Scottish Government

THE DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT ( CLD) AND ITS ROLE IN KEY GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES

The role and contribution of CLD and thus its definition, has developed significantly over the past five years. It has developed both in terms of national policy and in the delivery seen within local authorities and their partners. The term 'community learning and development' has been used to describe a wide range of community-based activities since the late 1990s. It covers a range of activities that may have previously taken place under a number of different labels, such as 'community education', 'community development' and 'youth work'.

The extant Scottish Government definition of community learning and development is as follows:

"Community learning and development ( CLD) is learning and social development work with individuals and groups in their communities using a range of formal and informal methods. A common defining feature is that programmes and activities are developed in dialogue with communities and participants…( CLD's) main aim is to help individuals and communities tackle real issues in their lives through community action and community-based learning." ⁴

Working and Learning Together ( WALT) also set three national priorities for CLD which are still used today:

Achievement through learning for adults

Raising standards of achievement in learning for adults through community-based lifelong learning opportunities incorporating the core skills of literacy, numeracy, communications, working with others, problem-solving and information communications technology ( ICT).

Achievement through learning for young people

Engaging with young people to facilitate their personal, social and educational development and enable them to gain a voice, influence and a place in society.

Achievement through building community capacity

Building community capacity and influence by enabling people to develop the confidence, understanding and skills required to influence decision making and service delivery.

As can be seen above, ALN and ESOL are viewed as core aspects of CLD provision. Indeed, the focus group with ALN partnerships was unanimous in believing that ALN was a core part of CLD and required to be more closely aligned with it. This does not mean, of course, that CLD providers are the only agencies who deliver ALN and ESOL - they also are delivered in college, workplace and voluntary sector organisations.

Community learning and development activities are based on a commitment to the following principles as expressed within WALT:

• Empowerment - increasing the ability of individuals and groups to influence issues that affect them and their communities;
• Participation - supporting people to take part in decision-making;
• Inclusion, equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination - recognising that some people may need additional support to overcome the barriers they face;
• Self-determination - supporting the right of people to make their own choices; and
• Partnership - recognising that many agencies can contribute to CLD to ensure resources are used effectively.

In November 2008 a joint COSLA/Scottish Government statement on community learning and development was sent to Community Planning Partnerships ⁵. It reinforced the key messages within the original WALT⁶. The document stated:

"It sets out our vision for an area of work that we both see as being of growing importance - community learning and development ( CLD). CLD can play a vital role in relation to a range of national and local outcomes:

• Through youth work it can support all our young people (and in particular those who need more choices and chances to achieve their full potential) to become confident individuals, effective contributors, responsible citizens and successful learners.
• It can offer routes into and through lifelong learning in communities, enabling the development of skills (including, for example, literacy and numeracy) that people can use in employment, their community, further learning or as parents and family members to support their children in their important early years.
• By building community capacity it can contribute to community empowerment through people working together to achieve lasting change in their communities, for example by further strengthening and improving local public services."

CLD is both a sector of learning and an approach used by a range of organisations. There is a degree level qualification, with post-graduate options and a core set of professionals working within local authorities (around 2,500) as well as within other organisations and agencies. Most professionals, but not all, work within a local authority service. Partner agencies are encouraged to see themselves as part of CLD as well, including health providers, colleges and third sector organisations. In each local authority area there is a CLD Partnership which is made up of representatives from these organisations. This approach has now become familiar in other public service disciplines, such as health promotion, environmental protection, formal education, culture and leisure, economic development, social welfare and regeneration.

The contribution of CLD, ALN and ESOL to the delivery of key Government and local policy priorities has been increasingly recognised and developed in recent years. Examples of this include:

Curriculum for Excellence:

"Building The Curriculum 3" makes numerous references to the need to build strong partnerships with CLD in relation to delivering 'a personalised learning experience for every child and young person', the 'development of the 4 capacities', 'participating in community learning and development', 'supporting young people to exercise their responsibilities as members of a community' and 'in the provision of opportunities for personal achievement'.

The Early Years Framework:

Published in 2008 it makes a number of references to the benefits of partnership working with CLD. HMIe is expected to publish a review of what works in CLD to support positive outcomes in early years. One of the medium term priorities for 'helping children, families and communities to secure outcomes themselves' is that "nurseries, schools and childcare services develop their role in supporting family and community learning."

Valuing Young People Framework:

Published in 2009, Valuing Young People has been designed to support partners deliver positive outcomes for all young people, while recognising that some need more help than others to realise their potential. It is founded on the principle of partnership: partnership with young people that offers them participation in their communities and local services; but also partnership across national and local government and the voluntary sector to provide the right kind of access to services that meets the diverse needs of young people.

Skills for Scotland: a lifelong skills strategy:

Recognises that individuals and their ability to learn, work and contribute to society and the economy will help us to achieve sustainable economic growth. The Skills Strategy also provides a vision for a smarter Scotland and a comprehensive approach to skills development that recognises the critical importance of improving literacy and numeracy capabilities of all adults in Scotland. Literacy and numeracy skills are an indispensable key to individuals achieving their potential - in further learning, in work and in the family and wider community. Reducing under-employment of skilled workers who have, for instance, come to Scotland since recent EU enlargement, or since the inception of the Fresh Talent initiative, depends on access to quality courses in English for Speakers of Other Languages ( ESOL) and better recognition of existing skills and qualifications.

More Choices More Chances:

Community learning and development plays a key role in this by engaging disadvantaged young people, who may find themselves not in education, employment or training, through a range of community-based learning opportunities that are flexible and accessible. 16+ Learning Choices is about offering young people an appropriate range of learning opportunities - for some young people, a CLD opportunity will be the right choice and, where this is the case, local authorities and their partners must ensure that the right provision is available. Development of Activity Agreement Pilots will extend, for the first time, systematic financial support to young people engaged in community based learning - so those young people are supported in the same way as young people in more formal learning.

Adult Literacy and Numeracy:

The Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland ( ALNiS) report 2001 defines adult literacy and numeracy as "The ability to read, write and use numeracy to handle information, to express ideas and opinions, make decisions and solve problems - as family members, workers, citizens and lifelong learners." The Scottish Adult Literacy and Numeracy Survey was launched in January 2009. The survey will establish the current general levels of the population - a baseline against which to measure the success of future initiatives to improve literacy and numeracy in Scotland. It will also provide the information required to measure progress on the National Indicator "to reduce the number of working age people with severe literacy and numeracy problems" and inform the 'refresh' of ALNiS.

Adult ESOL Strategy for Scotland:

The Adult ESOL Strategy outlines the vision for ESOL provision in Scotland: "That all Scottish residents for whom English is not a first language have the opportunity to access high quality English language provision so that they can acquire the language skills to enable them to participate in Scottish life: in the workplace, through further study, within the family, the local community, Scottish society and the economy" . This vision will be achieved by:

• Improving collaboration and coordination;
• Raising quality through learning and teaching; and
• Supporting learning and progression

National Standards for Community Engagement:

The National Standards for Community Engagement set out best practice guidance for engagement between communities and public agencies. The Standards were commissioned by the Minister for Communities, through Communities Scotland. They were developed by the Scottish Community Development Centre ( SCDC) from the experience of communities and agencies with extensive participation of over 500 community and agency representatives. The Standards were published in 2005 with endorsement by the Scottish Executive, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, NHS Health Scotland, the Association of Chief Police Officers and many others. SCDC was funded by Communities Scotland to provide a dissemination and support programme working with Community Planning Partnerships and Community Learning and Development Partnerships across Scotland.

In addition, some strands of CLD have seen specific policy development, such as in youth work and adult literacy and numeracy (which has its own Scottish Government National Indicator ⁷ "to reduce the number of working age people with severe literacy and numeracy problems"). With regard to ALN, the strategy is based on a lifelong learning, learner-centred approach where adults' learning needs and abilities are assessed and individual goals are set in the belief that learners are more likely to develop and retain knowledge, skills and understanding if they see the relevance to their everyday literacies practices. Achievement is outcome focused, measuring the progress learners make towards the learning goals they have identified. In practice there is continuing review and updating of goals as the learner gains in knowledge, understanding and confidence. Success in learning is measured when learners recognise their achievements and begin to make changes in their life or identify new learning goals. Accreditation is not mandatory (as it is in England, for example), but is an option for learners. The Scottish Qualifications Authority's ( SQA) Core Skills framework provides learners with formal recognition, through qualifications, if they wish.

Increasingly, the contribution of CLD to positive outcomes in the single outcome agreements and other policy drivers is being recognised. The sector has also had an increasing emphasis on evaluating and measuring impact. However, significant progress has been made and there is a recognition that, in particular given the degree to which CLD relies on demonstrating its impact rather than on a statutory basis for its activities, this is an area of work that needs continuing attention. SG policy recognises the increasing importance of partnerships and CLD has particular strengths in this area. There is a recognised pressing need to refresh Community Based Adult Learning ( CBAL) and the links to College outreach and funding issues. The CLD approach is particularly important in engaging partners in tackling inequalities in education, employment and health.

Community Learning and Development provision is subject to inspection by HMIE. In a recent report they concluded:

Strengths

• Strong commitment to inclusion, equality and fairness with examples of innovative and effective work with disadvantaged individuals and groups.
• Learning programmes that are flexible and tailored to meet the needs of learners.
• Good quality of youth work and the relationships with young people.
• The high degree of responsiveness to the needs of adult learners.
• The improvements made in community capacity building.
• Partnership working remains a strength in the sector.

Aspects for improvement

• Demonstrating the outcomes of CLD provision and tracking improvements over time.
• Ensuring that planning is needs-led and outcomes-focused.
• Leadership of people and partnerships in half of the authorities.

In almost all authority areas, there is headroom for improvement in one or more aspects of CLD management or provision. In particular, the strategic leadership of CLD needs to improve in many authorities. ⁸

HMIE's approach to the inspection of CLD changed in August 2008. In the new approach, a CLD inspector joins the inspection of all secondary schools so as to bring their particular expertise to the evaluation of the school. At the same time as the school is being inspected, there is a concurrent inspection of the learning community surrounding the school. This is co-terminus with the catchment area of the secondary school. This approach better integrates the inspection of learning in a community.