New Student Resources Website page
Have a look at our new Student Resources webpage dedicated to resources and links relevant to CLD students. You’ll find information on benefits of CLDSC Associate Membership for students, Practice Placement guidelines, links to useful CLDSC resources and much more.
If you’re a CLD student, you might also be interested in this video message from Richard Lochhead, Minister for Further and Higher Education regarding support available to students whose studies have been disrupted due to Covid-19. You can also find more information on the Student Information Scotland website.
CLDSC Equalities Reference Sub-Group
The CLDSC Equalities Reference group are aiming to bring equalities into view. Whilst the group draft terms of reference and the strategic overview of equality and inclusion for the council, they are aiming to host some informal zoom “fire-side” chats where Members can share their experience, ideas and hopes in a safe space. As we pull together some sessions we are also hoping to share some more literature, documentaries, commentary that raise awareness of protected characteristics. To get the ball rolling the following texts have been recommended:
- The Good Immigrant, by Nikesh Shukla
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith
- Windrush Betrayal: Exposing the Hostile environment by Amelia Gentleman
- She would be king by Wayetu Moore
- Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch
Keep your eyes peeled for updates re Fire-Side chat session and in the meantime, happy reading!
Supporting Professional Learning Together
We launched our Supporting Professional Learning Together offer at our Members’ Conference in December. We have been doing some matchmaking and are now delighted to announce that we have:
- 6 pairs of CLD Buddies, an experienced/retired CLD practitioner sharing their experience and helping others reflect on their practice
- 3 CLDSC members matched with Professional Learning Verifiers helping assess and explore PL needs and opportunities and verifying PL records for CLDSC registration renewal.
- 2 pairs of Peer Mentors meeting together using the professional peer support model.
Can you offer to support another members as a CLD Buddy or PL Verifier? Would you like support from a CLD Buddy or PL Verifier? Get yourself matched by completing this survey.
We matched the first few Peer Mentors to help get the ball rolling but it’s over to you now as key to this is that you choose to be involved and you approach another CLDSC member with whom you feel you could have this kind of peer mentoring relationship. We would love to hear how you get on.
And don’t forget, we’re all #CLDSCConnectors – use the hashtag to make the most of our networks and communities of practice.
CLD Talks Podcast
Our Director, Dr Marion Allison features in this week’s podcast. Grab a cuppa and have a listen to her stories from 30 years of CLD practice. You can find the podcasts on all the usual podcast sites like Anchor.fm or Spotify and follow @CLDTalks on Twitter – make sure you use the #CLDTalks hashtag!
Plant Trees You’ll Never See Webinar
If you weren’t able to make it along to our Members Conference in December and missed Gavin Oattes entertaining us about Silly Stress, Fire and Flow and how to Be The Milk, you might want to sign up for this ‘Plant Trees You’ll Never see’ webinar. The event will be on 16th March on Zoom from 4-5pm. Book here
Climate Change Public Engagement and CLD
Our Virtual Member Meet-Up last week focused on CLD’s role in public engagement in combatting climate change. Members made clear that they are ready for CLD to have an important role in this. They emphasised the need to work across all aspects of CLD on this. They highlighted that CLD’s distinctive skills can make the links between global issues and people’s everyday experiences as a starting point for change, and that CLD practice should be informed by a critical perspective on the power relationships shaping these experiences.
The CLDSC is preparing a response to this Scottish Government consultation: Climate Change – Net Zero Nation: draft public engagement strategy – consultation (closing March 17th). We’d particularly welcome your examples of how CLD supports public engagement in climate change, and any other contributions to the response.
…And our next Members’ Meet Up –
Will be on Monday 29 March 1-2pm – watch out for details!
Happy 60th Birthday to Community Education at Moray House, University of Edinburgh
Our Director, Marion Allison was delighted to share in the birthday celebrations with the staff and students past and present. In her key note speech Marion invited us to look towards the diamond age of CLD in Scotland, comparing CLD practitioners to diamonds who are formed under pressure, resilient and sparkly and the other form of carbon, graphite, as we are conductors of learning and education. To hear students and practitioners share their experience of their time at Moray House and how they managed the balance of theory and practice, follow the links below. Happy birthday from all at CLDSC!
4th Year Students
Graduates
Free training sessions on tackling the Disability Employment Gap
The Disability Employment Gap Public Social Partnership Project is offering free support sessions on employing and supporting disabled people to employers and providers in local communities. CLDSC member David Stewart of SUSE (the Scottish Union of Supported Employment) writes: “With options from online taster sessions to project collaboration, we’d be delighted if practitioners working in CLD could attend in order to benefit the diverse people and communities you support. There are a wide range of sessions on offer during March 2021”.
Details can be found at the Scottish Union of Supported Employment website or by contacting David at David.Stewart@susescotland.scot or 07305 064 282