Author Archives: CLDSC Editor

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 24 November 2021

CLDSC Members Conference Reminder

There’s still time to register for our annual Members Conference being held (via Zoom) over the afternoon of 2 December (1pm-4.30pm) and the morning of 3 December (9.30am-1pm).

We’ll focus on Covid-19 Recovery: CLD Identity, Support & Wellbeing. Using the framework of the four harms (Health – Covid; Health – non-Covid; Society; Economy), identified by Scottish Government, and will consider the impact of and support requirements for our professional CLD practice in the recovery phase.

We’re delighted to announce that we have inputs and keynotes from Jamie Hepburn, MSP (Minster for Further Education, Higher Education, Youth Employment and Training), Professor Linda Bauld (Bruce and John Usher Chair in Public Health, Usher Institute, College of Medicine, University of Edinburgh, and Interim Chief Social Policy Adviser, Scottish Government) and Dr Karen Edge (Reader in Educational Leadership, University College London).

It’s an exciting programme, so book your place at the CLDSC Member Conference. And don’t forget to follow and comment on Twitter #CLDSCConf2021.

Scottish Attainment Challenge 2022-2023

Education Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, yesterday announced plans for the refresh of the Scottish Attainment Challenge from 2022/23 onwards.

This refreshed approach signals Scottish Government’s continued commitment to the Challenge and will ensure that children and young people most impacted by poverty continue to be supported to achieve as much as their more affluent peers. Recognising the impact of the pandemic and poverty on pupils across the country, a redesigned approach to the Challenge will also see a streamlined funding model extended to all 32 of Scotland’s local authorities to support education recovery and improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty.

Specific reference to CLD organisations and delivery was noted:

“A number of National Programmes, including a number of third sector organisations, will be supported to enable them to target work to raise attainment and improve equity, alongside enhanced support for youth work/CLD services and family learning programmes.”

Final allocations for Pupil Equity Funding, the Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund and National Programmes will be published in the Spring.

Education Scotland’s Annual STEM Professional Learning Survey for CLD Practitioners, 2020-2021

Education Scotland is asking for help from Standards Council members to shape the future of STEM professional learning for CLD Practitioners by completing this 10 minute online survey. They would like to hear from CLD practitioners and managers – in the public and voluntary sectors – who took part in any kind of STEM-related training or professional learning in 2020-21. You may have taken part in online professional learning with Education Scotland; with your own employer; through a STEM grant-funded programme; with a science centre; with STEM Ambassadors; or with national organisations like YouthLink, Youth Scotland, Learning Link, National Numeracy etc.

You may not have had access to STEM-related professional learning last year, but have views on what future priorities should be. Whatever your experiences, they would like to hear from you. The survey is open for another 4 weeks until 20 December.

Dyslexia Scotland

Dyslexia Scotland is committed to creating a dyslexia-friendly Scotland, where people with dyslexia can reach their potential in life, learning and work. Career education, information and guidance plays a vital part in supporting this ambition.

Since 2016, Dyslexia Scotland has delivered a small, all-age career guidance service for people with dyslexia. Alongside this, they have developed training and professional learning resources, to help career and employability practitioners learn about supporting dyslexic clients.

Five years on, they want to understand how they can be helpful to both these groups in future.

They are undertaking a piece of research to find out:

What are the career guidance needs of people with dyslexia in Scotland?
What are the dyslexia-related learning and development needs of people delivering career education, information, advice and guidance sector in Scotland?

They are looking for:

People with dyslexia, over the age of 16, living or working in Scotland:
You can take part in the research through this questionnaire or by interview with a career coach – appointments can be scheduled on Eventbrite.

If you would prefer to take part by post, email, or recording your answers, please contact katie@dyslexiascotland.org.uk.

People who work in the employability, career education, information, advice and guidance sector (CEIAG):
You can take part in the research through this questionnaire or contact the Career Coach, katie@dyslexiascotland.org.uk for more information.

The questionnaires close on 7 January 2022.

University of Dundee Promotion of Undergraduate Programme

Interested in studying Community Education at University of Dundee?

Are you in need of some inspiration to apply, then you can also read about one of the recent inspiring graduates at Fungai’s blog.

We’re recruiting! Development Officer – Policy & Practice

Do you have experience of policy development along with knowledge of the CLD sector? This could be the role for you! The Development Officer will contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of relevant CLD policy and will work closely with the senior management team to assist in the development of CLDSC policy.

Specific duties include:

Supporting the development of the CLDSC’s work to renew our governance arrangements
Providing advice to senior officers and assisting in drafting a range of policy papers and discussion pieces
Draft and present policy and strategy papers and draft high-level briefings
Working closely with the CLDSC Committees and Officers, co-ordinate the CLD Standards Council internal and external policy profile including CLD workforce data
Working with senior officers, provide advice and guidance to institutions and key stakeholders (both internal and external) on areas relating to CLD as required. This will include collating and responding to external consultation exercises.

For more information and to apply, view the Work for Scotland website.
Closing date: midnight 3 December 2021.

A huge thanks from CLDSC Staff Team

We would like to thank all our members and non-members who attended events to discuss the Education Reform – the Scottish Government consultation on the Education Reform plans, which include replacing the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and reforming Education Scotland (ES). The response, collated from your discussions will be submitted this week. We will share further information on this via our News Bulletin. Watch this space!

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 17 November 2021

CLDSC Members Conference Reminder

There’s still time to register for our annual Members Conference being held (via Zoom) over the afternoon of 2 December (1pm-4.30pm) and the morning of 3 December (9.30am-1pm).

It’s an exciting programme, so book your place at the CLDSC Member Conference. And don’t forget to follow and comment on Twitter #CLDSCConf2021.

Education Reform CLDSC Final Consultation Event

On 19 November 11am-12pm, we are offering a final chance to comment and add information to the response we will submit on behalf of CLDSC. This session will focus on feeding back the key messages we’ve gleaned so far from our consultations with CLD practitioners for the Scottish Government consultation on the Education Reform plans, which include replacing the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and reforming Education Scotland (ES).

You can view some of the comments so far on this Padlet – why not add your own too? Register for the Education Reform CLDSC Final Consultation event on Eventbrite.

We’re recruiting! Development Officer – Policy & Practice

Specific duties include:

Supporting the development of the CLDSC’s work to renew our governance arrangements
Providing advice to senior officers and assisting in drafting a range of policy papers and discussion pieces
Draft and present policy and strategy papers and draft high-level briefings
Working closely with the CLDSC Committees and Officers, co-ordinate the CLD Standards Council internal and external policy profile including CLD workforce data
Working with senior officers, provide advice and guidance to institutions and key stakeholders (both internal and external) on areas relating to CLD as required. This will include collating and responding to external consultation exercises.

For more information and to apply, view the Work for Scotland website.
Closing date: midnight 3 December 2021

Professional Approval Annual Review Report for Academic Year 2020-2021

This report by the Community Learning and Development Standards Council (CLDSC) considers the data and presents the key findings obtained from the first annual review of Community Learning and Development (CLD) Professionally Approved Programmes in Scotland for academic year 2020-2021.

The report should be of interest to all involved in the CLD sector including Higher Education (HE), Further Education (FE), employers of CLD practitioners, practice placement supervisors/providers, Student CLD practitioners, potential members of CLDSC, existing members of CLDSC, Joint Education and Training Standards (JETS) and other stakeholders/partners.

This process was undertaken as a pilot in the move to replacing mid-term reviews (MTR) of the approved CLD Professional learning at degree level and above with a more robust annual review process.

The returns from the pilot have provided useful data with some of the high level key findings being:

the need for further/increased promotion of CLD as a profession and the career pathways that are available
emphasis on the importance of the 3 domains of practice within CLD: CLD–Youth Work, CLD-Adult Learning and CLD-Community Development and the benefits of these working together
work to be done on equalities and diversity
a need to emphasise the importance of CLD Qualified Staff (delivery and practice placement) to support Student CLD Practitioners

These and other areas are considered within this report. There is an action document in Appendix 1. If anyone has any comments on this report please contact us at ApprovalCLD@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

Leading CLD programme – note of interest closing date

Only a few days left to note your interest in the Leading CLD professional learning programme. Working alongside Education Scotland colleagues, we have developed this programme for CLD leaders who play a pivotal role in establishing collaborative approaches to support recovery and renewal.

Participants will engage in professional learning and reflect on their current CLD role.

The programme will be of most interest to senior local authority managers responsible for CLD services, who have identified CLD leadership as an area for professional development. (This includes managers with no, or little previous experience of CLD; and those interested in developing their leadership capital and professional network).

The pilot programme will run from the end of January to May, and will include four x 1 day sessions. Interested individuals are invited to contact Susan.Epsworth@educationscotland.gov.scot to learn more, and/or to register interest through MS Form by close of business on Friday 19th November. Following initial registrations of interest there will be a second stage in the application process to formally apply for the 20 places available.

Supervision Spaces launched to support mental health and wellbeing

Education Scotland is working in partnership with Barnardo’s to offer anyone in an education leadership role (including CLD leaders) three reflective supervision spaces which will focus on looking after their mental health and the mental health and wellbeing of those they lead.

These three workshop-style sessions will take place on Wednesdays and last 90 minutes per session. Participants have a range of date and time options to choose from between now and June 2022 and can sign up to one, two or all three sessions.

Workshop one will focus on personal wellbeing and capacity to help leaders to support the wellbeing of those they lead. Participants will be guided through a personal wellbeing plan to enable them to use this process with others they lead.

Workshop two will allow participants to reflect on their own system and how a trauma informed/relational approach could support the mental health and wellbeing of people they lead.

Workshop three will enable participants to reflect on current challenges and consider priorities for their establishment or team in developing a consistent language and approach to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the learners they work alongside to the benefit of the wider system.

Maureen McAteer, Assistant Director, Children’s Services at Barnardo’s said: “Mental Health and Wellbeing does not exist in a vacuum. There are multiple interdependencies and influences through our relationships and systems. Our set of 3 interconnected sessions aim to support practitioners to reflect on these factors in their own setting with a view to developing an action plan to take forward in their establishments.”

CLD Leaders can find out more and sign up for the sessions at the Barnado’s Education Community website.

CLD Talks

CLD Talks started as an idea to create a space for CLD workers to feel and remain connected to the field while offering the opportunity to reflect on practice.

This third season of CLD Talks has just concluded and has had amazing conversations covering so many different topics from participation, intergenerational practice, academia, peoples careers, peer education, research and so much more! Guests this season are: Alan Mackie, Ruth Kerracher, Sinead Gormally, Stuart Moir, Gary Brown, Ryan McKay, the team from LANDED, Susan Hunter, Tim Frew.

Season 3’s final guest is Karen Anderson from She Scotland. Karen discusses the history of SHE, her CLD experience and the challenges for girls and Women in Scotland right now.

CLD Talks has had well over 3000 plays in total and the CLD Talks community keeps on growing. There will be a few live sessions on Twitter Spaces on the run up to Christmas so make sure you follow @CLDTalks. And look out for Season 4 in the new year.

Access the CLD Talks podcast where you will find all streaming platforms.

Investing in Communities Fund (ICF) Webinars

The Investing in Communities Fund is currently anticipated to open for a second round of applications in spring next year. The ICF aims to support community anchor organisations based in the places they serve by delivering activity across the following four areas for action in the most disadvantaged and fragile communities across Scotland:

tackling poverty and inequality
sustaining place-based approaches
community-led regeneration
ensuring a just transition to net zero

Webinar sessions are being held for interested stakeholders and prospective applicants. These will provide an overview of the fund’s aims, eligibility criteria and the application process prior to its anticipated opening for applications next calendar year and will also include time for Q&A.

The webinars will last one hour and are planned for Tuesday, 30 November 2021 and Wednesday, 8 December 2021. You can register at the links below.

Tuesday, 30 November 2021 – 10.30am – 11.30am – Register Now
Wednesday, 8 December 2021 – 2.00pm – 3.00pm – Register Now

A copy of the presentation slides will be accessible on the ICF webpage prior to the first event so that interested organisations have the opportunity to consider any questions they may wish to ask during these sessions. The current version of the fund’s guidance note and FAQ will also be accessible on the ICF webpage by mid December 2021 to ensure that you have access to all of the details.

For anyone encountering problems completing the registration process please email: InvestinginCommunities@gov.scot

Audit Scotland report: Community Empowerment: Covid-19 Update

Audit Scotland has produced a report sharing some of the many good examples of the community response to the pandemic and summarising the learning. It builds on the Principles for community empowerment published in 2019 and notes that Covid-19 has disproportionately affected Scotland’s most vulnerable citizens. During the pandemic, local people and communities across Scotland played a critical role in supporting the most vulnerable people in society. Partnerships and the voluntary sector were vital in supporting and empowering people to do this.

Read the Community empowerment: Covid-19 update report.

Final days to nominate for the National Youth Work Awards

Don’t forget to submit your nominations for the National Youth Work Awards. The deadline for nominations is 9am on 22 November 2021.

CLDSC is proud to sponsor the Team of the Year category. Please submit and give the judging panel lots to think about in this and all other categories!

Download the National Youth Work Awards nomination form (PDF)
Download the National Youth Work Awards guidance and criteria (PDF)

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 10 November 2021

REGISTER TODAY! CLDSC Conference – Covid-19 Recovery: CLD Identity, Support & Wellbeing

Don’t forget to register for our annual member Conference taking place on
2 December (1.00-4.30pm) and 3 December (9.30am-1pm).

Using the framework of the four harms (Health – Covid; Health – non-Covid; Society; Economy), identified by Scottish Government, we will consider the impact of and support requirements for our professional CLD practice in the recovery phase.

We’ll be using Zoom as the conference platform and our friends at SCVO are dealing with booking administration, so book your place at the CLDSC Member Conference. And don’t forget to follow and comment on Twitter #CLDSCConf2021.

Education Reform CLDSC Final Consultation Event

You can view some of the comments so far on this Padlet – why not add your own too? Register for the Education Reform CLDSC Final Consultation event on Eventbrite.

Share, Sustain, Shape – Reminder

Check out the Share, Sustain, Shape events page to see and register for the varied range of free professional learning events taking place during November and December which are open to all CLD practitioners. Find out what your colleagues in other areas are doing, share practice and increase your professional learning networks!

Nature as a resource for CLD Event

This Education Scotland webinar on Friday, 19th November 10am-11:30am will highlight the value of nature, wellbeing and green health partnerships as ways to link with CLD. Lots of interesting information, resources and examples of delivery to learn from with links to Learning for Sustainability and outdoor learning. Agenda includes the following along with breakouts for discussion:

Policy context, green health projects supporting CLD, awards schemes that support CLD, (John Muir) and volunteering

Book a place at the Nature Scot and CLD Outdoor Learning event.

Open Space Opportunity – Breaking the mould of participation with Young People

Collective Leadership for Scotland is continuing to offer an inquiring space for sharing learning, raising challenges and increasing our understanding of how we are working together to ensure young people can take up their role as systems leaders. As part of these conversations they are hosting an open space session on Wednesday, 1 December 2021 at 10am to explore some of the practices, experiences, questions around how we are breaking the mould in engaging young people as change makers.

Join the session with a practice, question, observation and a willingness to host a conversation around what matters most to you.

Climate Justice, COP 26 and the Challenge for Community Development

The International Association for Community Development has issued a statement calling for the incorporation of climate justice as a core and key foundation of the discipline across all areas of community development practice, policy, advocacy and education. You can read the full statement on the IACD website.

To support this, IACD is organising a webinar on working for climate justice, human rights and community development, scheduled for International Human Rights Day, 10th December 2021. Watch this space for joining information.

New e-learning resource for youth workers from Scottish Association for Mental Health

By its nature, youth work supports the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. It puts them in a good position to recognise and respond in an appropriate manner to a child or young person who may be experiencing a mental health problem. This is why the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) has developed ‘We all have mental health: an introduction for youth workers ‘. The e-learning aims to provide youth workers across Scotland with an introduction to mental health; equip them with the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond to a child or young person who is experiencing a mental health problem; and lead a conversation about positive mental health.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 03 November 2021

CLDSC CONFERENCE REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

It’s that time of year again – no, not the Christmas countdown, the CLD Standards Council Member Conference countdown!

Over the afternoon of 2 December (1pm-4.30pm) and the morning of 3 December (9.30am-1pm) we’ll focus on Covid-19 Recovery: CLD Identity, Support & Wellbeing. Using the framework of the four harms (Health – Covid; Health – non-Covid; Society; Economy), identified by Scottish Government, we will consider the impact of and support requirements for our professional CLD practice in the recovery phase.

Congratulations to Alan Sherry, OBE

We’re delighted to congratulate our Chair, Alan Sherry, on receiving his OBE for Services to Education at Windsor Castle last week. Well-deserved recognition of his hard work and continued commitment to our sector.

Leading CLD Professional Learning Programme

We are excited to promote the Leading CLD professional learning programme. Working alongside Education Scotland colleagues, we have developed this programme for CLD leaders who play a pivotal role in establishing collaborative approaches to support recovery and renewal. The content of the programme has been developed with participation and support from senior CLD managers and colleagues from the Higher and Further Education sectors.

Participants will engage in professional learning and reflect on their current CLD role. Programme design is based on the experience participants bring, the knowledge of experts/academics; and, collaborative activities to develop new knowledge.

We would now like to welcome initial expressions of interest for the pilot phase of the programme. The pilot programme will run from the end of January to May, and will include four x 1 day sessions. Interested individuals are invited to contact Susan.Epsworth@educationscotland.gov.scot to learn more, and/or to register interest through MS Form by close of business on Friday 19th November. Following initial registrations of interest there will be a second stage in the application process to formally apply for the 20 places available.

‘Pause, Take Stock, Reconsider’ Resource

Over the summer Dundee City Council staff took part in a webinar led by Professor Karen McArdle. The webinar brought people together post Covid crisis work, to think about the way forward and build on lessons learned.

The recording and padlets created are now available to view on the Tayside and Fife Professional Learning Alliance pages on i-develop.

TAG Conference, 11-12 November 2021 – Free Places Available

TAG: The Professional Association of Lecturers in Youth and Community Work is a member organisation that represents the interests of academics, educators and researchers in the field of youth and community work. CLDSC is an Affiliate Member of TAG and as such, we’re delighted to offer four free places to our members to attend the annual TAG Conference. This year’s theme is Reflection, Recovery and Regeneration: Learning from the lived experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The conference will include discussion of how pedagogical approaches to education in youth and community work are challenged by the re-shaping of Higher Education after two years of interrupted learning and shifts towards digitally-led pedagogy. The future also presents particular challenges and opportunities for youth and community work as a distinct professional practice as we seek to recover and regenerate in our work with young people and their communities. Furthermore, it is clear how the pandemic has highlighted the health, wealth and social inequalities across society and the ‘patterns of change’ that appear to repeat themselves at times of national crisis. The conference will explore these questions through seminar presentations, research dissemination and group discussions that share emerging practice, debate emerging realities and plan for future collaboration.

If you would like to attend, please email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk

SERA Conference 2021

The Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) Conference Week 2021 takes place from 22-25 November 2021, with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 25 November 2021. To mark the 2021 conference the SERA Networks will host four days of online events from 22-25 November on the theme of International Themes in Educational Research. You can find out what’s on and book a place on the SERA conference website.

All events will be recorded, with recordings published on the SERA YouTube channel after the conference.

Reminder – National Youth Work Awards Nominations

Don’t forget to submit your nominations for the National Youth Work Awards. CLDSC is proud to sponsor the Team of the Year category. Please submit and give the judging panel lots to think about in this and all other categories!
Download the National Youth Work Awards nomination form (PDF)
Download the National Youth Work Awards guidance and criteria (PDF)
The deadline for nominations is 5pm on 25 November 2021.

SCQF Workshops

Registrations are now open for December’s SCQF for Careers Information & Guidance Staff workshop on 2 December 2021, 10am-12pm. This online workshop will introduce participants to the SCQF and look at how CIAG staff can encourage learners to recognise their achievements and plan their next steps in learning or employment.

There are also a very limited number of places available on November’s My Skills, My Future workshop on 25 November 2021, 10am-3pm.

World Community Development Conference 2022

The 2022 World Community Development Conference will take place from 20 – 22 June 2022 in Ureki, Georgia.

It is hoped that WCDC2022 will take place face-to-face with people coming together in person. However, since the future of international travel remains uncertain, the main events at the WCDC2022 will also be held in virtual formats allowing a maximum number of people to share their ideas, research, visions and findings in community development theory and practice.

In the first instance, delegates are invited to register for virtual participation and indicate interest in taking part face-to-face if conditions allow. In January 2022, the planning committee will review travel regulations and notify delegates if an in-person conference is possible and offer the opportunity to upgrade tickets at that point. Register for virtual participation on the WCD2022 website.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 27 October 2021

CLD Standards Council Conference

Coming soon to a screen near you! We asked you a couple of months ago to save the dates (2nd [afternoon] and 3rd December [morning] 2021) for our annual conference. We’ve been pulling the content of the day together and can now confirm our virtual conference theme is Covid Recovery – CLD Identity, Support and Wellbeing. Registration will open in the next couple of weeks. Watch this space!

Share, Sustain, Shape Professional Learning Events

The CLD professional learning networks across Scotland have created 5 weeks of free professional learning events during November and December which are open to all CLD practitioners. You can find out what’s on and how to register on the Share, Sustain, Shape events page.

CLD Practice in National Voluntary Organisations – Event Reminder

If you are a CLD practitioner working or volunteering for a national voluntary organisation and would like to take part in a conversation about what would inspire others from your organisation to identify with and be part of the CLD community, we have the event for you! Join us on 3 November from 11am–1pm, where we will explore awareness raising opportunities to highlight the value of CLDSC membership and identify how to support CLD practice and improve CLD Career Pathways in the Voluntary Sector. Register for the CLD Practice in National Organisations event on Eventbrite.

How Good Is Our Community Learning & Development (4th Edition)

A new draft framework for the community learning and development (CLD) sector, How good is our community learning and development?’ (4th edition) has been developed in consultation with the CLD sector. This iteration of HGIOCLD reflects the changes in the CLD landscape and the wider education sector, taking cognisance of the wide range of practitioners and organisations adopting CLD methodologies. The framework sets out the standards HM Inspectors will use to evaluate and report on quality and improvement in CLD. It will also support the sector to engage in self-evaluation for continuous improvement.

This is an online framework and remains in draft until Summer 2022. This will give practitioners and HM Inspectors time to use it and to see if any changes are required. We will also gather a few case studies to help support those newer to frameworks and self-evaluation to understand how it can be used to support improvement.

HM Inspectors are offering a number of webinars for CLD practitioners and leaders between October and December 2021 to introduce the framework. You can find out more and book at How Good is our CLD4? An introduction to the framework.

Specific Learning Difficulties Network for CLD Practitioners

The next meeting for the SpLD Network for CLD Practitioners will be on 25th November 2021, 10-11.30am, contents will include updates on:

Resources to support CLD practitioners in practice
Adult Learning Strategy
Planning for the future

Here is a taster of a free introductory module aimed to provide practitioners who work in a CLD setting with an improved awareness of what dyslexia is, its impact, how it is assessed in different contexts and how it can be supported within an inclusive learning environment.

Course: Introduction to Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice for CLD (i-develop-cld.org.uk)

For further information please contact: Cathy Magee cathy@dyslexiascotland.org.uk or Laura Starkey Laura.starkey@educationscotland.gov.scot for more information.

ESOL SQA Webinars

There are three SQA NQ ESOL webinars taking place over the coming months. Go to the SQA Website to book a place.

11 November 2021 – National 3 and National 4 ESOL Units (4.30pm–5.45pm)
This webinar will explore topic-based approaches to assessment for Everyday Life and ESOL in Context units, linking the assessment of four skills within a unit and identifying candidate evidence required. It will also support understanding the national standards required for National 3 and National 4 NQ ESOL.

13 January 2022 – National 5 and Higher ESOL: Writing (4.30pm–5.45pm)
This webinar will explore how to apply the marking instructions for the National 5 and Higher ESOL writing components. It will exemplify progression in writing skills from National 5 to Higher and support understanding of the standards required at both levels.

20 January 2022 – National 5 and Higher ESOL: Speaking and Listening (4.30pm–5.45pm)
This webinar will explore how to apply the marking instructions to recordings of National 5 and Higher ESOL speaking and listening performance. It will exemplify progression in speaking and listening skills from National 5 to Higher and support the understanding of standards required at both levels.

If you have any queries, please contact ann.morgan-thomas@sqa.org.uk

Number Confidence Week: 1-5 November

Number Confidence Week will shine a spotlight on how boosting number confidence breaks down barriers and creates brighter futures and also provides opportunities for people to access free resources and activities for all the family, to boost number confidence at work, home and school. This includes video resources, downloadable activities and ‘confidence conversations’ series running across the first week of November.

You can access activities and resources for kids aged 4-12, parents and adults at work too through the Number Confidence Week campaign hub.

The National Numeracy Challenge is a free online tool that can help people aged 13+ to develop number confidence and skills, at their own pace on their own terms.

Follow National Numeracy and #NumberConfidenceWeek on social media. You can also use this campaign pack to make your own social media posts.

Free Training for CLD Practitioners: Becoming a Numeracy Champion: Children, families & feeling good about maths

And to continue the numeracy theme … as part of a project funded by Education Scotland through the Enhancing Professional Learning in STEM Grants Programme and through the STEM Education and Training Strategy, National Numeracy is offering free places for CLD Practitioners in West Scotland, Southwest Scotland and Forth Valley & West Lothian on the ‘Becoming a Numeracy Champion: Children, Families & Feeling Good About Maths’ programme.

The online (Zoom) programme is running for organisations in West or Southwest Scotland through November and in Forth Valley & West Lothian in January. It equips participants with the knowledge and skills they need to support families to have positive attitudes towards maths. Participants are asked to attend all three sessions and to fill in a digital workbook to complete the programme.

Southwest Scotland South West Scotland Numeracy Champion registration
Numeracy: understanding the numeracy issue – Tuesday, 2 November, 4pm-6pm
Supporting positive attitudes in children – Tuesday, 9 November, 4pm-6pm
Supporting parents, carers & families – Tuesday, 16 November, 4pm-6pm

West Scotland West Scotland Numeracy Champion registration
Numeracy: understanding the numeracy issue – Thursday, 4 November, 4pm-6pm
Supporting positive attitudes in children – Thursday, 11 November, 4pm-6pm
Supporting parents, carers & families – Thursday, 18 November, 4pm-6pm

Forth Valley & West Lothian Forth Valley & West Lothian Numeracy Champion registration
Numeracy: understanding the numeracy issue – Wednesday, 12 January, 4pm-6pm
Supporting positive attitudes in children – Wednesday, 19 January, 4pm-6pm
Supporting parents, carers & families – Wednesday, 26 January, 4pm-6pm

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 13 October 2021

CLDSC Professional Approval Standards Suite Launch

Student CLD Practitioners – Thinking about starting to search for your Professional Practice Placement opportunity? Scratching your head at where to start?

Practice Placement Supervisors or potential Supervisors – Ever wondered why it would be beneficial to become a Practice Placement Supervisor but unsure of what it involves? Keen to support the Student CLD Practitioner but sometimes unsure of what to focus on?

Look no further! We can help!

CLDSC have worked with the CLD Sector to consider what would help support the Professional Practice Placement experience and The Approval Committee of the CLDSC are delighted to be able to share the Professional Approval Standards Suite of material with our members. The Launch of the Professional Approval Suite of material document provides information to the background and the creation of these materials and includes links to those available.

The documents were created by Members of CLDSC with experience in the CLD Sector who participated in working groups. The documents provide information on the process and set out the roles and responsibilities and give an opportunity to help the student to develop the required skills, knowledge and competences to be considered as a fully Competent CLD Practitioner.

The Suite has 2 main strands:

Professional Approval Standards documents (mostly relevant to Universities but will allow everyone to see the process and Standards to be met to obtain Professional Approval from CLDSC):

Practice Placement Standards documents
The aim of the CLD Professional Practice Placement Standards documents are to clarify roles and responsibilities for all involved in the placement process and promote consistently high quality CLD practice. As CLD Professional Practice Placements require a strong partnership between Student CLD Practitioners, the field of CLD practice and educational providers, it was felt to be important to recognise that the Student CLD Practitioners are instrumental in getting the very best from their own CLD Professional Practice Placement experience. A professional CLD Practitioner must take responsibility for ensuring they gain the opportunity and exposure to enhance their own skills. The templates will help Student CLD Practitioners to focus, and sharing with their Educational Provider and their Practice Placement Supervisor whenever they meet will aide discussions.

It should be noted that the University may also provide you with documents as there are certain procedural things that they need you to do. 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.

Practice Placement Supervisors Needed!

Please discuss with your employer if you are keen to explore the role of Practice Placement Supervisor in more detail – it really is a great professional learning opportunity. If your employer would like to be included in a database of Practice Placement Providers, please ask them to complete this template document for placement opportunities.

Joint Education Training Standards (JETS)

As a new academic year kicks off we thought we would pop in a reminder of the Mutual Recognition Agreement that is in place relating to CLD Approved Professional qualifications.

Mutual Recognition across the UK and Ireland
Professional (higher education) qualifications are recognised across the UK and Ireland as long as the programme of study has been professionally validated/approved by the NYA (England), ETS Wales or the Joint ETS for Northern Ireland and Ireland and CLD Standards Council Scotland. This mutual recognition agreement was arranged by the Joint Education Training Standards Committee (JETS).

JETS is a co-operative scheme of the UK & Ireland Joint ETS administered by its members: ETS (England), ETS (Wales), the North-South ETS (All Ireland), and CLD Standards Council Scotland. The primary responsibility of JETS is to validate and endorse courses leading to professional qualification in youth work (and for CLD in Scotland) in their respective jurisdictions. This workforce development function, alongside a broader commitment to continuous professional development (CPD) for all staff, is at the heart of the profession’s obligation to ensure that youth workers and CLD workers are fit to practice. JETS meets to share good practice, to develop commonality of approach, and to take joint action on any issues and concerns. The next meeting of JETS is on 21 October 2021 and we will keep you posted on the discussions.

Next Member Virtual Meet Up

Our next Member Meet-up will take place on 26 October, 1pm – 2pm.

The focus of the Meet-up will be on gathering feedback for the Scottish Government consultation on the Education Reform plans to replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and reform Education Scotland (ES).

This will inform our response to the consultation on behalf of the membership and the sector. Register for the Meet-up on Eventbrite to have your views noted.

COP26 and Learning for Sustainability Professional Learning

The University of Edinburgh, British Council and Learning for Sustainability Scotland have developed two Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) linked to COP26 and Learning for Sustainability (LfS).

These professional learning courses are free and provide a great opportunity to access professional learning in relation to LfS and to engage with COP26. Last time one of the MOOCs ran there were over 13,000 participants from 170 countries.

The details are below:

Learning for a Sustainable Future is available now and will run for five weeks. It will also run again in Spring 2022.
Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP26 begins on 31 October and will run for 2 weeks in parallel with the COP26 conference. The content will be available for six weeks as a learning resource.

YouthLink Scotland – Scottish Youth Climate Summit

What are your climate action priorities? Join the Scottish Youth Climate Summit on 30 October 2021, 9.30am – 5pm to connect with young people (11-26), learn from experts and create Scotland’s Youth Climate Declaration in advance of COP26.

You can also visit the Education Scotland Countdown to COP webpage for other Learning for sustainability resources.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 06 October 2021

Education Reform

The consultation has been launched on plans to replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and reform Education Scotland (ES). The consultation seeks opinions and ideas on:

the replacement of the SQA with a single specialist agency for curriculum, assessment and qualifications
plans to substantially reform ES, including removing inspections from its functions

The consultation will last eight weeks and will close on Friday 26th November.

We held our first consultation event for CLD Standards Council members yesterday and will ensure these views inform our response. We will be holding another Virtual Member Meet-Up event on 26 October 2021, 1pm-3pm, so please join us by registering for the Meet-up on Eventbrite to have your views noted.

For those who are not members of CLD Standards Council, but who have an interest in education, including parents, carers, young people, teachers and lecturers, there is one remaining general webinar where views can be shared. This takes place online from on 28 October 2021, 4.30pm-6pm, you can register for the webinar on Eventbrite.

CLD Practice in National Voluntary Organisations

Are you a CLD practitioner working or volunteering for a national voluntary organisation? Would you like to take part in a conversation about what would inspire others from your organisation to identify with and be part of the CLD community? CLDSC are hosting an event on 3 November from 11am–1pm, where participants will explore awareness raising opportunities to highlight the value of CLDSC membership and identify how to support CLD practice and improve CLD Career Pathways in the Voluntary Sector. Register for the session on Eventbrite if you would like to take part.

Congratulations – Scottish Charity Awards Finalists

CLD Standards Council were proud sponsors of the Community Action Award at this year’s #ScotCharityAwards. Huge congratulations to all the finalists and especially to our category winners Cumbernauld Resilience. If you missed the chance to get your glad-rags on, top up your glass and join fellow CLDSC members to celebrate the work of CLD in the voluntary sector at our virtual watch party, you can view the ceremony on the SCVO YouTube channel.

Scotland’s Learning Festival

And don’t forget, all sessions from this year’s Scottish Learning Festival are available to view until 30 November 2021. Tune in for inspiring keynotes from the Right Honourable Stewart Laurence; Critical Conversations on leadership; and a wide variety of seminars on Developing the Young Workforce, the impact of poverty and trauma-informed practice to name only a few! If you did not manage to register for SLF Online, you can still access the recordings by emailing the SLF mailbox with your name, email address and organisation.

The Moment

Children’s Parliament and Scottish Youth Parliament are working together to support children and young people across Scotland to participate in a nationwide event called The Moment taking place on Friday 29th October 2021, one week prior to the international UN climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow. The Moment aims to be a positive, hopeful way of children and young people connecting with the decision-makers who hold the power to drive the urgent, systemic changes needed to tackle the climate emergency.

Elected representatives (Members of Parliament, Members of Scottish Parliament and local councillors) have already ‘saved the date’ so they can participate in ‘climate surgeries’ with children and young people across Scotland, and discuss their climate calls to action ahead of COP26.

This work is supported by Globe International who will host the Global Legislators’ COP26 Summit taking place on 5th November, bringing together parliamentarians from across the world to discuss international collaboration for tackling the climate emergency. Children and young people’s stories from The Moment will be captured on an interactive map and presented at the Summit.

To support children and young people to participate in The Moment, Children’s Parliament and the Scottish Youth Parliament have created digital resources:

Children’s Parliament’s online toolkit is for children aged 7-14, it features children’s ‘missions’ and supporting adults’ guides
Scottish Youth Parliament’s online toolkit is for young people up to 25 years

Good luck Willie Bhari

Over the last three years Willie has been supporting the CLD Standards Council as our Team Support. He is moving onto a new role within Education Scotland and we would like to say a huge thanks for all your hard work in keeping the team and the Council organised. Thanks also for all the fabulous cakes and bakes too, you’re definitely a contender to participate in the Great British Bake Off! Good luck in your new role and remember to keep in touch.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 29 September 2021

Education Reform – CLD Sector Specific Webinar

The CLD Standards Council has been invited to co-ordinate and respond to the Practitioner and Stakeholder Advisory Group’s discussions regarding the reform of Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority. To allow practitioners to share their views on the Scottish Education system we are hosting an online event for all CLD practitioners on Tuesday 5 October 11am – 1pm.

If you would like to attend please register on Eventbrite.

Education Reform Webinars

Professor Ken Muir, University of the West of Scotland, has been appointed to act as an independent advisor to the Scottish Government to consider and advise on the implementation of the reform that will consider all functions currently delivered by both the SQA and Education Scotland.

Professor Muir is keen to engage widely to hear the views and ideas from all those with an interest in Scottish Education. This webinar is an opportunity to hear first-hand about this work and to have your say on shaping the future of the national bodies supporting Education in Scotland. These webinars will support a written consultation which will be launched at the end of September.

Please use the links below to select and book a webinar via Eventbrite – each session will take place from 4.30pm to 6pm and follow the same format.

Webinar 1 – Thursday 30th September 2021
Webinar 2 – Wednesday 6th October 2021
Webinar 3 – Thursday 28th October 2021

Challenge Poverty Week – events online

Next week (4 – 10 October 2021) is Challenge Poverty Week. We have been working with colleagues in the Education Scotland CLD team to coordinate a series of online resources and information which we’ll share throughout next week.

Keep an eye on our Twitter pages @cldstandards and @EdScotCLD throughout the week for links and resources. Use the hashtags #ChallengePoverty and #NowIsTheTime to join the national conversation.

Last call for Scottish Charity Awards Watch Party

CLD Standards Council is proud to be sponsoring the Community Action Award at this year’s #ScotCharityAwards. Please come along and join us online this Friday 1 October for our Scottish Charity Awards Watch Party. Get your glad-rags on, top up your glass and join fellow CLDSC members to celebrate the work of CLD in the voluntary sector at our virtual pre-ceremony drinks reception at 6pm. The ceremony takes place from 7-8pm where we will see the winners announced live on screen.

National Youth Work Awards – nominations open

Nominations for the 2022 National Youth Work Awards are now open. Youth work has supported young people up and down the country through the most challenging year. Now, the time has come to give our youth work heroes the recognition they deserve by making your nominations!

Choose from 12 amazing award categories and help celebrate the value of youth work. This year’s categories:

Arts & Creativity
Community-based Youth Work
Digital & Stem
Environment & Conservation
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Inspirational Leader
Health & Wellbeing
Participation & Youth Voice
Recognising Skills & Achievement
Team of the Year
Volunteer Youth Worker
Youth Worker of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award

Download the National Youth Work Awards nomination form (opens PDF)
Download the National Youth Work Awards guidance and criteria (opens PDF)

The deadline for nominations is 5pm on 12 November 2021.

YouthLink National Youth Work Conference

This year’s National Youth Work Conference (#YLSConf21) will take place online on 5 and 6 October 2021 and there’s still time to register. The conference will highlight the urgent and significant challenges facing our planet and our society, and will explore the power of learning for sustainability through youth work.

The Conference will provide a critical exploration of:

Greening your youth work services
Youth Work & the Sustainable Development Goals
Young People, Wellbeing & Nature Connectedness
Environmental Youth Social Action
Outdoor Learning
Climate Literacy & Youth Work
Global impact and perspectives
Climate Justice Education

This national event is aimed at:

The youth work and wider CLD sector
Other related professionals interested in young people’s participation
Education professionals
Volunteers

Tickets are available for a small cost to help cover admin and overheads. Prices are £15 for YouthLink members and £25 for non-YouthLink members.

Download the conference brochure containing information on the programme and workshops (opens PDF).

You can register for the YouthLink National Youth Work Conference 2021 on Eventbrite.

WildHearts Global Youth Summit Information

To coincide with COP26 and help inspire and empower young people to tackle climate change, WildHearts is hosting a global youth-led summit between the 1st – 5th November. The summit is free and will provide students, locally and globally, with opportunities to learn, collaborate and innovate through interactive assemblies, lesson plans and workshops.

The summit will feature world-class speakers including, Cel Spellman (Actor, Presenter and WWF Call of The Wild Podcast Host) and Clover Hogan (Climate Activist and Eco-Anxiety Researcher). Her TED Talk ‘What to do when climate change feels unstoppable’ has been viewed over 1million times.

Watch this short video on YouTube of the Official Global Youth Summit.
You can download the Global Youth Summit Event pack here.

Accessibility in digital content workshops

Lead Scotland are hosting a series of webinars on Zoom in the upcoming weeks about accessibility in digital content. The webinars will examine the most common accessibility problems within digital content and instruct participants how to avoid these issues. 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.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 22 September 2021

Youth Work SVQ review approved

We are delighted to announce that the review of the SVQs in Youth work is now complete and has been approved by Skills Development Scotland and SQA.

The revised Youth Work SVQs, reflecting the comments and input of CLD Standards Council members, are at SCQF level 6 and level 7 and are an important part of the network of qualifications that support the professional learning and development of youth workers in Scotland.

If your organisation is interested in delivering these new awards, please get in touch with SQA. You can find more information and contact details on the SQA Accreditation – Awarding Body Approval webpage.

Welcome to Grant Garrett!

A warm welcome is extended to Grant Garrett. Grant joins CLD Standards Council from North Ayrshire Council and is our new Corporate Performance Officer. Grant is looking forward to finding out more about CLD and supporting us with all sorts of data and knowledge analysis work.

CLD Standards Council Scotland – Professional Induction Programme Development

CLDSC is developing a Professional Induction Programme which will introduce members of the CLDSC to the purpose and functions of the Council and what is expected of membership based on its professional standards. The programme will also provide an introduction to the process of professional learning and development and require participants to produce a professional learning and development plan drawing from the module processes and content.

An Invitation to Quote process will be opening soon to develop this piece of work. The work comprises creation of the professional induction programme, piloting of the professional induction programme and evaluation and amendments to the programme in preparation for launch. This will be a short term piece of work, due for completion by 31 March 2022.

Please circulate this to your networks. If any organisation/contractor wishes to be considered for this work, please contact kirsty.gemmell@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk by 1 October 2021. All details will be shared at the tender stage.

Scottish Charity Awards – CLDSC Watch Party

The Scottish Charity Awards recognise and celebrate the best that Scotland’s voluntary sector has to offer and CLD Standards Council is proud to be sponsoring the Community Action Award at this year’s #ScotCharityAwards. The Awards Ceremony will be held online on Friday 1 October 2021.

We’ll be hosting a Scottish Charity Awards Watch Party and would like to invite you to join us for virtual pre-ceremony drinks reception at 6pm with the ceremony taking place from 7-8pm where we can see the winners announced live on screen. Get your gladrags on, top up your glass and join fellow CLDSC members to celebrate the work of CLD in the voluntary sector.

Virtual Meet Up reminder

There’s still time to register to attend our next Member Meet-up taking place on 29 September 1-2pm.

Come along for a tour of the updated Learning for Sustainability Theme space on i-develop; an input from Glasgow Science Centre about work they’ve been doing with communities to jointly tackle poverty and sustainability issues; and a chance to ‘Show and Tell’ colleagues about your sustainability practice and share resources you’ve created or used.
Meantime, why not have a look at the Education Scotland CLD Team’s Countdown to COP26: CLD Sector – Wakelet.

You can register on Eventbrite to attend the Virtual Meet Up.

Practice Placement Database

During engagement with its members, CLDSC has had numerous requests to hold a database which will provide details of organisations who are willing to offer a CLD Practice Placement Opportunity and what types of opportunities they can offer. Our membership has also emphasised to us the importance of Practice Placement Supervisors being CLD qualified. If your organisation wishes to be included in this database please complete this proforma and return or contact susan.bisset@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk for further information.

It should be noted that it will still be the responsibility of the HE/FE providers to negotiate the placements and ensure that they are relevant and appropriate in order to meet the Standards followed for approval of their programmes.

Working with a Student CLD Practitioner is a great way to achieve Professional Learning and you will be helping to shape the CLD Sector for the future. If you are still unsure if you can, or want to take up such a great opportunity please read through Things to consider before offering a CLD Practice Placement Opportunity.

SCDC – Supporting Communities Safely updated Covid-19 Guidance

Scottish Community Development Council, in conjunction with Public Health Scotland, has updated its advice on how to virus proof activities and events run by community groups, organisations and volunteer networks and reduce the risk of indirect spread.

You can find information and details on the SCDC Supporting Communities Safely webpage.

Council of Europe – Youth Organisations Study Seminar opportunity

The Council of Europe is offering an opportunity for youth organisations to apply to deliver a study session/seminar on one of four topics: Democracy; Youth Work; Young people’s access to rights; and Living together in peaceful societies. The sessions would be delivered in the European Youth Centres in Strasbourg / Budapest and would be funded by the Council of Europe. The deadline for applications is 15 October 2021. More information can be found on the Council of Europe webpage.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 15 September 2021

Education Reform: a CLD response

If you would like to attend please register on Eventbrite.

Virtual Meet up – reminder

Our next Members Meet up takes place on 29 September 1-2pm.

We have been updating the Learning for Sustainability Theme space on i-develop, and will take a tour of what’s there. We’ll have an input from Glasgow Science Centre about work they’ve been doing with communities to jointly tackle poverty and sustainability issues. And we’d also love to find out more about your sustainability practice – ‘Show and Tell’ colleagues about resources you’ve created or used.

Meantime, why not have a look at the Education Scotland CLD Team’s Countdown to COP26: CLD Sector – Wakelet.

You can register on Eventbrite to attend the Virtual Meet Up.

“The impact of Community Work – How to gather evidence” – i-develop training resource

To support the book written by Karen McArdle, Sue Briggs, Kirsty Forrester, Ed Garrett and Catherine McKay, all long standing members of the CLD Standards Council, a set of training materials has been created and are now available on i-develop.
The book and training materials provide essential guidance for professionals and pre-qualifying students on how to gather and generate evidence of the impact of projects in the community. It provides easy to implement, practical ideas and examples of methods to demonstrate the impact of community work Including case studies from diverse community settings. Considering not only evaluation, but also the complex processes of evidence gathering, it will help all those involved with work in the community to demonstrate the impact and value of their work.

We’ll be hosting a CLDSC Virtual Member Meet Up on 23 November 2021 1-2pm – come along to meet the authors and explore the resources.

Click here to register your attendance for November’s Virtual Meet Up.

CLD Collaborative Working Case Study

Sue Briggs (Aberdeenshire Council) and Laura Starkey (Education Scotland) have developed a case study highlighting collaboration in the North Regional Improvement Collaborative (RIC) with CLD.

The case study outlines different educational perspectives to promote the value, outcomes and change that has been achieved, and features Laurence Findlay (Director of Education, Aberdeenshire Council), Kathleen Johnston (Quality Improvement Lead, North RICl), Sue Briggs (CLD North RIC work stream lead & Aberdeenshire Council), Fiona MacInnes-Begg (CLD Lead, Western Isles Council). There are powerful messages about the important role of CLD and the strength of collaborative working at all levels through local authority, RIC and nationally.

The first video, CLD: Achieving Change Through a Regional Improvement Collaboration can be viewed on Education Scotland’s YouTube channel (approx. 9 minutes).

The second video, CLD: Achieving Change Through a Regional Improvement Collaboration can be viewed on Canva.

If you have any questions in relation to either of these please contact Laura Starkey by email –laura.starkey@educationscotland.gov.uk.

SLF Online 21-23 September 2021 – still time to register

‘Renew, Refresh, Re-imagine: Learning from our experiences and looking to the future’.
The Conference Programme includes:

keynote sessions to inspire and provoke;
live Q&A sessions with specialist panels, where you will be able to ask your questions;
sharing practice sessions from practitioners, which may inform your practice;
sessions giving you up-to-date information and guidance on education policy and recommendations from recent reports;
opportunities to network with colleagues in facilitated sessions.

To find out more, register and view the SLF Programme 2021, please visit the SLF2021 website.

Rural Communities “Ideas into Action” Fund

The Rural Communities “Ideas into Action” Fund is supported by £1.5 million of Scottish Government funding, delivered in partnership with Inspiring Scotland. It allows applicants to take forward ideas that will test change while linking community action with addressing local issues.

The fund forms part of the wider £3 million fund announced earlier this year in the Scottish Budget, to deliver pilot projects testing innovative ways of delivering Community Led Local Development (CLLD) before March 2022.

The fund is open for applications from Monday 13 September and closes on Friday 8 October at 12 noon. Guidance and application forms can be found on the Inspiring Scotland website.

There are two strands of funding available:-

Small Grants of up to £3,000 for grassroots rural groups or organisations to support community projects that fit with local needs and are locally led. The process for applying for this funding has been simplified to make it easy for unincorporated groups to apply and both capital and expenditure costs are eligible.
Large Grants of between £3001 and £50,000 for not for profit organisations to invest in community led initiatives that respond to local need. Again, capital and revenue costs are eligible and these can be delivered in partnership with other local organisations.

Changing the Channel: Communities Channel Scotland and the Social Impact Pledge relaunch today

The redeveloped Communities Channel Scotland website and Social Impact Pledge have been launched today, making them even more helpful to community groups across Scotland in their amazing work with their communities.

Community groups, and anyone who works with them, are invited to visit the website and take advantage of its updated features, such as…

Straightforward guides to key developments and policy affecting community groups, including climate change, covid-19 and what’s currently happening around human rights in Scotland.
Easily searchable collections of resources, including tools, ideas for funding and relevant support organisations, to help you carry out your activities and achieve your aims.
Inspiring examples of community groups in action, covering everything from emergency responses to Covid-19 to creative ways of engaging with people.
The Social Impact Pledge, which asks public bodies to commit to making changes to what they do that have a direct benefit for communities and community groups.
All the latest news from, and relevant to, community groups in Scotland.

Click here to visit Communities Channel Scotland

To mark the relaunch, Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth, Tom Arthur MSP, has stated his hope that Communities Channel Scotland and the Social Impact Pledge continue to be key online resources for community groups. View the Minister’s statement here.

Further information
Communities Channel Scotland has been developed by Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) with funding from the Scottish Government. Read more about the website on Squarespace (log in required). SCDC would like to hear from any group or organisation who has suggestions, news, stories or anything else that could contribute to the website. You can contact SCDC by clicking here.