Author Archives: CLDSC Editor

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 02 June 2021

VOLUNTEERS’ WEEK SPECIAL EDITION

Welcome to our special edition of the CLDSC Member Bulletin – dedicated to CLD volunteers across Scotland. The theme of this year’s Volunteers’ Week Scotland is Thank You. Here at CLD Standards Council, we recognise and appreciate the contribution volunteers make to CLD practice and this bulletin is all about you and the people who support you to make such a difference in communities. Thank you!

Thank You from Dr Marion Allison, Director CLD Standards Council

Volunteers week is here! What better way to acknowledge the tremendous contribution that our CLD volunteers make to the young people, learners and communities of Scotland? Week in, week out, in all kinds of weathers our CLD volunteers selflessly give their time, skills, knowledge and friendship to others. Volunteers are the life blood of the CLD profession – what often starts off as a bid to help ends in a full blown career with people often telling us that they are amazed that they can get paid to do work that is nothing less than a vocation. At the CLD Standards Council we are delighted that our CLD volunteers are active members – helping to shape and support communities across the country. We are truly grateful for all that you do and would like to say a huge big thank you to each and every one of you!

CLDSC Membership open to volunteer CLD practitioners

Volunteers who practise CLD can apply to become Associate members of the CLD Standards Council.

There are lots of benefits of CLDSC registration for volunteers –

Networking – Many CLD volunteers operate with minimal contact with qualified CLD practitioners and would welcome the opportunities for networking afforded by CLDSC through the CLD Regional Networks, events and conferences, as well as virtual networking through the i-develop website.
Helping volunteers make more of a difference – Many volunteers not only say they enjoy what they are doing, they say they want to do it well and make as much difference as they can. The range of learning opportunities available to members can help them do this.
A pathway to paid work – A lot of CLD workers started out as a volunteers and got the bug. Lots of volunteers also use their CLD practice to enhance their CV and find that the CLD competencies are transferrable to other fields of work too.

How to become an Associate Member of CLDSC

Complete a short application form – you can apply online.
Associate membership does NOT require a formal qualification.
Demonstrate the values, principles, competences, Code of Ethics and commitment to continuing professional learning that underpin the sector.
Commit to complete the required hours of professional learning each year. This is pro rata based on volunteer hours. So, for example, 6 hours volunteering a week would equal 6 hours a year professional learning.
Find a referee who can confirm their volunteering experience, suitability and commitment to the principles.

So if you work with volunteers who you think could meet the requirements why not suggest Associate membership to them?

Read about other volunteers stories and becoming an Associate member on i-develop.

CLDSC Standards Mark

To support and recognise the fabulous work that is undertaken by CLD volunteers (and staff too!), we are able to offer the organisation you work/volunteer with an opportunity to have your CLD Professional Learning quality assured by the CLDSC. The Standards Mark process looks at the whole range of CLD professional learning opportunities offered by the organisation, not one specific programme, as well as the learning culture of the organisation.

The Standards Mark nurtures a culture of learning in our sector so that individual practitioners’ engagement with CLD professional learning can contribute to the development of the whole CLD profession. This demonstrates and enhances commitment to a culture of learning underpinned by the values and competences of CLD and commitment to our Code of Ethics.

Learning is celebrated, recognised and encouraged
Learning is reflected on and shared
Individuals can explore learning related to their role in volunteering and possibly continue onto a career in CLD.

Go on, ask your organisation if they have CLDSC Standards Mark Approval. Encourage them to recognise the good stuff that you do and the great CLD Professional Learning they offer. Give them this link to more information on Standards Mark approval.

Or, you could encourage them to sign up to a 2 hour virtual support event on one of the dates below to find out more about achieving CLDSC Standards Mark Approval:

15 June 2021 11:00 to 13:00
21 June 2021 14:00 to 16:00
29 June 2021 15:00 to 17:00

For more details and information on Standards Mark, contact Susie Bisset at susan.bisset@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

i-develop volunteer resources

Did you know we have dedicated spaces on i-develop for volunteers and volunteering? The Volunteering in CLD pages are designed to be used by CLD volunteers themselves as well as those who deploy and support them. There is a section with general guidance on deploying volunteers, and information and guidance specific to CLD volunteers contributed by colleagues across the sector. You’ll also find some research information too.

If you’re particularly interested in volunteering in ESOL, there’s a separate page for that with Discussion Fora for volunteers and volunteer coordinators, as well as links to resources on volunteer recruitment, policies, the Framework for Good Practice in Working with Volunteers in ESOL and lots more.

Volunteer Spotlights

To kickstart the volunteer spotlights, we thought we’d highlight some of the volunteering work that staff in CLD Standards Council and Education Scotland CLD Team undertake. Check out the #BecauseOfCLD hashtag!

So many CLD volunteers contribute to and support their communities. If you know a volunteer you’d like to showcase, please email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk so we can do a CLD Volunteer Practitioner Spotlight feature on our website.

CLD Volunteers Get Connected

If you want to chat with fellow volunteers, we’ve got a few options available!

Post a question or comment in the Volunteer Discussion Forum on i-develop
Post a comment or share a resource in the CPD Discussion Forum on i-develop
Join our Slack workspace for messages on desktop, tablet or mobile app.

Email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk for the joining link.

#CLDVolunteers2021 Virtual Wave

Thanks to everyone who has already pinned their activity, group, resource or good old-fashioned “Thank you’s” to our Virtual Wave Padlet. So good to see so much going on across all parts of Scotland! There’s still time to add your pins as we’ll keep #CLDVirtualWave going until the end of Volunteers’ Week, so please join in!

Education Scotland CLD Team Blog

Don’t forget to have a look at the Education Scotland CLD Team’s blog for links to Volunteers Week information and much more!

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 26 May 2021

New Ministerial Appointments

Last week, the First Minister for Scotland, Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP announced her new cabinet for this parliamentary term. Ms Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP has been appointed the Cabinet Secretary for Education & Skills with Mr Jamie Hepburn MSP being appointed as the Minister for HE & FE, Youth Employment & Training with responsibility for CLD. Our Chair, Mr Alan Sherry has already written letters of welcome to both Ministers and we look forward to sharing the work and contributions of the CLD Standards Council and its Members.

Improving Career Pathways for CLD Practitioners – Member Survey

As we continue our CLD Career Pathways work, we have created a Member Survey which will help

to identify demand for training and qualifications to help us to work with providers and funding bodies to secure the opportunities needed by CLD Practitioners.
in the development of a nationally agreed and endorsed framework to guide employers regarding the recruitment of appropriately qualified CLD staff
create a Workforce Strategy for CLD practitioners in discussion with key stakeholders.

Please complete the Career Pathways Survey by Friday 11 June 2021.

Volunteers’ Week – CLD Virtual Wave

We’re saying THANK YOU to all the CLD Volunteers across Scotland during Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June 2021). To help us achieve this we ask that you include the #CLDVolunteers2021 to any social media posts during Volunteers’ Week as well as the usual #BecauseOfCLD.

In addition, to highlight what’s happening where, we’re working in partnership with Education Scotland’s CLD Team and the wider CLD sector to create a #CLDVolunteers2021 Virtual Wave across Scotland. We’re keen to promote any events, activities or resources during the week and have created a Virtual Wave Padlet where you can ‘pin’ what’s happening in your own areas. You can add photos, links or even sound/video clips. Click on Padlet to add yours and we’ll create a CLD Volunteer Virtual Wave! Check out Education Scotland CLD Team’s blog for more information and a handy ‘how to’ guide for using Padlet.

An amazing amount of CLD volunteers have contributed to and supported their communities and we’d like to highlight some of the fabulous work they’ve done. If you know a volunteer you’d like to showcase, please email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk so we can do a CLD Volunteer Practitioner Spotlight feature on our website.

Next week’s CLDSC Member Bulletin will be a Volunteers’ Week special edition, so please get in touch with stories or articles you’d like us to feature

CLD Planning Webinar Links

Following on from the CLD Planning Webinars held throughout May, you can now access all webinar recordings on this Wakelet. The five topics covered are: CONSUL digital participation tool; Place Standard; Embedding Youth Awards in CLD Plans; Digital Skills; and Workforce Development

CLDSC Public Register of Members

If you need to check whether someone is registered with CLDSC, for example, to find out if someone applying for a CLD post is a Registered or Associate member, we have a public register that you can check online.

The member enquiry function is located on i-develop – CLDSC Member Search (i-develop-cld.org.uk) You enter the first and last names to search, and the registration category and geographic area that the member works in will be shown. But remember that a member might have used a shortened or full first name to register with.

If you are a member and the area you work in is not correct, or you cannot find your own entry when you search, please let us know by emailing contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

HE/FE meeting update

Our regular meeting with representatives from Higher and Further Education took place this week and key areas discussed included:

Terms of Reference for this group were agreed
Development of a blog to promote CLD research
Encouragement of student CLD practitioners’ involvement in workforce development sections of Adult Learning and Youth Work Strategies.

If you’re interested in finding out more about any of these areas, please contact Susie: susan.bisset@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk.

IACD WCDC Conference places available

CLDSC has purchased 9 places at the World Community Development Conference for CLDSC members. The event takes place from 21-23 June 2021 and is fully online. The theme is ‘Our Connectedness, Resilience and Empowerment’. No programme is available as of yet, but check the website and twitter for updates. If you’re interested in attending, please email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk by 11 June 2021. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Tayside & Fife Professional Learning Alliance Conference presentations

On 22nd and 29th April, Tayside and Fife Professional Learning Alliance held a successful online conference, with around 80 participants attending. The aim of the conference was to energise and refocus their CLD workforce after a difficult year.

Day 1 was about looking back over the past year, featuring a moving and inspirational keynote speech from Margaret Ledwith, as well as a focus on research undertaken in Dundee and Fife communities during Covid with Karen McArdle and Sheila Allan.

Day 2 was about looking forwards, and highlighted important national work being undertaken on behalf of the sector by CLD Standards Council and a focus on CLD plans with input from Sheila Brown of HMIe.

You can watch back the videos and slides from these inspirational speakers, as well as seeing some of the insightful comments from the fabulous participants.

Scottish Government – Survey on Volunteering and the Third Sector Response to COVID-19

There is still time to complete the Scottish Government’s Volunteering Survey. This survey aims to gather information about:

how volunteering has contributed to the Third Sector response to the pandemic;
the challenges that the sector has faced in continuing to support volunteering during this time;
and – crucially – organisational perspectives on what is needed to support volunteering during the recovery period and beyond.

Complete the Scottish Government Survey On Role Of Volunteering And The Third Sector Response To Covid-19 survey.

The survey is split into two routes:

one targeted at TSIs, Local Authorities and intermediary organisations;
the other aimed at organisations working directly with volunteers (volunteer-involving organisations).

Deadline for completion extended to Tuesday 1 June.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 19 May 2021

National Numeracy Day

It’s National Numeracy Day! CLD practitioners work with learners across Scotland to support numeracy skills and CLD Standards Council is proud to support you. Check out the National Numeracy Day website for links and resources to use with learners. There are lots of events happening today and videos of these will be available from tomorrow on the National Numeracy Day website, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook pages.

Share your activities, resources and stories on social media using the #NationalNumeracyDay and #BecauseOfCLD hashtags.

Volunteers’ Week 1-7 June 2021

Volunteers’ Week 2021 is almost here and it’s all about saying ‘Thank You’ to volunteers who have given their time and energy throughout the last year.

We’re also keen to promote any events, activities or resources during the week and have created a map Padlet where you can ‘pin’ what’s happening in your own areas. You can add photos, links or even sound/video clips. Click on Padlet to add yours and we’ll create a CLD Volunteer Virtual Wave!

Visit the Volunteers’ Week website for more information.

SCQF Would You Credit It? workshop
16 June 2021 10am – 4pm

If you have developed or are in the process of developing a learning programme and are considering having it Credit Rated for the SCQF then this free workshop will help you understand the process. After completing the workshop, participants will have a sound knowledge of the SCQF, will be able to make an informed decision about whether a learning programme is suitable for Credit Rating and what steps to take next. Sign up for the workshop on Eventbrite.

Youth Scotland Youth Work Support Fund closing date

The Youth Scotland Youth Work Support Fund was established to help youth groups and youth workers meet the needs of young people in response to the Covid-19 Coronavirus. If you’re a Youth Scotland member, you only have a few days left to apply for up to £2000 to help rebuild services and programmes for young people. Closing date: 21 May 2021.

Calling all ESOL Practitioners – NATECLA Survey

Natecla is gathering information on the need for ESOL Literacies across Scotland. All input is welcome and needed – tutors, lecturers, managers and volunteers. Please feel free to spread this far and wide so they can gain a true picture of the need for ESOL Literacies across the whole of Scotland.

Click on this link to access the Microsoft Form Survey. It only takes a few minutes to complete and will provide valuable information on supporting ESOL practitioners to support ESOL literacies learners.

Your Police survey

Police Scotland want to know and understand the views of Scotland’s diverse communities. Your Police 2021-22 is now live on their Engagement Hub (Citizen Space); Police Scotland are inviting everyone to take part. The survey is open all year and asks about people’s experiences of safety or issues in their local community. They also want to understand more about people’s experiences of interacting with their police service. CLD practitioners are encouraged take part and to share the opportunity with anyone in communities you are working with.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 12 May 2021

CLD Standards Council and Scottish Government Meeting

On 30th April, Alan Sherry, Chair of CLD Standards Council, held an introductory meeting with Joe Griffin, the new Scottish Government Director-General, Education and Justice. During the meeting, Alan provided background on the CLD sector, discussed relevant issues for the CLD family and outlined the strategic objectives sought going forward.

There are six directors-general who head up the Scottish Civil Service. As director-general, Mr Griffin manages a number of directorates and agencies which support and implement Scottish Government legislation and policy.

Time to renew your CLDSC Membership?

We send both Associate and Registered members a request to renew their registration every 3 years. If you became a member more than 3 years ago then you should have received a request to renew**. When you receive your registration renewal request please complete the renewal. You can be removed from the register of members if you do not renew.

To renew you need to-

Reconfirm your commitment to the Values and Ethics
Confirm that you have undertaken an appropriate amount of relevant professional learning
Also, if you are no longer in active contact with your previous referee then you must provide a new referee.

If you are unable to complete your renewal at this time you can request a deferral. However we are finding a few members have not kept us up to date with their email address. Unfortunately if we are unable to complete a renewal that membership will be suspended and eventually removed from the register. So please remind colleagues to make sure we have up to date contact details so we can contact them to renew. Full details of requirements for renewal including advice on professional learning are available on the website.

** If you have been registered for more than 3 years and not received a renewal request yet, please check the email address you originally registered with – sometimes the emails go into spam or junk folders – but if you cannot find a request please email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk and we will investigate.

Virtual Meet Up – 27 May 2021 1-2pm

Have you seen us mention our Slack workspace in previous newsletters? Wondering what it’s all about? Come along to the May Members’ Virtual Meet-Up and find out how to make the most of the CLDSC Slack Workspace and channels. If you’d like to join Slack in advance of the session, email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk for the link.

National Numeracy Day – 19 May 2021

Check out the National Numeracy Day webpage for a host of resources including links to apps, research and toolkits. You can follow the latest updates on Twitter using #NationalNumeracyDay

CLD Plan Webinars – Reminder

National partners are collaborating to offer a series of webinars focussed on tools and resources available to complement CLD planning processes.
The webinars may be of interest to local authority officers, teams, and partners involved in producing CLD plans locally.

There is one session remaining:

Workforce Development – Tuesday 18th May, 15:00 – 16:30

This session, led by the CLD Standards Council, will focus on the requirements set out in the Workforce Development component of CLD Plans Guidance Note (2021-24) with particular reference to: Providing practice placements for CLD students; Recruiting qualified CLD practitioners; and, Supporting the CLD workforce to benefit from engaging with the CLD Standards Council through registered membership.

CLD Development Officer secondment opportunity available within Education Scotland

This 23 month secondment offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced and effective Community Learning and Development (CLD) practitioner to support regional and national CLD programmes as part of Education Scotland’s West locality team. They will also engage with key stakeholders from across local authorities, the voluntary sector and national partners. Applicants should hold a recognised Community Learning and Development Qualification, SCQF level 9 or above. Applications are welcomed from practitioners in the public or 3rd sectors. The closing date for this post is midnight on Monday 31st May.

Full application details and information are on the Education Scotland website.

Family Learning inspection report findings webinar
7 June 2021 2pm

This webinar will allow participants the opportunity to consider how Family Learning might be delivered differently taking into account current Covid-19 restrictions. It is aimed at the Community Learning and Development sector and those who work in schools. There will be opportunities for questions and self-reflection. Register for the webinar on Eventbrite.

Fully funded Open University microcredential courses

Supported by the Scottish Funding Council Upskilling Fund, the OU is offering the opportunity to study a fully-funded microcredential course in a variety of subject areas. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for developing key skills and the OU are committed to supporting the upskilling and reskilling of individuals and organisations by offering a limited number of free places. There are a range of courses on offer which may be of interest to CLD practitioners including:

Management of Uncertainty: Leadership, Decisions and Action
Online Teaching: Accessibility and Inclusive Learning
Online Teaching: Creating Courses for Adult Learners

For more information and details of how to apply see the The Open University website.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 05 May 2021

Summer of Play funding

£15 million has been allocated to local authorities for the targeted provision of holiday activities, working alongside local partners. The priority for this £15m investment is to help address the negative impacts associated with extended periods of isolation and lack of participation in normal activities during the pandemic. It is to provide opportunities for them to socialise and reconnect with peers and others during the summer through delivery of a range of activities within local communities.

Using a rights based approach will enable a broad range of children’s rights to be further realised during this time. This includes the right to play; freedom to meet up with friends and socialise; right to receive support to help them recover their health, dignity, self-respect and social life. It is also about making sure children and young people’s views are listened to and actively inform the next stages of the easing back towards normality.

A national marketing strategy is being developed to support this and will include a stakeholder toolkit that local partners can use to promote their own activities. Details will be shared once available.

Responsible or active citizens? Young people’s citizenship and the 2020 Scottish Exam results demonstrations

Dr Stuart Moir and his colleague at the University of Edinburgh are looking for some help in recruiting young people to take part in their research.

This very short video will give some detail of their research. But, in summary, they are looking to interview any young people over 16 years old who took part in the SQA exam protests or campaigns.

As to the help, they would be grateful if you could share the link to the video on any social media platform or send it on to anyone young people that you think might have been involved in the protests or campaigns. Also to contacts, like teachers, who might know some young people who were involved. And if you can, encourage people to either take part in the research if it’s relevant to them, or to pass it on to their own relevant contacts.

Re-starting your services safely Webinar
12 May 2021 2pm – 3.30pm

SCVO along with Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) and Public Health Scotland (the team behind the Supporting Communities Safely resource) invite you to join them for an overview of the very latest guidance as well as practical advice, tools and resources to help you get your service up and running safely. Further information and registration details can be found on the SCVO website.

National Numeracy Day 19 May 2021

CLD Standards Council is proud to be a National Numeracy Day Champion! Alongside the charity National Numeracy, we are supporting children, young people and adults to feel confident about numbers. National Numeracy Day raises awareness of the importance of numbers in everyday life. There will be a host of free online events, videos and resources including inspirational stories and practical advice from real-life learners and celebrities including Rachel Riley, Martin Lewis and Bobby Seagull.

Have a browse of the National Numeracy Day webpage. And follow the latest updates on Twitter using #NationalNumeracyDay

Scottish Government Survey On Role Of Volunteering And The Third Sector Response To Covid-19

This survey aims to understand more about the volunteer response from the perspectives of:

Local and national organisations working directly with volunteers
Third Sector Interfaces, Local Authorities, HSCPs and other ‘infrastructure’ organisations that have supported the volunteer response across an area or sector.

Your contribution to this research will help to understand the current situation for volunteering, and to identify and respond to emerging needs as we move into the next phase of the pandemic and recovery in Scotland. The survey data will also be used to support the UK-wide Mobilising UK Voluntary Action research project, led by Northumbria University, which is investigating the role of volunteering in the pandemic response.

Scottish Government Survey On Role Of Volunteering And The Third Sector Response To Covid-19 survey is open until 23 May 2021 and results will be published in summer 2021.

Education Scotland Adult Learning Webinars

CLD Adult Learning Webinar – Wednesday 26th May 2021: 10am – 11am,. This webinar is for CLD Adult Learning practitioners or those with an interest. Highlights will include Maths Week Scotland, small grants fund, Glasgow Life Walking group adaptation and Nature Scotland, outdoor resources. Sign up for the CLD Adult Learning Webinar on Eventbrite.
CLD Adult Literacy Webinar – Wednesday 2nd June 2021: 10am – 11am. This webinar is for CLD Adult Literacy practitioners or those with an interest. Highlights will include City Of Glasgow Literacy App, Maths Week Scotland small grants fund & LEAD Scotland on accessibility information. Sign up for the CLD Adult Literacy Webinar on Eventbrite.
ESOL Practitioner Webinar – Wednesday 2nd June 2021: 1pm – 2pm. This webinar is for ESOL Practitioners and interested parties from all sectors. Guest presenters include Dundee ESOL Partnership, English Snacks Project – Edinburgh City CLD and Vocational ESOL partnership – City of Glasgow College and SDS. Sign up for the ESOL Practitioner Webinar on Eventbrite.

Virtual College Expo21

This year’s College Expo takes place on 9th and 10th June with a full programme of professional learning. It’s free to attend. See the information and details of how to register on the College Expo website.

Development Trusts Association Scotland Annual Conference & AGM 2021

This year’s DTAS Annual Conference & AGM will take place virtually on Sunday 5th – Tuesday 7th of September over Zoom. The theme this year will be Climate Action and bookings will open in July. Keep a look out for more details and follow #DTAS21 on Twitter.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 28 April 2021

Happy Retirement, Colin Ross!

After over 40 years of service to the CLD sector, our colleague, Colin, retires this week. Colin has had a significant impact on the quality and visibility of community learning and development throughout his career. Through his commitment to education and social justice, he has not only improved the quality of lives of those living in disadvantaged communities in Scotland; Colin’s influence can be felt across the UK and internationally through his voluntary work with the IACD.

He is known by the CLDSC staff team as ‘The Wise Owl’ and we’ve been thinking about why that is. According to that well known education website, Wikipedia, in Greece, the owl is often used as a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, prudence, perspicacity and erudition (we needed the dictionary for a couple of those!). These words sum up Colin’s qualities and approach. Colin is very self-effacing and doesn’t tend to claim credit or emphasise his own role. That’s where we come in! We want to say a big thank you to Colin for his Commitment, Leadership and Direction. Have a long, happy and well-deserved retirement, Colin!

REMINDER – Project funding for work with refugees – information session for CLDSC members
Tuesday 4th May, 4pm to 5.30pm

£2.8 million is available from the New Scots Refugee Integration Delivery Project for new projects spreading documented good practices and supporting innovation related to the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. A number of the funding topics have a clear CLD focus, relating particularly to ESOL and to community development. There is scope to apply for grants from below £5,000 up to £115,000. Organisations including Community Groups, Local Authorities, and Social Enterprises can apply. The closing date for applications is 22nd May; for more information and details of how to apply, see the Scottish Government website.

Sign up for an information session with Jewels Lang, Communities Manager at the Scottish Refugee Council, on Tuesday 4th May, 4pm to 5.30pm. Sign up for the session on Eventbrite.

Manifesto Watch

With polling day in the Scottish Parliament Election approaching, good news from a CLDSC perspective is strong support for CLD in two of the main parties’ manifestos:

“We recognise that funding has been an issue at national and local level and, as well as increasing investment, we will review the statutory basis for community learning and development in order to strengthen provision and provide greater financial protection.” (SNP)

“While cuts have decimated [the CLD sector] with a considerable loss of expertise; the sector has been at the forefront of protecting communities during the height of the Covid-19 restrictions. In the aftermath of Covid-19, Scottish Labour believes that the sector has a vital role in supporting learning, development, training and support.” (Scottish Labour)

There are points of positive interest for CLD in the manifestos of all the main parties, in particular about the need to improve local democracy and strengthen communities. You can check them out at the links below.

Scottish Conservatives
Scottish Green Party
Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Liberal Democrats
SNP

SCVO have brought together information on and links to many of the manifestos being promoted by 3rd sector organisations: Holyrood 2021: what the voluntary sector wants – TFN.

Covid-19 Recovery Guidance for CLD Sector – Bookmark this page

Education Scotland has created a new page on the National Improvement Hub to provide a single point of access COVID-19 recovery guidance and support for the CLD Sector. The page includes links to the most up to date Government guidance for the sector and the key national advice and support from national bodies within the sector. It also includes a range of further information, reading, case studies and links related to the roles of CLD during the pandemic and in supporting communities to recover and rebuild. This page will be updated as the advice develops so it will be worth checking regularly.

CLD Delivery Digital Survey

The Scottish Government recently announced a £0.5m investment in the community learning and development (CLD) workforce for the year 2021-22. This is primarily to support increased workforce skills and capacity to deliver digital CLD provision. The Scottish Government have asked Education Scotland’s Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) to provide advice to ensure that this investment is used efficiently and effectively to support the CLD workforce in delivering high quality and effective digital approaches to CLD delivery. In particular, they are interested in:

Organisational or system-wide barriers to developing the digital CLD offer and how these might be resolved;
Priorities that need to be addressed, such as workforce development or infrastructure; and
Partnership working opportunities to achieve the best results.

HMIE will gather information regarding approaches to the digital delivery of CLD through a survey of CLD practitioners and managers. In addition, professional dialogue with focus groups of staff and participants across the sector will explore this further, including what is working well.

The CLD Delivery Digital Survey is now open until midnight on Wednesday 5th May 2021.

Education Scotland STEM Grants Programme 2021-23 – now open for applications from the CLD sector

£400,000 is currently available through the national STEM Grants Programme to fund and support training and professional learning for learning practitioners involved in all aspects of STEM-related learning. Projects that target CLD practitioners have been identified as a priority area for this round of grants so this is a great opportunity to apply for support. Local bids of up to £3k per annum or larger partnership bids of up to £10k per annum will be considered. If you want to know more or discuss an idea for an application, then come along to one of the grant information drop-ins or speak to your Education Scotland contact. The closing date for applications is May 24th 2021.

What Scotland Learned seminar 25 May 2021, 4-5pm

At the start of the year Education Scotland produced What Scotland Learned 100 stories from lockdown showcasing examples from across Scotland including lots of CLD practice! There have been a series of seminars and the next one on the 25th May will focus on the theme of community as explored in the accompanying professional learning paper What Scotland Learned – building back better. Come along and hear about the work of kindness going on in North Ayrshire and the importance of community. North Ayrshire’s Director of Education and Communities will explore these themes through dialogue with a young person This seminar will be of interest to CLD practitioners in all practice areas. Register for the What Scotland Learned seminar on Eventbrite.

Digitally Kind Carnegie UK Report

Digitally Kind is a new resource from the Carnegie UK Trust, devised to help bridge the gaps between digital policy, process and practice to improve outcomes, and introducing kindness as a value to underpin an organisational approach.

Based on workshops with over 40 practitioners and frontline staff, the report has been designed as a starting point to support organisations open up conversations around their use of digital in delivering services. Digitally Kind explores a range of technical, social and cultural considerations around the use of tech when working with individuals including: What existing internal policies and procedures impact the way staff interact with digital? Is new technology the default solution when issues arise in service delivery? Are ‘free’ technologies impact assessed in the same way as paid-for services?

College Development Network Awards

The College Awards are now open for entries! The Awards recognise the talent, innovation and achievement demonstrated by our colleges, their staff and their learners. This year, there is a new 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.

The deadline for entries is Friday 2 July at 5pm, and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 9 December. @ColDevNet #CollegeAwards

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 21 April 2021

COVID-19 guidance for the Community Learning & Development sector

The updated guidance can be found on the Scottish Government website.

The guidance will take effect from 26 April and there is also an intention to review numbers for the lower levels in early May taking into account the course of the pandemic.

CLD, COVID-19 and leadership – next sessions

There’s still time to sign up for the next sessions. These are available for all CLDSC Members aiming to encourage you to pause, reflect and plan the next steps in your personal and professional CLD journey.

Pause and Reflect Thurs 22nd April 2021 4pm – 6pm Book Pause and Reflect session
Care and Wellbeing Thurs 13th May 2021 4pm – 6pm Book Care and Wellbeing session
Next Steps Thurs 20th May 2021 4pm – 6pm Book Next Steps session

Virtual Meet Up – Case Studies & Reflective Practice

The next members’ meet-up will be from 1-2pm on Tuesday 27th April. This meet-up will allow us to spend some time thinking about some of the key aspects of reflective practice, particularly around evidencing the impact of our work through the use of case studies. You can sign up for the Meet-up on Eventbrite.

CLD Plan Webinars

National partners are collaborating to offer a series of webinars focussed on tools and resources available to complement CLD planning processes.

The webinars may be of interest to local authority officers, teams, and partners involved in producing CLD plans locally, and will commence in early May. Further information and registration details can be found on the Education Scotland CLD blog.

Project funding for work with refugees – information session for CLDSC members

Tuesday 4th May, 4pm to 5.30pm

Sign up for an information session with Jewels Lang, Communities Manager at the Scottish Refugee Council, on Tuesday 4th May, 4pm to 5.30pm. Register on Eventbrite.

Local Democracy Lab Scotland

Friday 30 April 2021, 2-5pm

Do you want to discuss the condition of democracy in Scotland through the lens of present challenges?

Scotland Local Democracy Lab is an online public deliberation event which gathers people across Scotland to discuss their trust in democracy in the time of Covid-19 pandemic. It is organised as a part of the Populism and Civic Engagement (PaCE) project, an EU-funded research and innovation programme, aiming to understand and address the negative tendencies associated with populism politics.

You are invited you to share your opinion about the condition of democracy and your trust in decisions made by public authorities. This knowledge will feed in the PaCE research findings and the outcomes will be widely disseminated among policymakers and researchers.

Everyone is encouraged to participate, including minorities, people with a migration background, of different educational and professional backgrounds. You are welcome to join if you:
•   are at least 16 years old
•   live in Scotland
•   enjoy sharing ideas and discussing them with others

You can register here.

National Numeracy Day 2021- Are you a numbers champion?

National Numeracy Day will take place on 19th May 2021. Education Scotland and the Scottish Government will again participate as lead supporters of the campaign in the hope of encouraging all adults in Scotland to brush up on their numbers skills.

This year will celebrate numbers by hosting a virtual festival, packed full of practical advice from celebrities and experts, inspirational stories from real-life learners and a host of free online events and resources. The festival will focus on three key themes; supporting children’s numeracy, managing your money and numeracy for work.

Get involved!

When you sign up to be a National Numeracy Day Champion you will receive free, fun materials and resources to use and share, and join over 1,300 other Champions helping the nation to feel good about numbers. All participants will have access to an online number skills checker called ‘The Challenge’ that will help signpost to resources to improve number skills.

To be a champion you could run an online event, you could circulate resources to learners/parents or you could just simply promote the campaign via social media to your partners and stakeholders.

Since 2018, Scotland has had record numbers of community organisations, adult learning providers, schools and businesses signing up to be numeracy champions.

Find out more and sign up by visiting the National Numeracy website.

Adult Learning Entry Level Qualification survey

Learning Link Scotland, West College Scotland and Working 4U, West Dunbartonshire Council are currently developing a new entry level qualification for those working in or thinking about working in adult learning. The qualification would be at SCQF level 6, have three units and take 108 hours to complete.

They are aiming to find out what the interest would be in such a qualification and have created a very short survey to help collate that interest. Please click here to access the survey which should be completed by Friday 30th April if possible.

Scottish Charity Awards

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is calling for charities and individuals across the country to apply for its annual charity awards.
Now in its 15th year, the Scottish Charity Awards highlight the best, most innovative and effective charity organisations and individuals from the past year, and celebrate those who make a difference in our communities.
Over the last 12 months the voluntary sector has never been more needed and has shown strength and resilience in supporting our communities against the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The charity awards are designed to celebrate the best of the voluntary sector. 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 Citizens, Pioneering Project and Climate Conscious; with the winners to be decided by a panel of judges and announced on Friday 1 October.

CLD Standards Council is proud to sponsor the Community Action Award. Please nominate CLD practice in the voluntary sector across all categories. Nominations close 5pm Friday 14 May 2021.

CLD Talks Podcast

This week’s CLD Talks podcast features John Loughton, CEO of global leadership company Dare2Lead and the Founder of Scran Academy. John talks through his journey from running his first campaign when he was 11, becoming the Chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, extra-curricular activities, starting off Dare2Lead and the outstanding work done by Scran Academy over the last year.

This is the 10th episode and the final episode of Season 1! You can catch up on everything at this link.

HM Inspector of Education vacancies

Education Scotland are currently seeking applications for HM Inspector of Education posts with a background in:
• Tertiary education (including colleges and work-based learning)
• Community Learning and Development (CLD).

Full application details are on the work for Scotland website. Applications close 10 May 2021.

SDS Careers Scotland Survey

Skills Development Scotland is working with partners on a collaborative, evidence-based review of all careers services in Scotland.

The review will capture and respond to the views, needs and experiences of young people, parents, employers, teachers as well as experts in further and higher education. It aims to ensure careers services are fit for purpose and future proofed and to provide recommendations for the implementation of all age career services across Scotland in line with Scotland’s Careers Strategy – Moving Forward report.

They are asking all organisations in Scotland that provide any career services to young people to complete a survey to find out about your organisation, the services you provide and your funding and evaluation.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 07 April 2021

Updated Guidance for the CLD sector

The Scottish Government have updated the guidance on the following activities for the CLD sector on 6 April 2021

Activity	Age Range	Conditions
Organised school holiday programmes which provide support to the most vulnerable young people.	12–17 years	Max group of 15 persons indoors and 15 outdoors including facilitators. Indoor activity should be limited to activity which cannot take place online or outdoors and is targeted at vulnerable young people.
Essential indoor support services for vulnerable young people.	12–17 years	Max of 15 persons including facilitators. Indoor activity should be limited to activity which cannot take place online or outdoors and is targeted at vulnerable young people.
Indoor adult learning.	Over 18	One to one services indoors only where essential support is required for vulnerable learners and there is no online alternative.
Outdoor adult learning	Over 18	In line with household restrictions.

View the full updated guidance on the Scottish Government website

Wellbeing Sessions with Dr Karen Edge

The first of our member sessions with Dr Karen Edge takes place on Thursday 8th April from 4 to 6pm. It is aimed at CLDSC members in leadership/management positions and will focus on CLD leadership.

Book your CLD Leadership place on Eventbrite.

The following three sessions are available for all CLDSC Members aiming to encourage you to pause, reflect and plan the next steps in your personal and professional CLD journey.

Session 2: Pause and Reflect Thurs 22nd April 2021 4pm – 6pm Book Pause and Reflect session
Session 3: Care and Wellbeing Thurs 13th May 2021 4pm – 6pm Book Care and Wellbeing session
Session 4: Next Steps Thurs 20th May 2021 4pm – 6pm Book Next Steps session

Virtual Member Meet Up

The next members’ meet-up will be at 13.00 on Tuesday 27th April. This meet-up will allow us to spend some time thinking about some of the key aspects of reflective practice, particularly around evidencing the impact of our work through the use of case studies. You can sign up for the Meet-up on Eventbrite.

Online professional learning opportunities

Remember that i-develop has lots of Professional Learning resources and information. Most recently added is the recording of the Education Scotland webinar from 19 March on Quality matters and blended learning.

Have a look at the list of over 40 free Open University courses that we think are relevant for CLD practice, some of just 2 hours of study. Or if you are looking for some thought provoking reading we have the Masters dissertations from members Ceri Hunter and Elisha Fisher, and the doctoral thesis from our own Dr Marion Allison.

Volunteering in ESOL Good Practice Framework Evaluation

Last year, CLDSC worked with Glasgow ESOL Forum and volunteer coordinators around Scotland to develop a Framework for Good Practice in Working with Volunteers in ESOL. If you have had the opportunity to engage with the framework -whether you have read it, shared with colleagues or used it to review your practice, they would be grateful if you could fill in this short survey with your thoughts.

Any feedback, however brief, will be useful.

World Community Development Conference 2021

Your chance to (virtually) visit Nairobi: the World Community Development Conference originally scheduled for 2020 is happening as an online event from 21st to 23rd June, with the theme Our Connectedness, Resilience and Empowerment.

For information and to register, go to WCDC 2021 (Registration fee: US $50).

CALL FOR PAPERS to ‘Build back Better’ from the Radical Community Work Journal

Full details on the call available on the TAG website with an abstract deadline of April 30th 2021

The Radical Community Work Journal is offering a space for academics, practitioners, and students to contribute to the discussion about how we, ‘build back better’ for its Summer 2021 issue. The editors write: ‘“As always, we are not looking for a definitive answer but invite thinking and writing which is challenging, thought provoking, inspirational and rooted in real life.” If you would like to be included in this upcoming issue, you will need to email an abstract of your paper (approx. 200 words) to editors@rcwjournal.org with the subject line “Building Back Better” by April 30th 2021.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 31 March 2021

We’re recruiting! – Corporate Performance Officer

This post is responsible for leading a range of monitoring and evaluation projects, including those with a focus on our support for educational recovery. It is an exciting opportunity to work in a small, friendly team and apply your analytical skills to improve approaches to evaluation and use performance data to support improvement.

Specific duties include:

Lead monitoring and evaluation, data collection and data analysis projects.
Designing qualitative and quantitative evidence gathering tools, such as questionnaires.
Carrying out analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
Produce high quality reports based on your analysis to provide clear findings, recommendations and insight.
Work collaboratively to define activities/outputs and outcomes (e.g. through logic modelling).
Develop realistic monitoring and evaluation plans based on business areas’ activities/outputs and outcomes.

For more information and to apply, view the Scottish Government webpage.

Closing date for applications Monday 5 April at midnight.

Climate Change Public Engagement strategy: CLDSC response

The Scottish Government consultation on its Climate Change – Net Zero Nation: draft public engagement strategy (Climate Change – Net Zero Nation: draft public engagement strategy – consultation – Scottish Government – Citizen Space) closes today (31st March). The CLD Standards Council has submitted a response highlighting the essential role of CLD in achieving the ambitions of the strategy for a “a society-wide transformation” – you can see the response here.

Thanks to all members who contributed to the response, either with written comments or through last month’s virtual meet-up.

Virtual Member Meet ups

We had another well-attended virtual meet-up last Friday, focusing on community development practice. Kathleen Glazik, Community Empowerment Team Leader in the Scottish Government, and Colette McGarva, Co-ordinator of the Community Development Alliance Scotland, responded to issues raised, including how to build on the positive lessons learnt from practice during the pandemic, and the need for support for a stressed workforce.

The next members’ meet-up at 13.00 on Tuesday 27th April will explore how we can use case studies creatively as a way of reflecting on our work as well as evidencing its impact. You can sign up on Eventbrite.

CLDSC – Quiz Kirsty!

As the professional body for people who work or volunteer in Community Learning and Development, CLDSC exists to support practitioners in a variety of ways. As a Registered Member or Associate Member, you have access to a range of member benefits and resources to support your opportunities for ongoing learning and development.

Is your team/organisation is interested in …

finding out about available professional learning opportunities?
the ongoing benefits of CLDSC registration?
a whistle-stop tour of useful links/pages on our website and i-develop ?

Kirsty is available to join you virtually for an hour or so at times that suit you to go over all of the above and also cover any specific areas you’d like more information on. While many staff/volunteers are already CLD Standards Council members, we also want to reach out to those who are not and support them to register.

If you’d like your team/organisation to quiz Kirsty on all things CLDSC, email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk

Supporting Professional Learning Together – Buddies & Mentors

First launched at our members’ conference in December, Supporting Professional Learning Together offers a range of support to CLD practitioners so you can share their ideas, make connections, expand networks and benefit from each other’s experience.

CLDSC Buddies – are you a CLD practitioner who could share your experience? Or are you newer to CLD practice and would like to chat with someone with more experience? You could be buddies!
CLDSC Peer Mentor – a professional development opportunity offering support and challenge to/from a peer.
CLDSC Professional Learning Verifiers – would you like support to discuss your career development? Or could you help a CLD practitioner reflect on and record professional learning and verify it for CLDSC registration and re-registration purposes?

Complete this survey to let us know what you are interested in and we will channel our inner Cilla Black to match you up!

Interested but not yet a CLDSC member? Join CLDSC today!

We’re ALL Connectors! Make the most of networks and communities of practice – in person, on social media, online by using the hashtag: #CLDSCConnector

Fairer Futures Learning CLD workshop – 21 April 2pm

Education Scotland & Glasgow Science Centre invite CLD practitioners to join an interactive workshop session to consult on the development of their new learning pack ‘Fairer Futures’. This learning pack invites adult learners and youth groups to have their say in designing Scotland’s path to a greener future. Through discussion based activities, learners will explore different human perspectives and technologies that can help us create a future that is fair for all as we move away from fossil fuels.

The session will highlight the contents of the pack and discuss definition/glossary guide (to ensure all terms are understood and covered), locality of the pack and future developments for the pack. This links with COP26 and is a really easy to use resource so good for those not confident in discussion climate change as well as activists who are.

Fairer Futures Learning Resources Consultation Tickets are available on Eventbrite.

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 24 March 2021

CLDSC Alumni of previous members

The CLD Standards Council is delighted to announce that we will be offering members the option to become part of our Alumni if they end their membership of the CLD Standards Council due to retirement or change of career.

Being part of the Alumni means you would continue to receive the weekly newsletter, take part in meet-ups and could volunteer to be a buddy for a newer member.
Alumni will be required to confirm their ongoing commitment to the CLD values and code of Ethics.

We will invite resigning members to join the Alumni and we hope that they will take up the offer and continue to support the CLD Standards Council and CLD profession by sharing their skills, knowledge and expertise.

CLDSC Practice Placement Guidance Academic Year 2020/21

Due to the continuing Covid-19 situation, we have updated our Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions documents relating to CLD Practice Placements in Academic Year 2020/21. This Guidance relates to placements for those studying CLDSC approved qualifications through the Professional or Developmental Approvals routes. For the 2020-21 academic year, in order to avoid compounding disadvantage for students, it has been agreed through the Joint Education Training Standards (JETS) Approvals group that a flexible reduction of up to 25% in placement hours be granted across the full length of any programme provided that students have gained a consistent pass in previous practice assessments (where applicable) and are considered fit to continue practising. As well as a flexible reduction in placement hours, flexibility has also been built into what constitutes placement activities. The aim is still for students to complete 100% of required placement hours and activities as normal.

Please see the Placement Guidance webpage for more details.

Members meet-up Monday 29th March – what are your current Community Development practice issues?

There’s still time to book to attend the next members’ meet-up on Monday 29th March from 1 till 2 p.m. Share your experiences of CD practice over the last year, your ideas on what we can learn from these, and your ambitions as more space for community activities opens up. Discuss what support for CD practice is needed and where the CLD Standards Council fits into that. Book your place on Eventbrite.

Kathleen Glazik, Community Empowerment Team Leader in the Scottish Government, and Colette McGarva, Co-ordinator of the Community Development Alliance Scotland, will be taking part in the discussion and responding to issues raised.

Children’s Parliament Panel Event – 30th March

Join our Director Marion Allison on 30th March 11am-12noon at the Children’s Parliament Panel Event to explore the links between Scotland’s Children’s Human Rights and CLD. Two weeks after MSPs voted to make children’s rights law in Scotland, this event is the first of its kind. Register on Eventbrite.

National Occupational Standards Reviews – Consultations now open

Are you involved in delivering/managing Career Development/Guidance and/or Learning & Development? If so, we want your views!

We are carrying out a review of two National Occupational Standards (NOS) suites – Career Development/Guidance and Learning & Development. NOS specify the standard of performance an individual must achieve when carrying out a function in the workplace, together with the knowledge and understanding they need to meet that standard consistently. Essentially NOS are benchmarks of good practice with each NOS defining one key function in a job role. NOS also influence the design and content of training programmes.

The standards are applicable across the United Kingdom, we are working with a range of national and local organisations from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales during the review process.

An initial review has now been undertaken and we would like your input on the proposed changes. If you have an interest in the delivery of either of these areas, please complete the relevant survey. We are seeking views from employers, training organisations and practitioners, so please circulate to your networks.

Learning & Development NOS Review Survey
Career Development NOS Review Survey

The surveys will be open until Monday 19 April 2021.

Accessible Messages about Cyber Resilience – Lead Scotland survey and support programme

Technology has never been more essential and equally it is ever more important to learn how to stay safe online. Lead Scotland highlight that many of the key messages about cyber resilience such as internet scams and creating strong passwords presume that we are confident readers who will be able to understand abstract concepts and relate them to our own experience. Some people need this critical information in more accessible formats, and some staff and volunteers want to feel knowledgeable and confident to be able to support others to stay safe online.

Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science commented on Lead’s work, highlighting the role of CLD: “The Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for a Cyber Resilient Scotland commits us to supporting people to know the cyber risks they face and be well prepared to manage them. Guidance must be accessible to all so I am pleased that Scottish Government funding will help Lead Scotland to coordinate this important work. I ask that community learning and development partners play their part in ensuring that these materials reach as many people as possible.”

To help the planning of a programme of work to meet these needs, Lead Scotland is working with partners to produce a range of alternative formats and a programme of training sessions for 2021-22. You can help Lead understand how they could support your staff and the people you work with to stay safe online by responding to their Accessible Messages Survey before 31 March.

Interesting articles from the latest Times Educational Supplement

How to use body language when delivering learning in a mask – when facial expressions are obscured and your voice is muted by a covering, other body language becomes key, find some tips on using it well.

As the world reacted to Harry and Meghan’s explosive interview about racism in the Royal Family, this might be a good moment for us to explore our own work around racial equality.

Your CLDSC membership provides you access to the full stories on TES.
You will find the access details on the Members Benefits area of i-develop.
You will need to login to access this information as it is a member only benefit.

If you have any problems accessing please email contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk And remember reading and reflecting on what you might take from an article can count towards your Professional Learning hours!

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