.”

You can view Stephen’s one minute testimonial video on YouTube.

Find out more and register on the Digital 1:1 coaching offer webpage.

Building Racial Literacy Programme – places available

The Scottish Government’s Race Equality and Anti-Racism in Education Programme has identified racial literacy as a key area of development for the teaching and education workforce. To respond to this need, the Building Racial Literacy professional learning programme will support practitioners to increase their understanding of racism and develop their skills and confidence to embed anti-racism in their everyday practice.

This professional learning offer is being co-created with partners, including the Scottish Association for Minority Ethnic Educators (SAMEE), the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER), Scotdec, the Third Generation Project, the University of the West of Scotland and Education Scotland. A prototype of this professional learning programme will be running between January – March 2022 with 82 funded places available. At the moment, CLD practitioners are under-represented in this prototype cohort and we would like to do everything we can to increase this.

The intended outcomes of the programme are that participants will:

  1. Build their racial literacy. In particular, start learning about the nuances of racism and anti-racism (with the language to name it) and build the skills to continue this learning long after the programme is over.
  2. Begin developing the skills, confidence and resilience to engage in racial dialogue.
  3. Develop a personalised action plan to lead anti-racist change.

Participants will be expected to:

  • commit to two full event days, three twilight webinars and approximately five hours or more of self-directed online learning
  • engage their school and/or learning community in the programme (through programme tasks and professional dialogue)
  • evaluate and support co-construction of future iterations
  • become part of an anti-racist learning network and a national movement for racial literacy
  • lead anti-racist change following their personalised action plan with the support of the learning network
  • support anti-racism in their context and/or Local Authority. This can include: supporting colleagues, children and young people, and wider communities to engage in anti-racist learning; supporting colleagues to engage with anti-racist resources and professional learning opportunities; and applying to support the delivery of future iterations of the Building Racial Literacy programme (this requires attendance to future Train the Trainer sessions).

If you would like to submit an applications or ask any questions please contact EDSPLL@educationscotland.gov.scot.

Share, Sustain, Shape evaluation still open

If you participated in any of the Share, Sustain, Shape events, please share your feedback on the delivery, content and impact of the programme. The evaluation form only takes a few minutes to complete and your reflections and suggestions are welcome.

CDN Awards

A great night was had by all at the College Development Network Awards last week. CLD Standards Council was a proud sponsor of the new College Community Learning Award, which recognises and celebrates the innovative and outstanding work of colleges and their community partners in the delivery of community-based learning opportunities.

Ayrshire College (The Peer Project), Glasgow Clyde College (Gift-tech) and West College Scotland (West College Scotland and West Dumbartonshire Council Community Learning Partnership) were shortlisted. Have a look at the short video highlighting their work. All worthy finalists promoting inclusion, participation and empowerment. But there can only be one winner and we’re delighted to congratulate West College Scotland for the Working4U project which facilitates first steps into education for adults with local, flexible learning opportunities.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 08 December 2021

CONFERENCE SPECIAL EDITION
CLD Standards Council Scotland Members Conference
2nd and 3rd December 2021

Thank you to everyone who came along to our conference last week. We hope you found it useful and got a chance to ‘connect’ with colleagues. The aim of the conference was for members to understand and reflect on the implications of the Scottish Government’s 4 Harms Framework for the CLD Sector in COVID recovery. 

The pandemic is a health crisis, a social crisis and an economic crisis that is causing harm on an unprecedented scale. The Scottish Government’s approach has been to suppress the virus to a very low level (the first harm) while seeking to minimise the three broader harms. The four harms analysis is a key part of the Scottish Government’s Framework for Decision Making. 

Over 140 members registered to attend and accessed a professional learning opportunity to learn, share and discuss:

  • health and wellbeing, including CLD connections and motivation
  • CLD practice, including responses, planning and evaluation

The four harms were discussed in the context of the CLD sector and our challenges and required support.

1 – COVID-19 Health – direct        
2 – COVID-19 Health – indirect    
3 – Society        
4 – Economy

Check out our i-develop Conference page for conference information, recordings and inputs.  Please note you will need to use your member login to i-develop to access this.  If you have lost your login, please contact us at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

Thursday 2nd December 2021

Our Chair, Mr Alan Sherry OBE, opened the Conference, gratefully acknowledging the resilience, innovation and determination of CLD practitioners over the past year. He gave a brief overview of the work of CLDSC, thanking the membership, Committee members and the staff team for their contributions.

He outlined the objectives of this year’s conference as noted above and acknowledged that whilst many do not wish to go back to the old normal, he noted that there is no clear plan or vision of what the new normal includes. Alan noted that one aim of this year’s conference was to include members in the process of shaping and defining that new world.  

Mr Jamie Hepburn M.S.P, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education, Youth Employment and Training (portfolio responsibilities include CLD) recognised the vital role CLD plays, particularly in relation to COVID recovery and child poverty and education reform.  He assured CLDSC members that the support provided to some of the most vulnerable members and learners in communities has not gone unnoticed and was pleased to confirm the investment of £500,000 in digital learning to support CLD practitioners increase digital skills and knowledge.

Mr Hepburn reiterated the commitments made in the Programme for Government, such as the national adult learning and youth work strategies and the review of CLD regulations.  He affirmed his commitment to building a legacy and making an impact for CLD over the life time of the current parliamentary session.  

You can view Mr Hepburn’s input on i-develop. 

Our keynote speaker was Professor Linda Bauld O.B.E who gave an informative and insightful presentation outlining the current picture of the pandemic in Scotland and discussing the 4 Harms approach taken by Scottish Government in responding to the pandemic. Key points for CLD learners in relation to the impact of the wider harms include:

  • inconsistent access to facilities
  • varied application of COVID-19 advice and guidance
  • reduction in learner confidence and motivation regarding digital learning and returning to face to face in community settings
  • the needs of young people, learners and community groups with protected characteristics including poverty
  • young people being subjected to negative media messages regarding COVID-19

The Advanced Learning and Science COVID-19 Recovery Group (including colleges, universities and CLD) is considering an evidence paper on the impact of the wider harms. This will focus on harm to learners but also take into account the impact of the pandemic, and measures taken to address it, on staff. A key objective is to identify learning that could lead to recommendations for action, particularly for 2022.

You can access Professor Bauld’s slides and view the presentation on i-develop.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent connecting with colleagues in groups where Harm 1 – COVID Health (direct) and Harm 4 – Economy, were discussed. Contributions were collated onto Padlets. You can view the Padlets and you are invited to make any further contributions by Wednesday 15 December 2021.

Day 1 Twitter Highlights #CLDSCConf2021

“Thank you @AlanSherry1@marionacldsc and the fab @cldstandards team for a thought provoking day one #CLDSCConf2021 connecting with peers & stimulating inputs from @jamiehepburn and @LindaBauld.”

“Listening to Prof @LindaBauld at the @cldstandards conference talking about the relationship between structural inequalities and COVID-19 here in Scotland.”

“Enjoyed the break sessions @cldstandards conference this afternoon. Dedicated CLD practitioners discussing key issues facing the communities they serve and how to support colleagues during the pandemic.”

Friday 3rd December 2021

We picked up where we left off and after an overview of the previous day’s inputs, moved straight into groups to discuss Harm 2 – COVID Health (indirect) and Harm 3 – Society.  Have a look at the Padlets and remember to add anything to the discussions by Wednesday 15 December 2021.

The main focus of this session was health and wellbeing of CLD practitioners and we were guided through thinking about this by Dr Karen Edge (Reader, University College London). Karen helped us reflect on how we deal with life’s ‘Plot Twists’ and shared a range of observations, reflections, resources and tools. Karen reminded us that we are still in the middle of a pandemic and that pausing to reset is essential. She also helped us to understand our own definitions of rest and care. Karen’s final challenge to us was to think about how we can help ourselves to flourish in 2022.

The slides and resources Karen shared will be on i-develop soon.

Day 2 Twitter Highlight #CLDSCConf2021

Great way to end a week at CLD Standards Council Conference. Good discussion on recovery and connections.

“I never realised a virtual conference could be so uplifting and engaging. Many thanks to @cldstandards for facilitating such a great conference.”

Conference Evaluation
The conference was well received by delegates who shared their initial thoughts on the day on the Menti wordcloud below: 

If you attended the conference and haven’t already done so, could you please take 10 minutes to complete the conference evaluation.

***STOP PRESS – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT***

We are delighted to announce the dates for CLD Standards Council Conference 2022! Save the dates and book your diaries on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd December 2022. All being well, we are excited to tell you that #CLDSCConf2022 will be held in person in the John McIntyre Centre, Edinburgh. We will see the return of the CLDSC Christmas Lecture on the evening of Thursday 1st December 2022, followed by a full day conference on Friday 2nd December 2022. Watch this space for programme and booking details. Look forward to seeing you!

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 01 December 2021

CLDSC Members Conference – 2 and 3 December

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER! Come along to our conference on 2 December (1pm-4.30pm) and 3 December (9.30am-1pm) to focus on Covid Recovery in the CLD Sector: what wider elements must be considered; how can your health and wellbeing be supported; and what can CLDSC do to assist? Don’t delay, book your place at the CLDSC Member Conference today! #CLDSCConf2021

Education Reform Consultation Response

The Scottish Government issued a consultation on the replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the reform of Education Scotland following on from the OECD report of June 2021. The CLD Standards Council has submitted a response to the Scottish Government based on contributions gathered from members of the CLD Standards Council Scotland at a range of events.

Read the CLDSC response. 

Share, Sustain, Shape Professional Learning Programme

The Share, Sustain, Shape programme of professional learning is in its final week and has been a huge success with over 20 free professional learning events taking place during November and December. If you missed any of the events, check out the Share, Sustain, Shape events page  where materials and recordings will be uploaded soon.

University of Dundee Community Education Research

The University of Dundee Community Education (CE) staff are asking Community Learning and Development practitioners to participate in a survey on the sorts of research practitioners are undertaking. The research is an important consultation exercise for the teaching on the CE programmes at the University of Dundee. Through the survey, they hope to get a range of views about what approaches to research within CE look like, and intend to use these insights to make informed improvements in the design and delivery of research methods and analysis across all CE programmes at the University of Dundee. Additionally, a summary report will outline the trends in the data, along with making a number of recommendations. This will be made freely available online.  

Access the survey. 

SCVO – The Scottish Third Sector Tracker: Wave One Findings

SCVO has partnered with a range of stakeholders to build a Scotland-focused third sector research community called the Scottish Third Sector Tracker. The Scottish Third Sector Tracker is a longitudinal research project that collects data and information each quarter from a representative panel of third sector organisations. The first (baseline) wave was conducted by SCVO in Summer 2021. The report outlines the findings of this initial research.  Access the report.

Further project resources are available on the ‘Evidence Library’ section of the SCVO website.

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Funding Opportunity

A £15 million Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund has been established to support mental health and well-being in communities across Scotland. The fund aims to support adult community-based initiatives to help address the impact of distress and mental ill health caused by social isolation and loneliness, as well as addressing the mental health inequalities exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Grassroots community organisations will be able to benefit from the funds to deliver activities and programmes to people to re-connect and revitalise communities – building on examples of good practice which have emerged throughout the pandemic.

Third sector interfaces (TSIs) are managing the fund at a local level, in partnership with local integrated health authorities and other partners including Community Planning Partnerships and local authority mental health leads. 

Applications can be made via your local TSI, as there are likely to be different approaches across the TSIs. Contact them to find out what is happening in your area. You can find the directory of TSI’s  on the TSI Network website.