Appendix 1 - Community Learning and Development Plan 2024 –2027
Perth and Kinross Council · 23 October 2024
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 23 October 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Community Learning and Development Plan 2024-2027 1. Introduction As Chair of the Perth and Kinross Council Learning and Families Committee I am delighted to introduce the new Community Learning and Development (CLD) Plan 2024-2027. The plan sets out the contribution that the CLD Partnership will make to supporting learners and communities over the next 3 years. As we support our communities through the current cost of living crisis CLD has a huge role to play by supporting and empowering communities, providing programmes of training and resources, building skills, increasing community empowerment and more. By focussing on the most vulnerable people in our communities CLD functions and partners play a key role in improving people’s life chances. The CLD Plan demonstrates clear links to the priorities of the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan and the new PKC Corporate Plan. I am keen for this plan to be a “live” document that will change and adapt to the needs of our communities between now and 2027. Councillor John Rebbeck Convenor Learning and Families Committee 2. Introduction to CLD Community Learning and Development (CLD) is a method of working with groups and individuals of all ages to engage in learning, personal development and active citizenship. The Scottish Government’s National Performance Framework clearly defines the specific focus of Community Learning by partners which should be to: • Improve life chances for people of all ages, including young people in particular through learning, personal development and active citizenship • Create stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities Appendix 1
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2 Support is focused on disadvantaged or vulnerable individuals or groups with the aim of bringing about change in their lives and communities. The term refers to a distinctive process of engagement and support with content that is negotiated with learners. CLD activity has a strong focus on early intervention, prevention, tackling inequalities and includes the following: • Youth work, family learning and other early intervention work with children, young people and families • Community Based Adult Learning including Adult Literacies and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). • Learning for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and individuals, for example people with disabilities, have care leaving experience or have a history of offending. • Community Development (building the capacity of communities to meet their own needs, engaging with and influencing decision makers) • Volunteer development and support The Community Learning & Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013 place a statutory requirement on local authorities to publish a plan every 3 years’ outlining how it will co-ordinate and secure “adequate and efficient” Community Learning & Development (CLD) provision with other sector partners. Whilst Perth and Kinross Council are required by legislation to lead on meeting the requirements of the CLD Regulations, it is important to note that partners must also be meaningfully involved, taking collective ownership and responsibility to produce, implement and review the CLD Plan. 3. Perth and Kinross the Place
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3 4. The Perth and Kinross CLD Partnership Our CLD Partnership comprises a mix of thematic and locality focused groupings. The Partnership helps identify issues and inequalities within our communities and enables the delivery and monitoring of the CLD Plan, whist adhering to the principles, ethics and competencies set out by the CLD Standards Council for Scotland: • Empowerment - increasing the ability of individuals and groups to influence matters affecting them and their communities
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4 • Participation - supporting people to take part in decision making. • Inclusion, equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination – recognising some people need additional support to overcome the barriers they face. • Self – determination - supporting the right of people to make their own choices • Partnership - ensuring resources and the range of skills and capabilities available are used effectively
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5 Inclusion Service Equalities Team Community Learning and Development Team Housing Tenant Participation Team Services For Young People Live Active Leisure Culture Perth & Kinross TSI Perth & Kinross Employment Support Team Health & Social Care Service Parenting and Family Learning Team Community Greenspace Team Community Learning & Development Partnership Adult Learning Partnership Youth Work Partnership Equalities Forum Local Employability Partnership Stronger Communities Network Good Food Network Local Action Partnerships
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6 5. Governance and Reporting Arrangements Perth & Kinross Council has the statutory responsibility for planning and overseeing delivery of effective CLD services. Responsibility for coordinating the day-to-day delivery of the CLD Plan sits with the CLD Leadership Group. This group comprises of Service Managers and Senior Team Leaders from PKC and Partner Services that deliver CLD functions. Oversight of the CLD Plan sits with Learning and Families Committee, who receive an annual report on progress. The Perth and Kinross Community Planning Partnership Board will also receive an annual report on progress and CLD functions contribution to delivery of the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP). A copy of the LOIP can be found here (link) Strategic overview of the CLD Plans contribution to delivering the LOIP. Approval and overview of CLD Plan delivery and annual reports on progress Receives progress report and key improvement actions. CPP Board Learning and Families Committee Executive Leadership Team CLD Leadership Group Monitors CLD Plan delivery and tackles barriers to progress
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7 6. Education Scotland Progress Visit The most recent Progress Visit by Education Scotland to review implementation of the CLD Plan took place in April 2024. Key strengths identified – • CLD services are clearly targeting and working with the most vulnerable people in Perth and Kinross. • There was good evidence on how services use data, such as locality profiles to target areas of need. • The parenting support programme PEEP was identified as an example of excellent practice and will be shared across Scotland. • The Green Living Fund and Community Investment Fund are good examples of enabling communities to develop local solutions which address local problems. Areas for Improvement included – • Raising awareness of the CLD Plan amongst a wider range of partners. • Ensuring young people and community group are included in the planning of CLD and identifying priorities. • Extending our internal training offer to include staff and volunteers from partner organisations. 7. Consulting on the new CLD Plan A number of methods were used to help inform the priorities for the new CLD Plan • A survey of stakeholders, including the CLD Partnership, learners and staff, asking for their views on how CLD can help tackle the themes of: - ➢ Reducing Poverty ➢ Mental Wellbeing ➢ Digital Participation ➢ Learning and Development ➢ Employability
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8 • A review of key data, including locality profiles, performance data from services and other sources of evidence, such as Community Action Plans. • Ensuring that the priorities for the CLD Plan align and support the delivery of the PKC Corporate Plan. A copy of the PKC Corporate Plan can be found here (link to be inserted) What we Learned and Priorities for the CLD Plan Priority - Tackling Poverty Perth and Kinross has a reputation as an affluent place to live with higher-than-average rates of employment. However, many children and households experience the damaging effects of poverty and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic and current cost of living crisis present significant challenges for many of our households. Approximately one in four children in Perth and Kinross are living in poverty.
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9 What people told us about this priority - • Tackling poverty effectively involves a multi-agency approach that values lived experience, combats stigma, and centres solutions around community hubs to ensure inclusive, community-driven support. • Addressing poverty requires improving employment opportunities and providing access to learning and upskilling (including young people), which are essential for breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering economic empowerment. • Tackling poverty effectively depends on well-funded outreach services, supported by dedicated volunteers, to strengthen community connection and provide crucial assistance to those in need. Priority – Mental Wellbeing The mental wellbeing of adults and young people was negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis and evidence from the Health and Social Care Partnership shows a major increase in demand for mental wellbeing support. What people told us about this priority – • Training around mental wellbeing educates individuals on recognising and addressing, while promoting and understanding of its importance helps create a more informed and empathetic environment. • Early intervention in schools can significantly enhance mental wellbeing by identifying and addressing mental health issues early, providing support through counselling and mental health education and fostering a supportive school environment with students and parents. • Focus on practices such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle with balanced nutrition and regular exercise, building strong social connections, engaging in meaningful activities, managing stress through alternative therapies.
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10 Priority – Skills, Lifelong Learning and Employability Good digital skills and the confidence to use them has become increasingly important and has highlighted issues with connectivity, technology and individual capacity. CLD services focus on those who need the greatest support to bridge the “digital divide.” What people told us about this priority – • Training opportunities should be co-ordinated and promoted locally including pathways to employment. • Digital hubs in communities, could also include banking and advice hubs with devices available to use. These could be in schools, libraries and/or community centres/village halls. • Intergenerational learning and Digital Champions in local venues could increase digital skills Access to learning and development opportunities is a priority for those in formal and informal education. CLD provision helps to support individuals and communities to build their skills, confidence and resilience. Ways of delivering learning have also evolved and changed with a particular focus on our most vulnerable communities such as those seeking asylum and gypsy travellers. What people told us about this priority – • Improve accessibility to learning. This should include having a variety of opportunities such as drop ins. Also, increase the accessibility of suitable venues, times and childcare to reduce the barriers. • Involve communities more in the design and delivery of learning opportunities for all ages. • Improve accessibility to learning including digital access and suitable venues such as empty shop units which could be utilised by community organisations to carry out outreach work. Employability is about an enhanced focus on upskilling for those seeking employment and supporting adults and young people in a fast-changing job market, enabling people to enter, sustain and progress into further education and work. CLD services supports the Local Employability Partnership bringing by providing the skills, qualifications and confidence to engage in more formal employability programmes.
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11 What people told us about this priority – • Formal and informal education opportunities need to match the job market trends. • Have a clear strategic approach with an identified lead to bring together employers, educational establishments and community organisations to network and collaborate. • Work with employers to increase the number of work experience, apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities available. Priorities for the Plan Based on the findings from the consultation exercise and a review of relevant information and data the following are priorities for the 24-27 CLD Plan – ➢ Tackling poverty in our communities ➢ Working in partnership with communities to meet local need and develop resilient communities ➢ Supporting children, young people and families to improve their outcomes ➢ Developing a stronger and greener local economy and supporting lifelong learning and employability support ➢ The mental wellbeing of children, young people and adults 8. Unmet Need Several years of analysis show clear inequalities in education, health and other outcomes for certain groups, particularly those living with poverty. We recognise that in these challenging times for all services, including CLD, it won’t be possible to reach everyone who may need them, but early CLD intervention and prevention work may stop bigger challenges emerging. PKC does not offer universal CLD across the whole area but targets priority groups and communities. This allows us to disperse delivery across Council services and ensure that this work is built into service management and improvement plans. CLD partners will work together over the lifetime of the plan to make best use of resources to meet the need of specific communities and priority groups.
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12 9. Developing the Workforce In collaboration with the Tayside & Fife Professional Learning Alliance, a consultation exercise was conducted across the region between March and June 2024 to gather the learning needs of CLD practitioners. There were 6 clear themes which emerged from the consultation exercise which we have used to form the basis of our workforce development agenda. Theme Current Context Mental Health Workforce development initiatives include mental health training for CLD professionals, equipping them with the skills to identify, understand, and support mental health issues within the community. Workshops and certificated programmes in mental health first aid and trauma-informed practices are integral components, ensuring staff are prepared to provide empathetic and effective support to community members. Community Development Central to the CLD Plan is the empowerment of local communities through capacity building and development. By fostering skills in facilitation, partnership building, and resource mobilisation, the workforce is better equipped to support community-led initiatives, promote meaningful engagement, and enhance social cohesion. Digital CLD Practice Staff receive training in digital tools and platforms that facilitate remote learning and community engagement. This includes a comprehensive package of Microsoft 365 training and ensuring digital inclusion for all community members. By embracing digital transformation, CLD practitioners can expand their reach and adapt to the evolving needs of the community. Working with groups Targeted training in practical tools and skills for managing group dynamics and behaviour through delivery of accredited SQA opportunities and Organisational Development opportunities. This encompasses techniques for creating inclusive and supportive group environments, conflict resolution strategies, and methods for encouraging active participation and collaboration. Using data to demonstrate impact Training available to CLD staff in evaluation techniques and data analysis to measure the impact of their work accurately. This includes the use of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather meaningful insights and the application of these findings to refine and improve service delivery which is overseen by the CLD Leadership Group. Continuous professional development in data literacy and impact assessment ensures that CLD practitioners can demonstrate the value of their work and make informed decisions based on evidence. Pathways to CLD Qualifications Strategies include the delivery of PDA in Youth Work and SVQ in Community Development as well as supporting practitioners to undertake CLD Standards Council approved University courses. Key Action Lead Services 1. Work alongside the Tayside and Fife Professional Learning Network to identify and deliver opportunities in line with these themes. TFPLA CLD Leadership Group
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13 10. Action Plan The action plan underscores our collective commitment to delivering CLD services in Perth & Kinross. The themes and outcomes have been derived from the Perth & Kinross Corporate Plan, ensuring that our services can clearly demonstrate their impact. The key actions are intentionally high-level to provide flexibility for all partners, enabling them to deliver CLD services where the greatest inequalities and needs exist. Each partner contributing to the plan has specific key actions within their service plans, detailing how they will achieve the overarching goals. The performance indicators are a blend of those from the corporate plan relevant to CLD approaches and the National CLD performance indicators. This approach allows us to continually develop our CLD delivery in a flexible and adaptive manner, contributing to the vision of “A Perth & Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality.”