Virtual Member Meet-Up, 2 March 2022 – Critical Reflection using the CLD Values
What does it mean to be a critically reflective practitioner? How do we go beyond reflective practice to ask the key questions about our practice? How can we be critically reflective practitioners in a positive and supportive way within a group of peers?
Our next virtual member meet-up is taking place on 2 March 2022, 1-2pm and we’re delighted to be joined by Dr Rob Bray, University of Highlands and Islands and Graham MacLellan, Senior CLD Worker, Inverclyde Council. This meet-up is based on a journal article published in the Concept Journal: Critical Reflection and Community Education Values.
The Meet-Up will explore a range of critical reflection tools for use by CLD staff and volunteers. Participants will explore how we can use the CLD values as determined by the CLD Standards Council to ask key questions about our practice at an individual and also at a group level. Participants will also hear about how this work has been built upon within the further education sector.
Register for the March Virtual Member Meet-Up on Eventbrite.
Scottish Charity Awards – Apply Now!
The Scottish Charity Awards are back for 2022 and you can apply now! The Scottish Charity Awards are designed to celebrate the best of the voluntary sector by highlighting the best, most innovative and effective work from the past year by those who make a difference in our communities.
CLD Standards Council is proud to sponsor the Community Action Award again this year and would love to see a range of CLD practice represented throughout the awards category nominations!
The Award categories are:
- Employee of the Year, Trustee of the Year
- Community Action
- Campaign of the Year
- Charity of the Year
- Volunteer of the Year
- Digital Citizen
- Pioneering Project
- Climate Conscious
The winners will be decided by a panel of judges and announced at a glittering awards ceremony on 15 June 2022.
All finalists will also be entered into the running for the People’s Choice Award, giving members of the public a chance to vote for their favourite finalist to win. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) received an overwhelming response last year, with hundreds of applications and thousands of votes cast in the People’s Choice Award, and event organisers hope to encourage even more applications this year.
Charities can apply until 12pm on Friday 18 March 2022. Apply now!
Volunteering during Covid-19 – Third Sector Perspectives: Survey Report
The Scottish Third Sector Perspectives On Volunteering During Covid-19: Survey Report was published on 31 January 2022. This report presents the results of a survey undertaken between April – June 2021 by Scottish Government in collaboration with Volunteer Scotland and gathered third sector perspectives on volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report will be used to help inform and shape the development of the Scottish Government’s volunteering policy; the new Volunteering Action Plan for Scotland and the wider policy response to the pandemic.
The key highlights:
- Volunteers were an essential part of the COVID-19 response, and that their engagement has helped to support many vulnerable people through an isolated and difficult time
- Volunteer-involving organisations showed incredible adaptability and resilience, pivoting their work to be able to meet newly emerging needs, and finding ways to adapt their programmes for online and remote delivery wherever possible
- The spread of informal volunteering and mutual aid groups showed that people are more than ready to step in to help others in their communities – and that they don’t need to be part of formal volunteering programmes and structures to do so
- It seems likely that hybrid and flexible models that combine the best aspects of remote and in-person volunteering may emerge from the pandemic, but that this will require continued investment in digital inclusion as well a recognition that on-line models do not work well for all volunteers, programmes, and service users
- Volunteering had gained in visibility and recognition as an essential part of local and national emergency responses
- Volunteer Involving Organisations and infrastructure organisations stressed that providing support and coordination for volunteers, ensuring their wellbeing, and operating hybrid on-line/in person models for volunteering and service delivery are resource-intensive activities
- There was clear feedback that more dedicated funding is needed to support volunteering within volunteer-involving organisations and volunteering coordination and support capacity at the level of TSIs or local authorities
More details are available in the full survey report.
SCQF Partnership Conference 2022
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Partnership turns 21 years old this year and as part of the celebrations they will be holding their first online conference on 24 March 2022. The theme is Recognising Skills in a Changing Landscape and it intends to highlight the important part the SCQF plays in supporting learner journeys in these rapidly changing times. It will celebrate the achievements of individuals, showcase best practice in the use of the SCQF across a range of sectors, as well as raise awareness of the SCQFP’s latest projects and developments amongst partners and stakeholders.
Find out more about the conference and register on the SCQF website #SCQF21Years
Wellbeing and Living with Covid Protection Measures – Scottish Government Survey
The Scottish Government are undertaking a short survey to understand the public’s experiences of coronavirus measures, and are keen to gather feedback from people throughout Scotland.
The deadline for response is 13 February 2022. Access the survey and associated materials.
Stigma and Poverty – Scottish Government Survey
The Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on poverty launched an inquiry into poverty and stigma, seeking to better understand the causes, impacts of and solutions to poverty-related stigma.
To inform the inquiry, the group are calling for written evidence, inviting individuals and organisations from across Scotland to submit their views and to help shape the inquiry’s final report, which will be published in May 2022.
Read more about the Inquiry and view the Inquiry Questions (PDF).
The deadline for submissions is 5pm, Friday 11 March. Please send your submission to neil.cowan@povertyalliance.org