What is the CLD Standards Council Scotland?

Published
07/04/2026
Last updated
19/08/2026

The CLD Standards Council, as the Professional Registration and Standards Body (PRSB), is a place where Community Learning & Development professionals, students and volunteers can share information and learn from each other. We are a membership-based organisation, a Scotland-wide community of people committed to improving lives and supporting communities.

We believe that the work done by our members across the country really matters. We always aim to nurture their personal and professional development. That, in turn, helps them support and strengthen the communities they work in. 

A further strand of our work is to set and maintain standards for what’s expected from people working in CLD across Scotland. We do that by approving college and university courses, and by bringing our members together to share knowledge, learning and good practice, and to uphold collectively agreed standards from those working in our sector. 

As a Scotland-wide organisation supporting those who are delivering essential work across the country’s diverse communities, we are committed to using our collective voice to influence and inform those who lead, manage and fund CLD.

Our core responsibilities

Our core responsibilities are to:

  • Ensure the learning offered across our approved learning institutions is fit for the future needs of the profession.
  • Develop and implement an inclusive and progressive tiered practitioner registration system.
  • Establish a baseline Professional Learning (PL) requirements for registered practitioners.
  • Consolidate a sector-wide leadership role in relation to CLD workforce learning, practice standards and qualifications.
  • Develop our organisational governance and capability to transition towards a revised governance, funding and operating model.

Who we are

We have a growing membership.

We have five committees which are made up of members from across the sector. These include:

  • an Executive committee
  • 4 standing committees 

They set and lead the direction for CLD Standards Council.

Find out more about the committees.

The CLD Standards Council has a small staff team.

Meet the CLD Standard Council staff team.