At the CLD Standards Council, we try to get out and meet up with members and potential members as much as we can. We enjoy a good catch up with CLD folk and it is great to keep up to date on all the amazing Adult Learning, Community Development and Youth Work happening right across Scotland, all under the banner of CLD.

Vikki Carpenter, one of our Development Officers, along with Julie Beckett from the CLD team within Education Scotland recently went to visit the winners of the Education Scotland CLD award, Tannahill Community Centre at Ferguslie Park in Paisley. First impressions were that this amazing community centre was like a Tardis but sadly no David Tenant to be seen!

On the day they met with Jamie Mallan, the Business Transformation Manager of this community hub along with some of the CLD team and community members. Jamie leads a diverse team of staff, volunteers and other stakeholders to deliver services that address poverty, isolation, housing, loneliness, poor mental health, digital exclusion and educational attainment. It was clear that the local people and community organisations see this centre, and their CLD team, as the ‘go-to’ place for support and information. Innovative and creative in their response to the needs of customers and stakeholders, there is a whole host of opportunities from baby massage to a food pantry, ESOL classes and talent shows!

Vikki was also invited to be part of the CLD Team at Aberdeen City’s CPD day recently. Over 70 CLD workers attended the full day in Cummings Park in Aberdeen. The theme of the day was the CLD Competences and Vikki was delighted to get the ball rolling with a presentation on the CLD Standards Councils work. It was an extraordinary day, hearing about the inspiring, positive programmes happening right across Aberdeen city, delivered by this local authority’s Adult Learning Team, Localities Team, Communities Team, Family Learning Team, Fairer Aberdeen Team, Healthy Minds Team and Youth Work Team. It was impressive to hear about the vast amount of communities they support, as well as the volunteering opportunities and the connections across all of their teams and stakeholders to support individuals and community groups across the city.

Ross, our Assistant Director, is putting the kettle on and we would love you to join him at the Training Suite, Angus House, Orchardbank Business Park, Forfar, on Tuesday 26th September between 3.30 pm and 5.00 pm. So please don’t leave him all on his own to eat the biscuits!

We want to know about all things CLD in the Angus area, so this members drop-in event is a great way for us all to connect, swap CLD stories and support the continued building of positive local CLD networks. You can also learn more about the work of the CLD Standards Council committees and its staff team.
Ross is hoping that these drop-in events will become a regular fixture in the diary across the Tayside & Fife area and is looking forward to the opportunity of meeting you. If you can’t make it but are keen to have the opportunity another time just let us know by dropping us an email using contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk

We would also be keen to hear from anyone who would like us to come and promote the CLD Standards Council and the benefits of membership at their organisation or an event, or perhaps you have some creative ideas about supporting us to run a members in person meet up in your area.

This year it’s a Conference with a difference! On Tuesday 7 November we will host #CLDSCConf2023 as part of The Gathering!

As well as the Lecture CLD: Live Long and Prosper (no we haven’t gone Star Trek daft) we’re hosting three seminars/workshops – see our event timetable below:

• There are no Career Pathways in CLD – or are there? Explore the career pathways that currently exist for CLD practitioners at all stages and identify barriers and solutions to participation. 11 am till 12 pm
• CLD research influencing practice – and vice versa! Presentations from CLD practitioners/researchers followed by questions and discussion. 1.30 pm till 2.30 pm
• CLD Standards Council – More Members More Clout! Find out how you can support the recognition of CLD as a professional approach with confident competent practitioners. 3 pm till 4 pm
• CLD: Live Long and Prosper: Evening Lecture. Consider how Community Learning and Development contributes to the wellbeing economy, enhancing the chances for people to live a good life. 4.30 pm till 7 pm

The Gathering takes place over 7 and 8 November 2023 at the EICC, Edinburgh and we will also have a stall in the Exhibition Area for both days, so please pop along and say hello!

So as well as our own CLD Standards Council sessions, you can also take part in everything else available from the packed programme of workshops, seminars, activities on offer at The Gathering over the 2 days.

The full programme launches on 22 September. If you have pre-registered, you should receive an email with details of the programme where you can then select the individual events you want to attend. Don’t worry if you haven’t pre-registered – just visit The Gathering website anytime after 22 September and sign up!

#BecauseOfCLD #SCVOGathering

New CLD Standards Council Committee Members

12 new members have been appointed across the 3 Standing Committees and as we welcome them we thought we would give you some update information. As a member-led organisation we have a governance structure designed to allow the voice and views of our membership guide how the organisation functions and grows. We currently have 4 committees for members to be appointed to – Executive, Approvals, Professional Learning and Registration.

To be included within any CLD Standards Council (CLD SC) Committee individuals must be registered with CLD Standards Council Scotland – Registered or Associate Membership.

To be considered as a member of a Committee individuals must obtain agreement and support from their line manager or governing board, to ensure time will be available to attend committee meetings and for participation in committee work.

Committee members are there to represent the views of the CLD field/sector and not the views of their employer/organisation as an employee.

Committee members commit to attending scheduled committee meetings or will intimate apologies as far in advance as possible.

The Executive Committee has overall direction setting and reporting responsibilities for the work of the CLD Standards Council and is led by a member who has been approved by the Cabinet Secretary for Education. The process of appointment is robust and involves an application stage, an initial interview with a sifting panel and then a final interview with the Chief Executive of the host agency – Education Scotland. Following that process, the Chief Executive make their final recommendations to the Cabinet Secretary.

The role of the organisational Chair is to guide the organisation over a 4 year term of office. This involves providing strategic direction and guidance to the Executive Committee and Director, representing and promoting the organisation across the CLD, Education and Public sectors and making representation on behalf of the membership to policy-makers, decision-takers and funders on CLD workforce support and professional standards.

The 3 Standing Committees – Approvals, Professional Learning and Registration – have a key role in overseeing and directing the work of the CLD Standards Council within the committee area of responsibility. The committee’s work closely with the staff team to achieve the ambitions of the committee work plan. The committees are required to keep the executive committee informed of progress and development of the work it is responsible for, highlight any issues of note or concern and refer any decisions with implications for the Council as a whole to the executive and the CLD Standards Council Director. There are opportunities for the 3 committees to work on shared projects and areas of interest.

We warmly welcome the 12 new committee members onboard and are very much looking forward to working alongside the committees over the next few months, to develop and publish their work plans and celebrate their success. If you would like any more information on our committees, you can visit further pages on our website or please get in touch by emailing us contact@cldstandardscouncil.org.uk

Sue Briggs, author and former CLD Strategic Development Officer with Aberdeenshire Council was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) at Holyrood Palace recently by King Charles III. This award was given for her service to Community Learning and Development with her career in CLD spanning over 40 years including local, regional and national work.

Sue told us “I was very proud to hear the proclamation in the Palace of Holyrood House….”Mrs Susan Briggs for services to Community Learning and Development in the North of Scotland” as I stepped forward to receive my MBE. It was important to me that CLD was named in that arena. I accept that award on behalf of very many practitioners, managers, community leaders and organisations who embrace CLD as a path to tackling poverty and inequalities through learning and development in challenging settings.”

Sue was delighted to be awarded this honour and firmly believes many more people in CLD deserve recognition for their work. She went on to say ““Community learning and development work has been really important to me in my career and receiving the honour, for me, is about more than myself – it’s about everybody else who contributes to this field of work.”

Congratulations Sue from all of us at the CLD Standards Council.

News article from the member Bulletin August 2023

We all need Professional Learning and Development. And it doesn’t always mean attending a conference, training session or workshop. Imagine if you could support your own (or someone else’s) professional learning over a cuppa and a chat? Well, that’s what our Supporting Professional Learning Together option offers.

Buddies

Buddies are experienced CLD Standards Council members who provide support to newer members particularly those working in contexts where this kind of assistance is not readily available. A buddying relationship offers the right to a safe space where you can share and challenge practice.

Professional Learning Verifiers

As part of your renewal of registration process, it’s essential for members to have their PL verified by their line manager or someone in a mentor type of role. We know that some members do not have access to an appropriate person to verify their PL within their place of work or the organisation where they volunteer. So, we’re here to help!

Mentors

This is a member-led process but given the additional pressures facing our membership at the moment, we are keen to help progress this as quickly as possible. Ideally, you choose to be involved and you approach another CLD Standards Council member with whom you feel you could have this kind of peer mentoring relationship. This is a professional development role and your peer mentor needs to be more than a friend and/or acquaintance and/or colleague. However, if you don’t have anyone in mind to approach, you can ask us to help match you with someone.

If you’d like to get involved, please complete and return this form telling us about who you are, what you’d like to be involved in and the areas/topics you want to chat about. We will then do some matchmaking!

News article from the Member Bulletin August 2023

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.

BecauseOfCLD #SCVOGathering

News article from the Member Bulletin August 2023

Why do we have a new look Bulletin?

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!

News article from the Member Bulletin August 2023