Appendix 1
Activity survey questions and definitions
Questions for local authorities:
1. Please state how many community-based learning opportunities for adults, provided directly by each local authority department's staff or volunteers, were accessed during the reporting period?
2. Please state how many youth work opportunities, provided directly by each local authority department's staff or volunteers were accessed during the reporting period.
3. Please state how many community organisations or groups received community development, community work, or community capacity building support, directly from each local authority department's staff or volunteers, during the reporting period?
Questions for non-local authority partners:
1. Please state how many community-based learning opportunities for adults, provided directly by your organisations' staff or volunteers, were accessed during the reporting period?
2. Please state how many youth work opportunities, provided directly by your organisations' staff or volunteers were accessed during the reporting period.
3. Please state how many community organisations or groups received community development, community work, or community capacity building support, directly from your organisations' staff or volunteers, during the reporting period?
Definitions:
National priority one: achievement through learning for adults Please state how many community-based learning opportunities for adults, provided directly by each local authority department's / service's staff or volunteers, were accessed during the reporting period. |
DEFINITION A: community-based learning opportunities for adults1
Courses, programmes or other learning opportunities, which are generated in the community in consultation with local people, and which address issues of importance to improving the life chances of learners and their community. It is likely that some or all of the organisation, domestic arrangements and course content will be developed in dialogue with communities and participants.
This INCLUDES people who are involved in the process of negotiation or planning for the delivery of learning opportunities. It does NOT INCLUDE people contacted more generally through surveys or questionnaires.
This INCLUDES engagement of people in work that enables or supports their involvement in learning opportunities (e.g. taster courses, or the provision of advice and guidance). It does NOT INCLUDE more general contact with individuals through promotional activities such as advertising.
This INCLUDES people engaged in adult literacy and numeracy learning, where provision meets the above definition. We recognise that opportunities for literacy and numeracy learning in particular, will usually be generated, initially at least, on an individual basis.
A KEY QUESTION IN DECIDING WHETHER SOMETHING IS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY IS - "IS THERE A DELIBERATE ACTION THAT HELPS PARTICIPANTS TO GROW IN CONFIDENCE, KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING OR SKILLS?"
DEFINITION B: provided directly by each local authority department's staff or volunteers
This means people working for a department/ service of your local authority, either paid or unpaid, to deliver community-based learning opportunities for adults.
This INCLUDES situations where they are delivering learning opportunities in partnership with other organisations but NOT where their input involves supporting other organisations to deliver learning (where such support is given to small voluntary or community groups, consideration should be given to whether such support should be included in the community capacity building section).
DEFINITION B: provided directly by your organisation's staff or volunteers
This means those working for the reporting organisation, either paid or unpaid, to deliver community-based learning opportunities for adults.
This INCLUDES situations where they are delivering learning opportunities in partnership with other organisations but NOT where their input involves supporting other organisations to deliver learning. Where such support is given to small voluntary or community groups, consideration should be given to whether such support should be included in the community capacity building section.
DEFINITION C: accessed
This means that a specific learning opportunity was taken up by an individual. As previously stated each accessing of a learning opportunity should be counted, even where the same individual is accessing a number of learning opportunities during the reporting period.
National priority two: achievement through learning for young people Please state how many youth work opportunities, provided directly by each local authority department's/service's staff or volunteers or by your organisation's staff or volunteers were accessed during the reporting period. |
DEFINITION D: youth work opportunities 2
Educational work with young people (not as part of formal educational provision) that facilitates their personal, social and educational development and enables them to gain a voice, influence and place in society in a period of their transition from dependence to independence.
Youth work includes work with the following purposes:
- To build self-esteem and self-confidence;
- To develop the ability to manage personal and social relationships;
- To create learning and develop new skills;
- To enable young people to work together positively in groups;
- To build the capacity of young people to consider risk, make reasoned decisions and take control;
- To encourage young people to develop a 'world view' which widens horizons and invites social commitment.
Youth work must be voluntary (i.e. young people choose to participate) and must build from where young people are (i.e. the educational process must be based on the issues and aspirations of participants).
This INCLUDES work in a range of settings, such as community venues, youth cafes and on the street.
It CAN INCLUDE work in schools which meets the above definition of youth work.
It should INCLUDE work with young people of any age, where the local authority is offering the provision to those who are in the period of transition from childhood to adulthood. In each case the local authority will have their own definition of the ages targeted through youth work provision and that should be applied in this case.
This INCLUDES young people who are involved in the process of negotiation or planning for the delivery of youth work opportunities. It does NOT INCLUDE people contacted more generally through surveys or questionnaires.
It INCLUDES engagement of young people in work that enables or supports their involvement in youth work (e.g. taster courses, or the provision of advice and guidance). It does NOT INCLUDE more general contact with individuals through promotional activities such as advertising.
A KEY QUESTION IN DECIDING WHETHER SOMETHING IS A YOUTH WORK OPPORTUNITY IS - "IS THERE A DELIBERATE ACTION THAT HELPS PARTICIPANTS TO GROW IN CONFIDENCE, KNOWLEDGE, UNDERSTANDING OR SKILLS?"
DEFINITION E: provided directly by each local authority department's staff or volunteers
This means people working for a department/ service of your local authority, either paid or unpaid, to deliver youth work opportunities.
This INCLUDES situations where they are delivering youth work opportunities in partnership with other organisations but NOT where their input involves supporting other organisations to deliver learning (where such support is given to small voluntary or community groups, consideration should be given to whether such support should be included in the community capacity building section).
DEFINITION E: provided directly by your organisation's staff or volunteers
This means those working for your organisation, either paid or unpaid, to deliver youth work opportunities.
This INCLUDES situations where they are delivering youth work opportunities in partnership with other organisations but NOT where their input involves supporting other organisations to deliver learning (where such support is given to small voluntary or community groups, consideration should be given to whether such support should be included in the community capacity building section).
DEFINITION F: accessed
This means that a specific youth work opportunity was taken up by an individual. As previously stated each accessing of a youth work opportunity should be counted, even where the same individual is accessing a number of youth work opportunities during the reporting period.
National priority three: achievement through building community capacity Please state how many community organisations or groups received community development, community work, or community capacity building support, directly from each local authority department's staff or volunteers, or directly from your organisation's staff or volunteers, during the reporting period. |
DEFINITION G: community organisations or groups
These are groups or organisations formed and controlled by members of a community (defined by place, interest or identity) who have come together to bring about some agreed change.
It is recognised that often community development can involve supporting the early formation of such groups. In these circumstances organisations should INCLUDE support to informal networks, which aims to enable the development of community organisations or groups.
DEFINITION H: community development, community work, or community capacity building support3
The purpose of this activity is to improve the quality of community life, and contribute to social justice, by building community capacity. This involves work with communities to:
- Identify their needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities;
- Plan, organise and take action; and,
- Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the action.
It includes:
- Working on assessments of needs and aspirations with communities;
- Supporting them to develop plans to meet those needs;
- Supporting people to be confident, skilled and active members of the community;
- Promotion of broad-based participation in community affairs;
- Developing the skills and confidence of active community members and community leaders;
- Assisting communities to exercise power and influence;
- Assisting community organisations to include a wide range of people in their work;
- Supporting community organisations to get access to resources and to deliver services effectively;
- Supporting community engagement and representation;
- Supporting the development of community networks and organisations;
- Supporting community organisations to improve the quality of community life and contribute to social justice;
- Assisting community organisations to plan, manage and assess their work effectively.
Such support CAN INCLUDE face-to-face meetings and support by email or telephone, during the reporting period. The support may be provided to one or more individual members of the groups, as well as to the whole group or organisation.
It CAN INCLUDE work with people of all ages.
A KEY QUESTION IN DECIDING WHETHER SOMETHING IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY WORK, OR COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT IS - "IS THERE A DELIBERATE ACTION THAT AIMS TO ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS OR GROUPS?".
DEFINITION I: directly from each local authority department's staff or volunteers
This means people working for a department/ service of your local authority, either paid or unpaid, to deliver community development, community work, or community capacity building support.
This INCLUDES situations where they are providing such support in partnership with other organisations.
DEFINITION I: directly from your organisation's staff or volunteers
This means people working for your organisation, either paid or unpaid, to deliver community development, community work, or community capacity building support.
This INCLUDES situations where they are providing such support in partnership with other organisations.