CLDSC Member Bulletin – 19 January 2022

Professional Approval and Practice Placement Standards Resources

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are three elements to the initiative:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Group Coaching sessions for CLD Leaders

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

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

IACD – SCIO Status

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

SCQF Upcoming Online Workshops

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

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

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

SQA Updates

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

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 12 January 2022

Happy New Year!

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

Conference presentation and resources from Dr Karen Edge

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

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

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

Accredited Programmes for CLD Practitioners

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

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

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

Funded Open University CLD Micro-credential Courses

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

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

Five courses are available: 

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

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

Digital Content Accessibility Workshops

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

Each webinar covers a single topic. The topics are: 

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

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

Preventing Homelessness Consultation

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

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

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

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

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 22 December 2021

Rocking around the Christmas Tree 2021 Style

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

Resilience

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

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

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

Renewal

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

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

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

Relax

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

Best wishes

Marion

CLDSC Members Conference Evaluation – last chance to complete

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

Climate Emergency Training for Youth Workers in 2022

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

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

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

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

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

Course Options:

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

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

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

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

Thinking Digitally Course

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

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

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

Upcoming Online SCQF Workshops

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

CLDSC Festive Break

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

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

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 15 December 2021

New Chair and Co-Vice Chairs for Approval Committee

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

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

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

Good luck in these new roles!

Ayrshire College Developmental Approval

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

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

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

Updated COVID Guidance for CLD Students

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

You can view the Guidance and FAQs on our website.

Community Covid Response – Omicron variant

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

1:1 Online Coaching Opportunity

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

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

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

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

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

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

Building Racial Literacy Programme – places available

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

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

The intended outcomes of the programme are that participants will:

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

Participants will be expected to:

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

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

Share, Sustain, Shape evaluation still open

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

CDN Awards

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

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

Guidance for CLD students and programme providers for academic year 2021/22

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.

COVID Placement Guidance Academic Year 2021-22 December 2021Download
FAQ December 2021Download

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 08 December 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday 2nd December 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 1 Twitter Highlights #CLDSCConf2021

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

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

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

Friday 3rd December 2021

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

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

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

Day 2 Twitter Highlight #CLDSCConf2021

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

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

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

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

***STOP PRESS – SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT***

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

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 01 December 2021

CLDSC Members Conference – 2 and 3 December

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

Education Reform Consultation Response

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

Read the CLDSC response. 

Share, Sustain, Shape Professional Learning Programme

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

University of Dundee Community Education Research

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

Access the survey. 

SCVO – The Scottish Third Sector Tracker: Wave One Findings

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

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

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Funding Opportunity

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

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

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

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

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 24 November 2021

CLDSC Members Conference Reminder

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

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

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

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

Scottish Attainment Challenge 2022-2023

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

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

Specific reference to CLD organisations and delivery was noted:

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

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

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

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

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

Dyslexia Scotland 

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

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

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

They are undertaking a piece of research to find out: 

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

They are looking for: 

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

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

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

The questionnaires close on 7 January 2022.

University of Dundee Promotion of Undergraduate Programme 

Interested in studying Community Education at University of Dundee?
  
Are you in need of some inspiration to apply, then you can also read about one of the recent inspiring graduates at Fungai’s blog. 

We’re recruiting! Development Officer – Policy & Practice 

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

Specific duties include:

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

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

A huge thanks from CLDSC Staff Team

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

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 17 November 2021

CLDSC Members Conference Reminder

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

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

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

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

Education Reform CLDSC Final Consultation Event

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

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

We’re recruiting! Development Officer – Policy & Practice 

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

Specific duties include:

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

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

Professional Approval Annual Review Report for Academic Year 2020-2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leading CLD programme – note of interest closing date

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

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

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

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

Supervision Spaces launched to support mental health and wellbeing  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLD Talks

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

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

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

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

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

Investing in Communities Fund (ICF) Webinars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Audit Scotland report: Community Empowerment: Covid-19 Update

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

Read the Community empowerment: Covid-19 update report.

Final days to nominate for the National Youth Work Awards 

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

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

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

CLDSC Member Bulletin – 10 November 2021

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

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

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

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

Education Reform CLDSC Final Consultation Event

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

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

Share, Sustain, Shape – Reminder 

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

Nature as a resource for CLD Event

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

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

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

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

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

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

Register for the Open Space session on Eventbrite. 

Climate Justice, COP 26 and the Challenge for Community Development 

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

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

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

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