It’s the annual CLD Standards Council Member Conference – with a difference! We are super excited to announce that this year we’re teaming up with our friends at SCVO and we will host #CLDSCConf2023 as part of The Gathering!
This year the CLD Standards Council will host our usual informative and interactive seminars and workshops during the day on 7 November, followed by our annual conference Lecture in the evening. By hosting our annual conference at the SCVO’s The Gathering it means that alongside attending our Conference events, CLD Standards Council members can also experience the fabulous packed programme of workshops, seminars, activities and everything else that is on offer at The Gathering over the 2 days.
Organised by SCVO, the Gathering is the largest free voluntary sector event in the UK, a place for all the amazing people working in the sector to network, showcase what they do and learn from each other. The Gathering takes place over 7 and 8 November 2023 at the EICC, Edinburgh and we have partnered with our friends at SCVO so that we can provide a CLD Standards Council Conference with a difference.
CLD Standards Council will also have a stall in the Exhibition Area for both days, so please pop along and say hello!
Pre-registration for delegates is now open and the full programme will be launched on 22 September when delegates can register for individual events, including our conference workshops, seminars and our traditional evening lecture.
Reviewing our Communications Strategy, with the wonderful Mairi Damer from Word Up, we decided it was time for a change. We wanted to make our Bulletin sleeker, smarter and straight to the point! You CLD peeps are busy folk, so we want to offer you all the exciting information without you needing to scroll down your screens for hours.
We even went on a short writing seminar to help us, can you tell?
With exciting developments across our members benefits such as the “Have Your Say” sessions on consultations and policy, along with “Equality Diversity & Inclusion Members Forum” and re-starting up our monthly “Member Meet Ups” we still have a lot to tell you about, so we hope you like it!
As part of our comms review, we asked how you wanted us to communicate with you. A huge thanks to all of you who responded. The feedback was crystal clear, with social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook high up on the list of preferred methods, along with LinkedIn, emails and our newsletter e-bulletin, although you did alert us to the fact people weren’t always able to read our bulletin every week as you are busy… so that’s why we have gone monthly and added further information on our website to support it so you can access what you want, when you want to.
You Said… We Did…
Have you have noticed our improved use of social media? It’s a start and we are trying to get better at it so please give us a like, retweet and share whenever you can. As you suggested, we have set up a new closed Facebook group for our members to communicate more easily, we created a new LinkedIn page, we refreshed the CLD Standards Council SLACK Channel and please don’t forget about our old favourites – Twitter and i-develop !
WATCH THIS SPACE: Next steps will be to overhaul our website, with a fresher, brighter and more user-friendly design. We really value your input and we will be looking for your feedback on all these developments towards the end of the year. What works for you matters to us…. our members matter!
As the professional body for adult, community and youth workers in Scotland, the Community Learning and Development Standards Council grants professional endorsement for relevant youth and community work degree programmes. At this time, we understand that the University of Glasgow is not fully compliant with the set standards in respect of the BA/BA Hons in Community Development. We are continuing to engage with the University to explore solutions that will meet the needs of all parties.
As part of volunteer’s weeks celebrations, the Community Learning and Development (CLD) Standards Council Scotland and Volunteer Scotland are excited to announce its new partnership. Through this partnership we will encourage groups and organisations within the adult learning, community development and youth work sectors to offer appropriate volunteering opportunities and give volunteers a positive experience through good volunteer practice.
Both organisations have a long standing history of setting and supporting national standards including , the Competent CLD Practitioner Framework, CLD Standards and the Volunteering Quality Pipeline. All with the aim of improving practice, encouraging learning, and supporting service delivery.
Adrian Murtagh, Head of Volunteer Practice, Volunteer Scotland said “With our commitment to volunteering and life-long learning, I believe that through this partnership we have an opportunity to formally recognise the amazing skill set that many volunteer engagers and practitioners have and display when managing and supporting their CLD volunteers.
The partnership will also support appropriate policy development through its commitment to learn together and share information. Other areas the partnership will support are; the recently developed Adult Learning Strategy, recognition of both quality standards, development of new learning opportunities and inclusive volunteering.
Dr Marion Allison, Director of CLD Standards Council Scotland said…”With more and more volunteers joining the CLD Standards Council and setting their sights on studying or gaining work in the adult learning, youth and community work sectors; our partnership with Volunteer Scotland will provide volunteers and their host organisations quality information and advice for learning and training. This partnership acknowledges the key role that volunteers have in the delivery of CLD services and compliments a range of work and learning policies at national and local levels”.
Both parties look forward to continuing to work together to build a strong partnership for the benefit of volunteering, good practice development and enhancing local communities.
We are delighted to announce that CLD Standards Council Scotland has been granted a contract from Skills Development Scotland to carry out a review of the Community Development and Family Learning National Occupational Standards (NOS). We have also been awarded the contract to create a new suite of NOS for Adult Learning.
National Occupational Standards (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. Each NOS defines one key function in a job role.
These Standards are applicable across the United Kingdom and we will work with a range of national and local organisations from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales during the review and creation process. This work will be completed by 31 March 2023.
Watch this space for more information on how to get involved!
CLD Digital Competence Review survey – last few days to share your views!
As you may know, CLD Standards Council is undertaking a review to ensure that digital skills, knowledge and competence is embedded and visible across our Competent Practitioner Framework.
We’ve had 96 responses so far, but would love some more. Most of the responses so far are from people who have worked or volunteered in the sector for a long time, so we’re keen to hear from practitioners with fewer than 10 year’s experience in CLD. You don’t need to have a digital focus in your role to respond – CLD Digital Competence Survey should take around 10-20 mins to complete and will be open until Friday 27 May 2022.
Last few days for microcredentials free places!
Time is running out to apply for a fully funded place on The Open University in Scotland’s (OUiS) online learning Microcredentials for those working in the CLD sector. The courses on offer are:
Online Teaching: Creating Courses for Adult Learners
Online Teaching: Evaluating and Improving Courses
Online Teaching: Accessibility and Inclusive Learning
Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum
Online Teaching: Embedding Social, Race and Gender-Related Equity
These courses are at postgraduate level and will start in June 2022 and run for 12 weeks. For more information and to apply, please visit OUiS Microcredentials for CLD. Make sure you submit your application before the end of May 2022.
HNC Working with Communities
Now more than ever CLD career pathways are important. As part of CLDSC ongoing work to support, promote, create and recognise career pathways we have held various meetings with Colleges who currently offer or would intend to offer the HNC Working with Communities programme. As part of those discussions Dumfries and Galloway College have committed to working with CLDSC to seek approval and we are happy to share and support the events as detailed below. For those Colleges who find themselves in a similar situation if you have not already been in touch please email ApprovalCLD@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk
Dumfries and Galloway College are delivering two exciting new free courses in Working with Communities. There are options for individuals who are currently working, volunteering or interested in working in the community:
To find out more about the courses, Dumfries and Galloway College are offering two information sessions on Tuesday 7th June, you can choose from either 3pm-4pm or 4:30pm-5:30pm.
This is a fantastic opportunity to meet current students, ask any questions and get some guidance on applying for these courses. If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact Laura Morgan – morganl@dumgal.ac.uk
Virtual members’ Meet-up 6 June 1-2pm
Don’t forget that Keep Scotland Beautiful will be hosting our monthly virtual members’ meet up session for us in June. The event will introduce the community engagement and learning programmes that support Keep Scotland Beautiful’s vision for a clean, green sustainable Scotland; and will demonstrate the Climate Emergency Toolkit for Youth Workers, discussing effective methods of communicating the climate emergency to a youth audience, and considering ways in which the toolkit can be adapted for a range of CLD learners and communities.
In light of the ongoing industrial action, and following consultation with partners across the college sector, the College Development Network is rescheduling the Virtual College Expo22. It will move from Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 June to Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 August. The new dates are intended to offer the best possible experience for all those involved in College Expo 2022.
The theme for Virtual College Expo22 is: Rewrite the College Story: Learning Experiences, Skills Development, Anchoring Communities
Virtual College Expo22 is the most exciting professional learning event for the college sector in Scotland, offering inspirational keynotes, workshops, seminars, and panel debates.
The programme for this year’s The Gathering is now live! It’s a packed 2 days with inputs from a wide range of speakers including Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland; Jack Monroe, poverty campaigner and food writer; Sir Geoffrey Palmer, human rights and race equity activist; the launch of the Scotland’s Volunteering Action Plan and much more. You can view the Programme and book on the SCVO website.
It’s free to attend the Gathering as a delegate and everyone’s welcome- voluntary sector staff, volunteers, board members and trustees from charities, social enterprises and community groups, politicians, academics and journalists, students and members of the public.
And don’t forget, we’ll be launching the CLD Standards Council Professional Induction Programme at The Gathering too! We’re delighted to have Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training speaking at our launch, as well as inputs from our programme developers and pilot participants. Join us for the launch to find out more!
Our online survey aimed at gathering your views on how best to ensure that digital skills, knowledge and competence is embedded and visible across our Competent Practitioner Framework is now open.
This is one of the priorities highlighted by Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training, in the CLD Digital Investment funding announcement made in December 2021 where we were asked to
develop national guidance that sets out clear principles for digital delivery, and how to support improved infrastructure for digital approaches.
develop a set of digital competences for CLD mapped within the CLDSC’s Competence Framework
We held a series of focus groups in March and based on feedback from those, we are now asking CLD practitioners in all settings, including adult learning, community development and youth work, to participate in an online survey. Tell us how you currently use digital or how you’d like to use it, as well as what support CLDSC can offer to help implement digital into your practice.
You don’t have to be a member of CLDSC to complete the survey, so please tell your colleagues and networks. And you don’t need to have a digital focus in your role either – we want to hear from everyone!
Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB) will be hosting our monthly virtual members’ meet up session for us in June. KSB will introduce their community engagement and learning programmes that support their vision for a clean, green sustainable Scotland. They will demonstrate the Climate Emergency Toolkit for Youth Workers, discussing effective methods of communicating the climate emergency to a youth audience, and considering ways in which the toolkit can be adapted for a range of CLD learners and communities.
Growing from the success of the Teacher Leadership Programme (TLP); the new Educator Leadership Programme (ELP) welcomes applications from Early Learning and Childcare practitioners, Community Learning and Development practitioners and classroom teachers. By bringing together educators skills and experience from across sectors the Educator Leadership Programme creates space to collaborate and share practice, while keeping the learner experience at the centre through a focus on practitioner enquiry. Why not have a look at some of the Enquiry Posters on flickr from previous TLP participants?
The programme is designed to offer participants more flexibility and choice with two cycles of enquiry over the course of the year. Participants may choose to complete both enquiry cycles or only the first cycle.
Applications open on MONDAY 16th MAY at 09:00 and close at 23:45 on MONDAY 13th JUNE 2022. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by the end of June 2022.
Applications for the national anti-racist professional learning programme, Building Racial Literacy, are also now open. There will be two cohorts, starting in August and December respectively, made up of 40% system leaders (members of staff from Education Scotland, GTCS, SQA, ITE, local authority officers, RIC leads and headteachers) and 60% educators (middle leaders, class teachers, ELC & CLD practitioners). Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic applicants and applicants from local authorities not previously involved will be prioritised.
And for more BRL professional learning opportunities, read on …
BRL+ Webinar Series
Starting in June, the BRL+ webinar series explores anti-racism in Scottish education and is an extension of the Building Racial Literacy professional learning programme. BRL+ will bring together some new collaborators as well as showcase innovative ideas and good practice from previous participants on the Building Racial Literacy programme. There are 3 webinars planned in June:
OU Microcredentials – Last chance for a free place!
There’s still time to apply for a fully funded place on The Open University in Scotland’s (OUiS) online learning Microcredentials for those working in the CLD sector. The courses on offer are:
Online Teaching: Creating Courses for Adult Learners
Online Teaching: Evaluating and Improving Courses
Online Teaching: Accessibility and Inclusive Learning
Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum
Online Teaching: Embedding Social, Race and Gender-Related Equity
These courses are at postgraduate level and will start in June 2022 and run for 12 weeks. For more information and to apply, please visit OUiS Microcredentials for CLD. Make sure you submit your application before the end of May 2022.
Thanks! CLDSC Members Short Survey – Planning for 2022
We would like to say a huge thanks to every one of our members who participated in completing the CLDSC Members Short Survey that closed for response on Friday 29th of April. We received approximately 200 completed responses to the survey. The survey results are crucial for us to understand the views of our members on activities that took place across 2021, and to inform forward planning into 2022 and onwards – so that our work continues to reflect the needs of our members.
Here are a few examples of positive comments that were noted already from the free textbox areas:
Question: What additional CLDSC members services (if any) do you feel would be of benefit to your professional development?
Responses ‘Promotion of the Professional Induction Programme and Professional Review Process’ ‘Local area CLDSC meetings’ ‘Continued aware raising and importance of being a CLDSC member, also the benefits of membership’
General Feedback
Responses ‘The CLDSC offer an invaluable service and continued support to CLD practitioners across Scotland’ ‘Wellbeing activities were much appreciated at the time of most stress but actually I also felt more connection to the CLDSC and CLD colleagues as a result’ ‘I can’t wait to get back to some in person events!’
Scotland’s new Adult Learning Strategy
This week sees the much anticipated launch of Scotland’s first Adult Learning Strategy by the Scottish Government. The strategy delivers on a 2019 Programme for Government and sets out Scottish Government’s ambitions for Adult Learning over the next five years. A launch event (in person and virtual) will be held on 29 June. An Easy Read version of the strategy is available and alternative formats are available upon request.
Virtual College Expo22 – Speakers Announced
The Virtual College Expo22 will take place on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 June 2022 with the theme: Rewrite the College Story: Learning Experiences, Skills Development, Anchoring Communities.
Keynote speakers include well-known Scottish actor Danielle Jam; Jamie Hepburn MSP, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training; Fiona Robertson, Chief Executive of SQA; and Dr Mike Cantlay OBE, Chair of the Scottish Funding Council.
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 on Wednesday 15 June 2022 with the winners being announced on the night. View all 44 finalists and learn about the positive impact they have been making ! Meantime, members of the public can vote for their favourite overall entry in the People’s Choice Award. You only have one vote – so make it count, and vote for your favourite today!
SCQF Online Workshops
Two SCQF workshops taking place online in June are open to CLD practitioners:
This online workshop (split into 2 x 2 hour sessions) is designed to support individuals and organisations who are developing, or who already have, a learning programme which they are considering having Credit Rated for the SCQF. This workshop is aimed at organisations who are in the process of developing a learning programme and are considering having it Credit Rated for the SCQF.
An interactive online workshop (split over a morning and afternoon session) for those wishing to use the ‘My Skills, My Future’ suite of resources to support individuals in identifying the skills they have gained from other experiences outwith formal qualifications. This workshop is aimed at those involved with Community Learning, Developing the Young Workforce, or who provide careers advice and guidance. It helps advisers become familiar with, and understand the benefits of, the ‘My Skills, My Future’ resources in order to use them to help and guide a wide range of individuals.
Neurodiversity Training Programme: Summer 2022
Salvesen Mindroom Centre are delighted to announce the launch of their 2022 summer training programme. Details are provided below:
Course name: It Takes All Kinds of Minds: Supporting neurodivergent children and young people Date: 26th May 2022 at 10.00 am – 16.00 pm
Course name: It Takes All Kinds of Minds: Supporting neurodivergent children and young people Date(s): 8th, 9th & 15th of June 2022 at 15.00 pm – 17.00 pm Notes: This course will be delivered over three sessions and participants will be required to attend all sessions.
Course name: Neurodiversity and why it matters Date: 31st of May 2022 10.30 am – 12.00 pm
Course name: A very brief history of neurodiversity (Free webinar) Date: 7th of June 2022 at 14.00 pm – 14.30 pm
Course name: Hidden in plain sight: Neurodiversity, Women & Girls Date: 9th of June 2022 at 10.00 am – 13.30 pm
Course name: Introduction to supporting neurodivergent employees Date: 23rd of June 2022 at 10.00 am – 12.30 pm
Course name: Introduction to Universal Design for Learning Date: 29th of June 2022 at 10.00 am – 13.30 pm
Coming soon Introduction to supporting disclosure Challenging stereotypes: Alternative presentations of autism
Please note – there are fees for some of this training. For further information or to book a place please visit the Salvesen Mindroom Eventbrite page.
Mental Health Awareness Week 9-15 May 2022
Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event with an opportunity to focus on achieving good mental health.
The theme this year is loneliness and the aim of the week is to raise awareness of the impact of loneliness on our mental wellbeing and the practical steps we can take to address it. During Mental Health Week use the hashtag #IveBeenThere to share experiences of loneliness to support others.
Please make the most of our member offers to link with colleagues from across Scotland.
don’t forget to save the dates for our in-person CLDSC Member Conference on 1 and 2 December 2022!
You can also sign up to walk, run or jog as part of the 80 miles in May challenge and share your photos using #80MilesinMay and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.
NHS Inform – Healthy Living has information on what you can do to look after your mental and physical wellbeing.
Breathing Space has a helpline which is open Monday-Thursday from 6pm-2am and Friday-Monday from 6pm-6am. Call free on 0800 83 85 87.
Please see the following advice from the CLD Standards Council Scotland (CLDSC) in response to the continued disruption to delivery of CLDSC approved programmes caused by the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) restrictions. Due to the exceptional and rapidly changing circumstances, this guidance is intended to manage and minimise disruption to CLD students attending Scottish Further Education Institutions (FEIs) and Higher Education institutions (HEIs) whilst seeking to ensure that the quality of CLD learning programmes is not compromised.
We’re recruiting! – Assistant Director, CLD Standards Council
The post holder will oversee CLDSC operations whilst also having responsibility for driving and implementing change throughout the organisation. This is a high profile role which will require the post holder to actively manage and lead on a number of high profile projects whilst also communicating to senior colleagues and stakeholders through the dissemination of complex information and production and presentation of papers. The post holder will represent the CLD Standards Council as required in dealings with other organisations and the Scottish Government.
Specific Duties include:
Support the governance and delivery of the organisational strategy, ensuring projects are delivered to a high quality standard by fostering a continuous improvement approach.
Fostering relationships with stakeholders at senior levels
Work proactively and collaboratively with stakeholders including the Scottish Government, Education Scotland, COSLA, SCVO and other CLD national agencies to ensure that quality delivery of CLDSC functions in respect of CLD workforce development.
Liaise regularly with CLDSC Members to address emerging issues and ensure service standards are maintained.
Production and presentation of corporate and strategic papers on a range of CLD related topics.
Deputise for the Director when required
Liaise with Director to ensure regular and appropriate communications are being sent to stakeholders.
For more information and to apply, view the Work for Scotland webpage. Closing date for applications Monday 8 November 2021 at midnight.
Education Reform Consultation – Virtual Meet-up – 26 October 1-3pm
This Meet-up will focus on gathering feedback from 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).
CLD Standards Council will create a response to the consultation on behalf of the membership and the sector. Register for the Meet-up on Eventbrite to have your views noted. You do not need to be a CLDSC Member to attend, so please share this with colleagues. PLEASE NOTE – extended meeting time – now 1-3pm.
There will also be a final general webinar hosted by Professor Ken Muir, University of the West of Scotland, taking place on Thursday 28 October 4.30-6pm. Professor Muir is keen to engage widely to hear the views and ideas from all those with an interest in Scottish Education. You can book a space on this Webinar via Eventbrite.
Practice Placement Standards Spotlight
Following launch of the Professional Approval Standards suite of material last week and the fact that Student CLD Practitioners may be starting to seek out/explore Practice Placement Opportunities please let us introduce you to one of the templates from the Practice Placement Standards material, Template 3 – Preplacement Preparation
To explore all of the templates please access our Google drive and download relevant document to allow you to complete your own information. To download right click on the relevant document, select download from drop down box. Once downloaded you may need to enable editing, fill in your form as you see fit and set up your professional learning folder in whatever system you will use.
To make life even easier for you we have a direct link to Template 3 – Preplacement preparation click on “File” at the top of the navigation ribbon and select “download” then “Microsoft word (.docx)”. Open your downloaded file and click on “enable editing” and you are good to go!
Once you are making use of the templates and documents please let us know if there is something you think is missing, not clear, needs amended etc by emailing us at contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk. Good luck in your studies and remember to encourage your fellow students and practice placement providers to Register with CLDSC.
Skills Development Scotland Career Review
The current 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, including CLD. In line with Scotland’s Careers Strategy – Moving Forward, the review aims to ensure careers services are fit for purpose and future proofed in order to provide recommendations for the implementation of all age career services across Scotland. The review will also look at best practice and innovation from across the world with the aim of presenting final recommendations to Ministers this December. Further information can be found on the Skills Development Scotland website.
COP 26 – New York Times Educate on Climate day FREE online tickets
Educators are being invited to register for the New York Times Educate on Climate day on Friday 5th November, for free! This one-day event has been designed by educators for educators and will seek to tackle some of the biggest challenges in education. What world will our learners inherit, and how can we prepare them to thrive in it? How should we nurture the next generation of climate leaders? How do we empower students to think critically about the challenges facing our planet, and how can we work hand in hand with young people to help shape climate solutions?
Still a few weeks left to get your nominations submitted for the 2022 National Youth Work Awards. Choose from 12 award categories and help celebrate the value of youth work. This year’s categories:
Scotland’s next census will be held in March 2022. This census will be a digital first census and National Records of Scotland want to encourage as many households in Scotland as possible to complete it online. To help support this they are offering the online events listed below, to give you information on how the census will be delivered and how you can help get messages and support to those groups you already support in other ways, to ensure they can take part in the census and be counted.
Each online event will last no longer than 30 minutes and you can register for the relevant event by clicking on the link below.
If you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to get in touch with National Records of Scotland directly – Scotlandscensus@nrscotland.gov.uk.
The Approval Committee of CLDSC are delighted to confirm the Standards Mark Approval for Jack Kane Community Centre. The Approval Panel noted that they were impressed with the good quality of the submission and heartened that CLD focus is embedded throughout the organisation.
The panel wish to highlight a number of good factors within the submission:2
Impressed about the support to students and staff including the payment of the PVG fee
Young Peoples Committee being active and live is a clear commitment to the young people in their community.
There is a clear and strong workforce development focus.
The Support and Supervision document and the Log Book gave our panel members document envy and should be used as an exemplar for other providers.
The overall learning culture within the organisation demonstrates a joined up thinking approach and provides a bigger picture approach to practice.
It’s the annual CLD Standards Council Member Conference – with a difference! We are super excited to announce that this year we’re teaming up with our friends at SCVO and we will host #CLDSCConf2023 as part of The Gathering! 
We are delighted to announce that CLD Standards Council Scotland has been granted a contract from Skills Development Scotland to carry out a review of the Community Development and Family Learning National Occupational Standards (NOS). We have also been awarded the contract to create a new suite of NOS for Adult Learning.
