7. CLD Strategic Plan Update - Cabinet - 05-09.22 (AS Approved) (SUBMITTED TO CS - 20.09.2022)
North Ayrshire Council · 27 September 2022
Back to Cabinet — 27 September 2022 and its agenda
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 27 September 2022 Cabinet Title: North Ayrshire Council Strategic Community Learning and Development Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report Purpose: To provide an update on the North Ayrshire Council Strategic Community Learning and Development Plan 2021-2024 through the Year 1 Progress Report. Recommendation: That Cabinet: a) Reviews the North Ayrshire CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report; and b) Authorises officers to take forward the second year of the Action Plan, with specific regard to addressing the identified unmet needs. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The North Ayrshire Council Strategic Community Learning and Development Plan 2021- 2024 was developed in accordance with the Education Scotland guidance and the continued engagement and professional guidance from CLD Managers Scotland. It built on the learning from the Covid-19 pandemic and the previous 2018-2021 plan. 1.2 The CLD plan makes a commitment that communities of North Ayrshire, communities of place and communities of interest, will have access to the CLD support as appropriate. It has been informed through consultation and engagement with communities where needs have not been met. These are included in the Action Plan, with a clear focus of action to close the gap between needs and delivery. The CLD team submitted a bid through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Multiply Project, working collaboratively to enable, encourage, and enhance participation in numeracy and financial literacies. This aims to provide new opportunities in 2022/25 and be responsive to the needs of learners. 1.3 The scope of the CLD plan is Adult Learning, Youth Work and Capacity Building, with themes of health and wellbeing, digital participation and workforce development. It also covers inequalities and the targeting of resources, as well as describing unmet need and governance. The CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report in year 1 is included (Appendix 1). 1.4 Important progress has been made with the identified ‘unmet need’ in terms of older people.
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2. Background 2.1 In June 2012 the Scottish Government issued Strategic Guidance for Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) on the provision of Community Learning and Development (CLD) services. This guidance was followed by the CLD Regulations (Scotland) in 2013, which placed a legislative duty upon Local Authorities to put in place a 3-year Strategic CLD plan. 2.2 The Government introduced further legislation in 2015 in the form of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act, designed to give greater powers to local communities and by December 2016, new guidance was published as part of the Act which placed CPPs on a statutory footing and imposed a duty on them for the delivery of a local outcomes improvement plan (LOIP), with the involvement of community bodies at all stages of community planning. 2.3 The North Ayrshire Council Strategic Community Learning and Development Plan 2021- 2024 builds on the previously refreshed plan of 2018-2021, it is informed by the learning from COVID 19 pandemic in terms of response and needs. It was approved by Cabinet on 28th September 2021. At its heart is the Learners’ Voice structure, which brings together a range of learners from across the 6 localities. Introduced in the previous 2018-2021 CLD plan, the Learner’s Voice is its major success, with other highlights including the achievements of New Scots ESOL learners, the Covid-19 response and escalation of digital channels and the establishment of the Community Leadership Collective. 2.4 The delivery of the CLD plan continues with the Education Scotland guidance and the continued engagement and professional guidance from CLD Managers Scotland. It has key themes and commitments which were made to the communities of North Ayrshire. These commitments will be realised throughout the life of the plan with recognition that the levels of delivery will differ from year 1 to years 2 and 3 and this report identifies the progress made in year 1. 2.5 The recognition that the CLD plan includes partners and staff teams far wider than the CLD professional team was integral to the consultation and engagement surrounding the development of the plan. CLD approaches are integrated across services within the local authority area and this has led to widespread impact. This was clearly seen in the impact of the community hubs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Services are provided by the CLD workforce employed and volunteering within the local authority, as well as CLD provision within schools, colleges, third sector organisations and other community planning partners. Collaborative approaches are a key strength in North Ayrshire. 2.6 In February 2022 Cabinet approved a Statement of Intent to develop a Community Participation Strategy. The paper outlines the diverse opportunities currently in use for participation and acknowledges the skills required to participate. The key role of the Community Leadership Collective, which brings together community leaders, the CLD training and development programme and the third sector interfaces is recognised. It enables community participants to have the skills, knowledge, and support to make the most of opportunities.
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CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report (Appendix 1) 2.7 Education Scotland undertook an Aspect Review on the 24th May 2022, with a focus on the food with dignity and community food network, including visits to larders and meeting with key partners. As a result, North Ayrshire CLD service will feature in the report due to be published in September as a good practice example. 2.8 The service has taken the lead in the development and delivery of the holiday meals programme throughout the summer break five days a week, engaging with community partners to support a community-based response and delivery. The Council enhanced the offer across localities to ensure that children and young people were able to access the summer programme within their own communities. The principles of providing a combination of activities and food with dignity were embedded at the heart of the offer. North Ayrshire CLD also returned to the pre-Covid-19 level, face-to-face delivery of youth work programmes. The summer programme combined the funded holiday meals programme and enhanced Council provision in localities with a two-day youth festival. This was held at Kelburn Country Park with 170 young people taking part, including with 120 young people camping out for the full festival. A major success was the full attendance by girls from Syrian families who were allowed to participate in the overnight camping with their peer group. YouthLink, the national youthwork agency, filmed this festival as part of their narrative on the impact of youth work. 2.9 The onset of the conflict in Ukraine has brought new challenges. The New Scots staff team in the CLD team have been adapting and responding to the need and requests agreed from the Ukraine Task Force, ensuring that a local community response is key to the welcome, as well as tailoring the resources and support to individual needs. 2.10 There has been excellent progress in terms of the unmet need of creating an engagement and participation structure for older people, with engagement with all Elderly Forums and a focused session on the use of the Engagement hubs. The findings will now be implemented. 2.11 The work in Years 2 and 3 will be focused on continuing to ensure that the actions of the CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 are implemented. The CLD plan’s individual actions are included in the second column of Appendix 1. This informs the CLD service’s operational plan. With the advancing winter and growing cost-of-living crisis, a business consultant has been tasked with reviewing the community food model. This will test the current models and the sustainability of the larders, in preparation for the escalation of food with dignity needs. Recent Cabinet funding decisions will support the food larders as the pressures grow. Work with partners who provide energy, financial and mental help advice will intensify as this crisis progresses. 2.12 The CLD plan’s delivery in Years 2 and 3 will focus on the guidance by the Child Poverty Board, the Child Poverty Action Plan and employability and skills actions to combat the cost-of-living crisis. The CLD service will be active partners in the work in terms of realising and recognising children’s rights, across Council services and partners. The Youth Participation and Citizenship Strategy will support this and the CLD team will increase UNCRC awareness raising with children and young people.
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2.13 Years 2 and 3 will include support for skills which contribute to the delivery of aspirations of the Locality Partnerships, the development of the Participation Strategy, continuing to address the ‘unmet need’ identified by older people and the ambitions of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, especially with regard to community participation and asset ownership. 2.14 Six monthly performance reports on the delivery of the CLD plan are provided to the Community Planning Senior Officers Group and CPP Board. The CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report has been submitted to Education Scotland and been discussed by the Community Planning Partnership Board. Copies will be shared with the Learners’ Voice forum and the six Locality Partnerships. 3. Proposals 3.1 That Cabinet: a) Reviews the North Ayrshire CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report; and b) Authorises officers to take forward the second year of the Action Plan, with specific regard to addressing the identified unmet needs. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The CLD Plan is delivered from within existing resources, with some additional support for ESOL to support New Scots. Human Resources 4.2 There are no direct human resource implications for North Ayrshire Council staff, who continue to work within locality approaches to deliver across the three capacities of Adult Learning, Youth Work and Capacity Building. The needs of the workforce will be addressed via the Leadership Collective to ensure that the workforce is equipped with the skills and knowledge to develop their practice. The pressure of increased community activity on the workforce’s skills and capacity will be monitored through existing structures. Legal 4.3 None. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 Reducing inequalities and ensuring no one is left behind are integral to achieving the equity focus. CLD provision is targeted to those most in need whilst ensuring communities also have a universal offer of access to learning opportunities and activities, this achievable by the partnership approach, through empowering communities and individuals to have their place within the delivery of services. The CLD plan brings together the range of partners necessary to address the inequalities and the
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governance of the plan ensures the voices, needs and aspirations of the communities inform the operational delivery and targeting of resources. It is foreseeable that the escalating cost-of-living crisis will put pressure on individuals and communities and work with the community larder network and partners who provide energy, financial and mental health advice will intensify. The work of the CLD will focus on building capacity and optimising opportunities so that efforts to address poverty and inequalities are strengthened. Environmental and Sustainability 4.5 Environmental and sustainability issues provide opportunities for skills and learning development. With rich and diverse spaces, North Ayrshire offers opportunities for involvement in marine, coastal and woodland activities; tree-planting; allotments, growing, community gardening and food production; and community environment projects. Key Priorities 4.6 The activities contained within the CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report support the North Ayrshire Council Plan priorities: • Active and strong communities • Inclusive, growing and enterprising local economy • People enjoy good life-long health and wellbeing. Community Wealth Building 4.7 The activities contained within the CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report support the following pillars of community wealth building: • Creating volunteering and skills development opportunities; • Sustaining local employment through skills development; • Advancing community enterprises, such as food pantries, community centre ownership and community sports clubs; and • Advancing local ownership of underused land and buildings. 5. Consultation 5.1 Significant consultation was carried out in the development of the original CLD plan in 2020 and 2021, with the learner at the centre, including all Locality Partnerships and Locality Forums, and a "co-define, co-design and co-deliver" model. Consultation with learners and partners continues in line with recommended good practice by the Consultation Institute and the National Standards for Community Engagement. The Community Engagement Network (CEN) is hosted by North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership and meets quarterly. It is the community engagement reference group for this toolkit/hub, support and development forum for the Engagement Champions and a networking opportunity for all partners involved in community engagement. Engagement Champions are representatives from all partners, departments or organisations. The Learners’ Voice, Youth Participation Engagement Structure and feedback from learners and partners continue to inform delivery and practice.
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Audrey Sutton Executive Director of Communities and Education For further information please contact Rhona Arthur, Head of Connected Communities, on 01294 324415. Background Papers Appendix 1: North Ayrshire CLD Strategic Plan 2021/2024 - Year 1 Progress Report Appendix 2: North Ayrshire CLD Plan (September 2021/24)
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1 North Ayrshire CLD Strategic Plan 2021-2024 Year 1 Progress Report Key Priority Action Plan Update Youth Work Positive Destinations for 16– 19- year-olds Through the work of our Modern Apprenticeship Programme, we will continue to take young people through their SVQ Level 3 in Youth Work. The Modern Apprenticeship Programme continued to take young people through their SVQ Level 3 in Youth Work. 12 MAs were in training in Year 1 and are progressing will with qualification and gaining experience. An additional 4 completed their full qualification within the year and moved onto to further education and/or employment. The new intake of MAs for Year 2 will rise by 6 by the 19/09/22, with the existing 12 completing their qualifications and leaving at various times. The annual External Verification meeting by SQA resulted in a high confidence level result in the services delivery of both SVQ and Learning and Development qualifications. The Professional Development Award (PDA) in Youth Work is being delivered in Largs, Kilwinning and St Matthews Academy’s and all participants are proceeding in line with assessment plans. We will strengthen our employability programmes from Playback Ice Qualifications, Ambition Agreement, Youth Guarantee and a wide range of one-to-one support, group work and signposting services. A range of employability work incorporating youth work practice was delivered across North Ayrshire to support young people into positive destinations. This includes ESOL Employability Introductory session, 1:1 or group sessions on CV building/job searches/personal statement, online employability, and college application support. The Mobile Youth Centre supported this programme through roadshows through schools and communities, drop-in sessions and engaging in employability awards such as Playback ICE. The Easter Skills Roadshow took young people through taster sessions in relevant professions and fields with 12 young people completing. North Ayrshire CLD employability programmes established a partnership with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the workers for both schools and communities. Programmes
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2 were launched in secondaries targeting the most vulnerable and disengaged young people to support into a positive destination. By working closely with the schools, the CLD team created and delivered a programme supporting young people with their desired positive destinations. The programme allows the young people to think about their tailored and preferred positive destination instead of the easiest and most available next step. The young people identified for this programme were selected by SDS and the schools as they were seen as the most disengaged and hard to reach. Out of the 5 from Irvine Royal and the 10 from Kilwinning all have achieved what they see as their positive destination. Along with the school sessions, Easter and Summer sessions were delivered. Young people who attended these were offered additional support about positive destinations and those who accepted the support have managed to start the programme or course that they selected. The offer for the programme has been sent out to all secondary schools and colleges for the start of the August 2022 term. Sessions are already booked with 2 school and the Kilwinning College Campus. The CLD Team continues to offer 1-to-1 support to young people who need it. This support is available to all young people who need it and do not need to be on a current Ambition Agreement to receive this. This support is face to face or online and offered across North Ayrshire Wide. The wide range of accessible employability-based youth work has continued to grow. Community groups such as New Scots football, one-off events, such as Arran Pride, engagement with local schools and colleges and 1:1 supports have allowed engagement with young people aged 16-25 to increase. As well as maintaining a positive online presence, the CLD team has devised and delivered their own Skills Academies in the community, engaged with students in school/colleges and have supported events across North Ayrshire to facilitate and encourage young people to reach their potential. The ongoing programmes and events are constantly evaluated to ensure that the best service and opportunities are provided.
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3 Attainment and Wider Achievement We will continue to provide a wide variety of youth work opportunities to young people based on local need and in partnership with young people. Young people will have access to awards and certification though our programmes. Working in partnership with schools, we will provide a menu of curriculum enhancement activities. The CLD team continues to ensure that appropriate accreditation routes are utilised to enable a formal recognition of young people’s community based learning is recognised, Examples being: Partnering with Soundsystem Project to provide online sound and music sessions 14 young people from St. Palladius Primary School in Dalry have completed their Hi 5 award and plans are in place to deliver the award at after school transition groups for P6 and P7, which will be offered to all Garnock Valley Cluster Primary Schools. 4 members of the GV Youth Forum are working towards their Silver Youth Achievement Award, with 2 working towards their bronze. 67 national awards being carried out through the CLD team’s locality and thematic work including PDA in Youth Work, Playback Ice, Hi 5 Awards and SVQ Level 2 and 3 in Youth Work The Soundsystem Project provided online sound and music sessions to 10 young people, through locality and thematic work, including 3 young people from the North Coast Youth forum working towards a Duke of Edinburgh Award qualification and working in partnership with Largs Academy to provide pupil council training to over 50 young people Partnering with St Anthony’s Primary and St Matthews Academy to deliver P7 transition support. This included working on confidence building, healthy relationships, mental wellbeing and academy transition. 15 successfully completed Hi 5 awards. The total for Engagement through this strand is 164. 686 young people completed their Duke of Edinburgh Awards with 8918 engagements, working with young people achieving their bronze, silver and gold awards through school and community groups. The North Coast LGBT Forum is co-producing a pilot an LGBT specific Duke of Edinburgh Award qualification. Partnering with Kilwinning Academy, the CLD team successfully delivered a PDA in Youth Work where all 10 participants received either the full award or units.
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4 Leading Mental Health First Aid training courses are fully regulated by the SQA. The focus is to integrate more meaningful information and conversations and helps us to view it through an attachment lens. 22 young people successfully participated in this course where they were supported through a 2/3-day intensive training programmes with Modern Apprentice Youth Worker group and young people. This raises awareness of mental health and includes suicide prevention information and supports. These young people, in turn, progress to become Mental Health Ambassadors to deliver mental health and wellbeing through a peer support model. This creates pathways and opportunities for young people. Health and Wellbeing We will continue to development our LGBT specific work across localities and to gain the LGBT Charter Mark. We will develop and deliver issue-based resources, projects, and programmes on health, including alcohol and drugs, health and wellbeing, suicide prevention and promote positive wellbeing tools and resources. Young people took part in a 3- day intensive mental health training course – Be Inn Unity, which was accredited. These young people became mental health community ambassadors participating in the delivery of 2022 summer programme across schools and communities. The service progressed towards LGBT Silver Charter award including developing portfolio of evidence. This included working in partnership with Choose Life to develop practitioners support pack for suicide and bereavement. As mentioned previously the service is in the process of developing Scotland’s first LGBT Duke of Edinburgh group. In partnership with HSCP colleagues, the CLD team supported young people to contribute to the HSCP engagement plan and have further contributed to a Wellbeing Instagram page which has been set up North Ayrshire wide, called the NA Daily Positive. Targeted to the Largs area and in partnership with CAMHS, the CLD team consulted with young people to become CAMHS allies. 30 young people have supported this written a poem to promote health and wellbeing in the Largs area over 3 engagements. The service participated in the Largs Wellness Model and were part of working groups to shape its development. 15 young people from West Kilbride Youth Club created a magazine which has signposts for mental health awareness.
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5 The Kilwinning and North Coast LGBT groups gained momentum and have a strong and active membership. The young people have a weekly mental health check in, a worry box and receive targeted health and wellbeing inputs. KA Leisure held a series of Health and Wellbeing activities in their Bridgegate Hub throughout the week beginning 21st March. The Irvine Locality Team provided info stalls on Tuesday 22nd and Thursday 24th March. The CLD team and MAs also facilitated activities for young people on Saturday 26th March. As part of Mental Health Awareness Week Monday 9th - Sunday 15th May, the CLD team assisted with the organisation of two events in Irvine. One event was held at the Portal on Wednesday 11th May and the other on Saturday 14th May in Springside Community Centre. Both events featured various info stalls and family activities. The event at Springside also featured Green Health activities were provided by David Meechan (TCV – The Conservation Volunteers); leisure, fitness and stress management activities with KA Leisure; a community theatre show, and stress management activities on the Mobile Youth Centre. 75 people were engaged with across the two events. Youth groups engaged with around 113 individual young people across Irvine. These groups provide a safe space for young people to meet, off the streets and out of danger with their peers. Community mapping work pulled together mental health and wellbeing groups, supports and resources available for the public within Irvine, Kilwinning, 3 Towns, Garnock Valley and North Coast. Work is on-going on an Arran locality community map and engagement sessions have taken place. All other mapping is live and can be found at https://www.north- ayrshire.gov.uk/your-community/community-mapping-mhwb-young-people.aspx. ‘Train the Trainer’ training for ‘Your Resilience’ was completed in order to deliver this programme to children ages 14-18 within schools or groups. The MH Project (mental health) officers delivered Your Resilience training, supporting youth provisions, and developing and launching the North Ayrshire mental health campaign ‘Take Time’.
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6 A blended employability programme incorporating mental health and wellbeing, took place in Kilwinning Academy and Irvine Royal. The Health and Wellbeing Roadshow took place across North Ayrshire to promote aspects of wellbeing and ongoing support to take forward into transitional periods of young people's lives. 123 young people were engaged with in this programme. Youth Fest 2022 took place in August 2022 and adopted a health and wellbeing retreat style. Over 170 young people participated. Improvement steps for mentoring has resulted in 1:1 being established for young people, who require that additional focused time out approach. Young Peoples' Voice and Rights Ensuring young people have structures in place to use their voice through our Youth Participation and Citizenship Strategy. Strengthening the voice of seldom heard young people with focused work with Care Experienced young people, Gypsy Travellers, Young Carers and New Scots. In partnership with young people, Young Scot, and schools, the CLD team delivered the 21/22 round of youth PB. 4726 young people voted, making 14,178 choices on projects they wished to support. 96 groups secured funding, based on priorities identified by young people. The CLD team organised one Joint Cabinet and the MSYP elections, as well as delivering and participating in 4 events with the Care Experienced Champion’s Board. 3 New Scots young people have joined the Garnock Valley Youth Forum. 2 young people from the North Coast worked with the Largs Community Council on projects affecting them and join the Community Council meetings when possible. This totals 24 engagements. They also report back to the North Coast and Cumbrae Locality Partnership every quarter. Young people have recently contributed to the Largs, Kilwinning & Saltcoats Place Frameworks consultation. Young people from the North Coast LGBT Forum have been working closely with other local authorities to look at supporting a pan-Ayrshire LGBT event.
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7 All Youth Forums created and delivered a workshop at the Youth Festival, promoting their work. The CLD team worked in partnership with Education to create the North Ayrshire wide Cost of the School Day Conference for young people to provide an opportunity to engage directly in policy development and influence spend. Young people from primaries and secondaries participated in 4 interactive workshop which in turn created feedback and data that will form the North Ayrshire Cost of the School Day Action Plan and updated Cabinet Report. The Climate Change Ambassador programme continued with young people from across North Ayrshire who created events, information, resources, and activities for young people in North Ayrshire around the climate emergency. These young people contributed to the North Ayrshire Steering group to represent the views of young people. Joint Youth Forum brought together all the Youth Forums and representative groups. They met quarterly to share work, create North Ayrshire wide initiatives. This group led on the creation of North Ayrshire Youth Fest. North Ayrshire MSYPs continue to represent the views of their constituents with the support of the youth work team. These 4 young people are engaged in national and local work and are embedded in locality work, work with partners and various other projects. Climate Change North Ayrshire, as a Child Centred Council, is committed to ensuring that young people are involved and engaged at all stages of our Climate Change journey. Ensuring a UNCRC Rights based approach is co-produced and co- delivered with our young The CLD team supported the young Climate Change Ambassadors to engage with the wider Council, and create events and activities for young people to take part in. They followed the North Ayrshire’s Youth Participation and Engagement Strategy Climate Change Plan on a Page delivering a variety of training and taking a green approach to their wider activities. Young people decided to develop the Garnock Valley Once Loved Uniform Shop. Plans are underway to pilot a remakery in Kilbirnie Library. One of the priority themes in the 22/23 round of Youth PB was agreed to be Climate Challenge.
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8 people As part of Youth Fest 170 young people engaged in a Climate Change workshop. They created bee bombs which were dispersed around Kelburn to create wildflower areas to promote increased pollinators. Beach cleans took place with young people leading these as part of the Climate Change Ambassador programme. 30 staff members and MA’s attended STEM training where they learned to use new activities and resources to raise awareness of and demonstrate the effects of Climate Change. Each young person at Youth Fest took part in the STEM/Green Jobs Workshop. CLD staff highlighted the importance of sustainable industries and discussed the small changes that people can make in every area of study/work to improve their own carbon footprint. Youth Fest included experiments to show impacts of elements combining – in order to give a visual, tangible example of how individual actions can change the environment. The NC Youth Forum worked with Streetscene and Largs Community Council to raise awareness to their peers on a Largs Litter campaign. In the first stage of campaign, posters have been printed and placed around the town of Largs. This resulted in 10 young people and 4 engagements. West Kilbride Youth Group worked with Eglinton Park’s Countryside Rangers and explored how to become eco warriors. Digital connectivity We will work with partners to ensure that young people can get access to devices and connections to connect digitally to services and peers. 10 Young People from the North Coast youth Forum started building a website and received training in website designed. A short film was made with Ayrshire Film Company with around 15 young people from the Redburn Girls Group and P7 Group to show the positive and negative impact Tik Tok has on young people. The CLD team has embarked on developing a pilot with Education Scotland called Cyber
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9 We will ensure that young people are equipped in digital literacies. We will provide training and information for young people enabling them to be digitally secure and resilient. Resilience. All of the North Ayrshire CLD team’s MAs have been trained to carry this out with communities/ young people to make them Cyber Resilience Volunteers – this can also be done through schools. The MA’s started developing a consultation to gather information regarding training needs in relation to cyber resilience and the devices young people are using. Locality staff planned training to support MA’s delivery within locality youth provision. Worked commenced with HSCP colleagues to develop bespoke in training residential care workers in the CRIS (Cyber Resilience Internet Safety) resource to deliver in children's houses. This was part of the CPPP Learning and Development subgroup action plan. The CLD team, as part of North Ayrshire Employability service, provided access to laptops, iPads, and Wi-Fi in a box for anyone who made need these as part of their employability journey. Young people kept these digital tools with them as they progressed through to their positive destination, such as courses and programmes. This allowed them to have the ability to maintain their CV as they completed these programmes. The CLD team worked with Education Scotland and Young Scot on the second Young Scot DigiKnow? Programme pilot. This will support local community ambassadors (MAs) to support delivering the DigiKnow? Champions Award. Poverty and Inequality Through our Cost of the School Day work, we will work on ensuring equity of opportunities and activities across schools and community. We will continue to provide food with dignity through our activities, events, holiday programmes and The CLD team worked in partnership with Education to create the North Ayrshire wide Cost of the School Day Conference for young people to provide an opportunity to engage directly in policy development and influence spend. Young people from primaries and secondaries participated in 4 interactive workshop which in turn created feedback and data that will form the North Ayrshire Cost of the School Day Action Plan and updated Cabinet Report. Over 300 children and young people took part in Cost of the School Day work. The Cost of the School Day work continued with the CLD team working on ensuring equity of opportunities and activities across schools and community. The CLD team provided food with dignity through their activities, events, holiday programmes and weekend and evening activities. This included weekend breakfast clubs The North Ayrshire Youth Fest gave young people 2 days and overnight programme of
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10 weekend and evening provisions. activities and fun with all expenses, including food.170 young people participated in this. Families were supported by the CLD team through breakfast provision during the school term. Long-life breakfast items (cereal bars and fruit juice cartons) were distributed across the Fairer Food Network in April 2022. Each Fairer Food location received approximately 3 months’ supply of the items for around 890 children whose families are members of the Fairer Food Network across North Ayrshire. Summer Programmes delivered across North Ayrshire, in parentship with Community partners and HSCP colleagues. All programmes were free at the point of entry and food was provided to all. Holiday meals and activity programmes took part across 20 sites with a combination of staff and partner delivery, including paternal and carer engagement which has resulted in an increase in volunteer requests. Full evaluation will take place in September. The summer roadshows took place throughout the North Coast engaging with over 600 young people. A special ASN Family fun day was organised by the CLD team. This was a free event for young people with additional support needs and their families to network and connect with in- house ASN staff. This provided a networking opportunity for the ASN Parents’ Support Group. Irvine Youth Forum’s breakfast club was supported by the CLD team every second Saturday and every Saturday throughout the summer holidays from 10am - 12pm. On average, the breakfast club provided 60 hot rolls, cooked breakfasts, cereals, yoghurts, and drinks to people in need. The breakfast club provided both a physical and social lifeline to around 50 individuals and families from the Castlepark area. Partner agencies such as the Lennox Partnership hosted sessions as part of sessions within the locality hubs and a number of families benefited from accessing food vouchers, mental health services and providing practical goods such as a replacement washing machine for one family. Support was given to Castlepark Primary to host several breakfast clubs and pop-up uniform shops during the holidays where families could come along to Redburn Centre and get
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11 breakfast and pick up free school uniforms which had been donated, helping with the overall cost of the school day.
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12 Key Priority Action Plan Update Capacity Building Food Insecurities To continue to develop our food with dignity approach to food poverty/insecurity – working in partnership with communities, to expand food pantries, larders, and community fridges. The Fairer Food Network continued to grow, with 13 locations open as of August 2022 with one more to open later in the year. The network provided upwards of 550 appointments per week. A group buying pilot commenced to test achieving an economy of scale and the first phase has seen all Fairer Food locations being able to offer fresh fruit and vegetables sourced from Ayrshire businesses. The larders at Woodwynd, Dalry and Bridgend have now completed the installation of their standalone larder spaces, freeing up letting space within their centres. This is necessary to provide sustainable centres. Largs Community Council secured £3,000 from the Co-op’s ‘Access to Food’ grant and have been match-funded with Stakis. This provided support to the pantries and foodbanks that are in place and will provide additional cooking classes to provide low-cost nutritious meals. Largs CC partnered with KA Leisure, Morrisons and the North Coast Community Cookhouse to provide free lunches at a Summer Fun Day for up to 100 young people. Work started in Partnership with Corra Foundation, TACT and Community Volunteers, to create a Food with Dignity Cooking Class within Kilwinning. Kilwinning Best Bites aimed to develop a learning environment where the food from local Larders (food cupboard staples and proteins) was cooked into nutritious meals. The Farm Basket Food Larder at Towerlands Community Centre exemplifies the developments which took place within larders. 91 members registered for the service, which took place last year on Wednesday 4pm-7pm and Friday 2pm-5pm. BABCA started the process of completing their RFS1 Community Asset Transfer Application for spare ground behind the centre to develop a community garden to grow produce for the Farm Basket. The Community Association recently moved on to developing their business plan and community engagement process. Choices Community Matters larder, which is a partnership between Fullarton CA and Vineburgh CA, registered 334 members. The larder volunteers sign posted individuals and families onto other services such as Money Matters, Community Link Workers, and the Employability and Skills service. The person-centred approach helped clients to overcome any issues they might identify. Choices Community Matters was successful with their North Ayrshire Ventures Trust bid of
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13 £30,000 this has allowed them to employ administrative support for the project. Support was also being given to Springside CA to establishment of community food larder. This larder is aiming to open larder in September 2022. Two new Community Food Larders were opened in the Garnock Valley, bringing the Locality total to three. Café Solace Kilbirnie and the George Steven Centre continued to offer low cost and nutritious food for families in the Garnock Valley. The Garnock Valley Food Network is due to resume meetings after a summer 2022 break. Café Solace Kilbirnie has been successful in securing match funding towards a Food Development Worker. Recruitment will be taking place soon. Other developments included the launch of a Google map on the Council website and Library app of the larders. The CLD Community Economic Development Officer and Fair For All Officer worked with he Community Wealth Building team to secure 4 community benefits which provide food directly to the larder network, as part of wider Council contracts. Participation and Democracy To extend our participatory approaches, offering communities more opportunities to lead in local decision making, including grant making (youth and locality) and mainstreaming PB. To build on the projects funded via the devolved Community Investment Fund The 6 Locality Partnerships established PB steering groups and delivered the 21/22 round of Locality and Arts and Culture PB. 154 groups secured funding to address locality priorities. This was allocated across Youth PB - £97,500 Locality PB - £154,609 Arts and Culture - £9408 and totalled £261, 517. Youth PB 2022 opened recently and will be reported on in the next reporting period. The COSLA annual return was completed and NAC exceeded the 1% target. Public decision- making was recorded for £7,012,787 or 2.32% of the Council budget in 2021/22. Two rounds of Council training on mainstream participatory budgeting took place. Discussions took place with a number of depts regarding extending PB approaches, including Active Travel Team and Roads. Largs CC, West Kilbride CC, West Kilbride CA, Fairlie CC and Fairlie CA were supported by the CLD team to widen decision making in their local communities and provided with capacity
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14 building support. 50 people over 30 engagements over 6 months. The CLD team worked with the Locality Partnerships and their subgroups to look at Community Investment Fund projects and applications ensuring that appropriate people are round the table and working in line with participation by experience, where possible. Community Councils and Community Associations were supported by the service throughout North Ayrshire with decision making in relation to their communities. The CLD team also helped them look for ways to engage with their communities and offer activities that are open and inclusive to all. The Garnock Valley Youth Forum continued to provide a platform for young people in the locality to lead in local decision making. The GV Forum were involved in the decision making of the Locality and Youth PB. All Community Councils played an active and integral role in the Locality Partnerships and various working groups. In the Garnock Valley work commenced to explore opportunities to lead on the development of Local Place Plans and Regeneration Place Frameworks. The CLD team supported all Community Councils and community representatives with training and solving local problems. The Statement of Intent to develop a community Participation Strategy was approved by Cabinet in February 2022 and work began on engagement about the Strategy. Community Asset Transfer To support community organisations and groups seeking to secure local management/control of community assets, through lease, ownership, or management. Three organisations received Cabinet Approval for CAT’s – Raise Your Voice Ardeer, Pirnmill Village Hall and Irvine Tennis Club. Funding was secured for a community education worker post to support CAT, with a focus on Community Association support and an operational budget has been made available, from a CAT Start up Fund of £1million, to assist with removing barriers to transfer completion. This has covered legal fees, essential technical reports, minor adaptations, and match funding. A second temporary post was created, to be based with The Ayrshire Community Trust, to
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15 strengthen community capacity to take on assets. This post was filled recently, and a work- plan is being developed. The postholder will work closely with CLD Staff on key priority areas, In addition, 18 other groups were supported by the CLD team, at different stages of the CAT process. This included supporting Kilwinning Community Football Academy as they secured ownership of Almswall Park (football pitch and pavilion) and initiated improvement work. Douglas Park Nursery received advice regarding their asset transfer process, as did Dalry Community Sports Club. Thee Cumbrae toilets CAT moved to the final stages of the CAT process, securing ownership of 3 public toilet facilities in Cumbrae. The Simson/Crauford Avenue Swing Park in West Kilbride entered early stages of CAT process and liaised with community groups, housing, Streetscene, legal and elected members on this project. The Community Asset Transfer paperwork has all been reviewed and updated and will be uploaded onto the CAT webpage. Community Leadership To support volunteers, individuals, and community groups, to develop the required skills and knowledge to achieve their ambitions, through opportunities co- produced and offered thorough our ‘Leadership Collective’ The CBAL (Community Based Adult Learning) investment plan was created and £50 000 allocated through a grant process to community groups to deliver range of Adult Learning Programmes. 28 local groups and organisations were supported to deliver a wide range of provision including literacy, numeracy, wellbeing, and core skills, free at the point of use. Groups and organisations offered specialist and targeted training based on the needs of their client’s groups and local communities. This has enabled a number of individuals to reengage in learning for a range of reasons but none more so than COVID-19. A wide range of courses/opportunities was promoted/delivered via the Leadership Collective partners including the popular Grant Funding Awareness/Training Sessions: 23/4/22 – Joint Youth Forum Funding Workshop 28/4/22 – TACT Funding Workshop 23/5/22 – Saltcoats Place Frameworks Future Funding Workshop 9/6/22- KA Leisure Sports Funding Surgery, Irvine 23/6/22 – KA leisure Sports Funding Surgery, Saltcoats West Kilbride Community Association asked for a few community workshops including
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16 Naloxone training, Covid Cash Recovery Workshop and Building Your Wellbeing and Self- Esteem Workshop to be delivered in September 2022. Uptake on opportunities was low in comparison to previous years and this is part of the Covid impact on communities. Once the summer programme is completed, the CLD team plans to promote opportunities further and enhance engagement. 4 people from Irvine have been given REHIS (environmental health) training through the Community Leadership Collective. Participation Requests To continue to raise awareness and provide support with Participation Requests to complement and improve our local range of participation processes rather than replace them. One Participation Request was received by the Regeneration team. The guidance and support was updated on the Community Planning Partnership website. The CLD team contributed to Scottish government workshops on the review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland0 Act 2015 in relation to an appeals process for Participation Requests. Community Engagement To continue to develop and enhance opportunities for community engagement/involvemen t, through the development The Community Engagement Resources toolkit was launched via the Community Engagement Network. Locality Partnerships and Working Groups were promoted at local events, including promoting vacancies on the Locality Partnerships. Work continued on the Engagement Toolkit, Engagement Champions, Youth and Community Participation and Citizenship Strategies, and Older Peoples Voice through the Community Engagement Network and CLD team. A Skelmorlie Community engagement event was held at the end of March on the Locality Priorities. The Kilwinning Elderly Forum was helped to re-establish post-Covid. Place Framework engagement events took place in Largs, Kilwinning & Saltcoats. A report will
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17 be compiled once completed. Examples of community consultation included: • The Bourtreehill Park Green Health Activities Action Plan 2022 in which support was provided to The Conservation Volunteers in undertaking a community consultation on Bourtreehill Park regarding the use and various green health activities taking place. The consultation was completed on Friday 5th March, with 44 online responses received. • The Irvine Harbourside consultation recorded 50 people at the Beach Park and in Eglinton Park around proposed development of the harbourside at Irvine. • 30 people took part in a public engagement event run by KA Leisure, assisted by the CLD team. • Engagement took place at locality community events over summer 2022 including Kilbirnie Ambulance Open Day, Youth Fest and Garnock Valley Carves. The Summer Programme saw over 700 local people attend 4 events at Dalry, Kilbirnie, Beith and Lochshore. Weekly wellbeing drop-ins were planned and are now being delivered in the Garnock Valley in partnership with NAHSCP and 3rd sector partners. Networking and Funding To provide capacity building support to key community anchor organisations. We will support communities to achieve what is important to them through strong local networks. Support groups to generate sustainable income, through successful grant funding applications. The Ayrshire Community Trust were funded to support at £20 000 mentoring programme to build capacity. The CLD team’s Funding Officer continued to support funding enquiries from community groups and support the distribution of Elderly Grants and local funds as well as the PB process. 8 community benefits were secured (April-July 2022 period) including financial and materials donations, in addition to voluntary time from contractors to groups. The North Coast Locality Network hosted a networking meeting with 20 partners to strengthen the work that the CLD team is delivering across the North Coast. Dementia Friendly Largs and North Coast groups were supported with access to funding. Dementia Friendly Largs has secured various funding opportunities through local partners and North Ayrshire council to provide training and provision of resources for those living with dementia.
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18 Support to groups across Irvine continued with sourcing and applying for funding opportunities such as PB for youth groups. In the Garnock Valley local groups were assisted with their funding bids including Beith Playpark Action Group, Garnock Valley Café Solace and Beith Trust. Funding updates were circulated which highlighted opportunities to groups, and these were promoted by email, face to face and on social media platforms.
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19 Key Priority Action Plan Update Adult Learning Core Skills To work with our partners and organisations in localities to ensure Adult Literacy, Numeracy and Core Skills support given is learner centred, using a collaborative approach to develop staff, volunteers, and programmes to best support learners. North Ayrshire Council CLD staff and TSI staff worked closely with a third sector provider who has the responsibility for organising and facilitating an Adult Learners Network. The Network ensured that there were sufficient opportunities available for adults to learn, achieve and progress through their learning journey. This went from strength to strength, building on the needs of learners and ensuring an adequate voice for all. The CLD team submitted a bid through UK Share Prosperity Fund – Multiply Project, working collaboratively to enable, encourage, and enhance participation in numeracy and financial literacies. This aims to provide new opportunities in 2022/25 and be responsive to the needs of learners and effective in use of additional resources to meet those needs Community Development Tutors received additional training to deliver literacy support and enhance life skills with individuals who have additional support needs. Friends of North Ayrshire met weekly to have literacy input and participate in activities such as cooking, music lessons, Filming and drama and financial literacies. A total of 205 engagements took place. An Employability Hub was planned at Largs Library providing literacy and numeracy skills workshops. New Scots To support our New Scots to become active members of our community, building social relationships. Be an active partner to improve participation and deliver ESOL activities and learning. The numbers of New Scots being supported in North Ayrshire through the Ukrainian crisis has meant a rapid increase in ESOL provision in the community with intensive English support being delivered. The CLD ESOL team has introduced conversation cafes in each locality to try and support language acquisition and bring together all New Scots. A weekly drop-in collaboration with the Spike Wheat Scots community group assisted New Scots in North Ayrshire with any concerns or issues accessing services and support that they have. The Ayrshire Community Trust and the CLD ESOL team worked on a short-term fund to support groups working with New Scots in North Ayrshire. The fund will support organisations
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20 addressing the following priority areas: • Continue to support a service/activity which has been set up specifically to support resettlement of New Scots in North Ayrshire; • Support a new service due to the effects of New Scots having to resettle in North Ayrshire; and • Support groups and organisations to help New Scots financial wellbeing. The CLD ESOL team worked with Community Facilities and Ukrainian Guests to identify a building where donations and resources could be stored and distributed from. New Scots joined the Garnock Valley Youth Forum and the Kilbirnie & Glengarnock Community Council. The CLD ESOL team delivered national workshops on the North Ayrshire Council model of working. North Ayrshire’s first constituted New Scots group, Spike Wheat Scots community group, secured £11,500 to develop activities. Community Based Adult Learning (CBAL) To continue to provide opportunities, in partnership with learners, to participate in community-based adult learning including activities that promote health and wellbeing and tackle isolation. 3182 adults engaged in CBAL activity with locality and thematic teams in 2021/22. Activities delivered and supported included the Men's Shed, adult literacy/numeracy support, mental health support groups, walking groups, cooking groups, community- based organisation boards/committees, New Scots woman’s and men's group, ESOL delivery, Community Councils, Community Associations, groups to support the voice of older people, the John Muir award, Gaelic, Garnock Valley employability, Velotech (bronze and silver), Place’s Woodland group and the Garnock Valley Modellers group. The Me and My Wellbeing Group met every Wednesday, looking at techniques and exercises to manage anxiety and confidence. This Group is seeking to create a network of support with similar groups. It totalled 120 engagements.
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21 Stroll with It Kilwinning walking group attracted 6 members weekly. This is a community group with the purpose of connecting with the outdoors, getting active and meeting likeminded. This included 130 engagements. A full adult education programme continued to be delivered by West Kilbride Adult Education Committee. Digital literacy to elderly community members was facilitated within Skelmorlie, working with colleagues to develop relevant interactive programme. This contributed to ensuring elderly community members of Skelmorlie feel connected to the rest of North Ayrshire. Skills for Work To work with partners and organisations to deliver employability support. Provide opportunities to learn for work to achieve stronger employability outcomes for learners Employability Hubs re-opened across localities and Job Clubs were delivered through the CLD team in some localities. The Multiply Project application was made to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund This will provide additional resources in 2022/25 for courses aimed at people who can’t apply for certain jobs because of lack of numeracy skills and/or to encourage people to upskill in order to access a certain job/career. 1-1 literacy and numeracy support were offered by Literacy Worker at Redburn Community Hub and via online through zoom. 16 learners were supported and continued to attend weekly sessions until the summer break 2022. Referrals came from CEIS- Employability Pipeline, Community Link Workers, and self-referral. Weekly Job Clubs ran in Beith and Dalry, which supported people seeking employment. Bronze and Silver Velotech courses were delivered in partnership with Employability and Skills in the Garnock Valley. Digital Learning To provide digital learning and digital literacy support to help communities to develop digital skills and confidence. Funding was allocated via Community Based Adult Learning (CBAL) which encouraged and supported people with digital learning opportunities and supported access the Cyber Resilience Project, ensuring individuals can get online and be digitally secure and resilient whilst enjoying the opportunities offered by digital technology. Learners increased access and the ability to get online whilst remaining safe
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22 Encouraging and supporting people to get online and enjoy the opportunities offered by digital technology A Weekly Digi Need session was created. This is a drop-in session intended for anyone to come along and receive support with digital devices. Digital literacy to elderly community members was facilitated within Skelmorlie. A 7-session Introduction to Computing Course for beginners was delivered in Redburn Hub IT Suite, which ran from the 10th of May – 28th of June with 8 learners attending. The course teaches the basics of computer, email, internet, and Microsoft software. In partnership with Digital Learning Officer and M Power, the CLD team developed workshops which will be delivered alongside Our Community Space, a Community Link Worker initiative, in Beith, Dalry and Kilbirnie. The CLD team supported Community Associations to develop their digital skills and resources, in partnership with Digital Learning Officer. This helps support volunteers to feel confident in their role in Community Associations. Training Work with partners to train staff, volunteers, and community groups to deliver community- based adult learning opportunities In the last quarter 3182 adults have engaged in Community Based Adult Learning (CBAL) activity with locality and thematic teams. The Leadership Collective, which represents partners from the Third Sector Interface, Green Health Partnership, NHS and HSCP met regularly to coordinate the development and promotion of a wide range of training opportunities across North Ayrshire. These are promoted to the community through the Leadership Collective brochure. Take up of places in the past 6 months has been lower than anticipated, so the group are now reviewing the approach going forward. This will include developing a hybrid approach to delivery of future courses/sessions based on needs of community groups and organisations. In this reporting period a substantial amount of work was undertaken to address the ‘unmet need’ work of with older people, and the action of “Creating an engagement and participation structure for older people”. A post was created to specifically to address this unmet need has resulted in the identification of the following actions:
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23 • Completion of mapping exercise of current provision, gaps, issues, and possible steps forward in relation to older people’s voices being heard through a participation and engagement structure. The key issues identified by the engagement with all active Older Peoples’ Forums have been social isolation, cost of living, mental health, transport/accessibility, the challenges of recruiting new members. These issues will inform an action plan of the level of support for each forum, linking with locality Teams. • Three locality-based consultations took place in two parts (library for community and at the hubs for residents) due to the Covid restrictions in place at the time. • A fourth consultation took place on at Cumbrae Gardens, Largs, which included both residents and the community. The aim of the consultations was to inform residents and community members of the evolving programme plan of activities for the Engagement Hub. The findings of this consultation informed the now-established programme with the Engagement Hubs. There are now 21 activities weekly taking place across three sites.
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September 2021-2024 North Ayrshire Council's Strategic Community Learning & Development Plan
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Index Foreword Introduction Community Engagement Community Wealth Building Youth Work Community Capacity Building and Community Development Adult Learning 1. 2. 3. Impact of Covid-19 on CLD in the Communities of North Ayrshire 4. Creating the Plan 5. Policy Context 6. Health and Wellbeing 7. Inequality and targeting resources: North Ayrshire Landscape 8. Digital Participation 9. Workforce Development 10. Governance 11. The North Ayrshire CLD Plan 12. Unmet need within North Ayrshire Community 13. Action Plan 14. Conclusion 15. Appendices (Documents and Policies)
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Foreword I am delighted to present the North Ayrshire’s Strategic Community Learning and Development Plan 2021- 2024, which builds upon the refreshed plan 2018-2021. The previous plan made the commitments to ensure that learners and participants voices were central to the CLD planning process. This commitment has been realised in this plan which is evident in the approach to its development. Built upon the principles of co-production, we as a council, have emphasised on the customer to citizen journey and our Child Centred Council culture. CLD services and approaches have never been so evident across council services and partnerships. The CLD approach led the way in terms of our response to the pandemic; with the establishment of community and locality hubs supporting local people to response to their communities needs. Recruiting and supporting volunteers, ensuring communities had access to essentials, such as food and medicine, and access to specialist services. The CLD offer in North Ayrshire quickly adapted to a delivering services through a digital platform and led the way in terms of creating Virtual Community Centres. The learning from the response has informed in this plan and our services as we move forward. I would like to personally thank all the learners, including young people and the partners, for their support and influence in shaping this Strategic Plan and for your commitment to ensuring communities have access to CLD services that they need, supporting us to be able to identify the gaps. As we move forward, we know that targeting resources where they are most needed is an important part of equitable planning, and here in North Ayrshire, we know that this vital planning is based on the lived experience of our communities.
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In June 2012, the Scottish Government issued Strategic Guidance for Community Planning Partnerships on the provision of CLD services. This guidance was followed by the CLD Regulations (Scotland) in 2013, which placed a legislative duty upon Local Authorities to put in place a 3-year Strategic CLD plan. The Government introduced further legislation in 2015 in the form of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act, designed to give greater powers to local communities and by December 2016, new guidance was published as part of the Act which placed Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) on a statutory footing and imposed a duty on them for the delivery of a local outcomes improvement plan (LOIP), with the involvement of community bodies at all stages of community planning. This plan will build on the previously refreshed plan of 2018-2021, it is informed by the learning from COVID 19 pandemic in terms of response and needs. It has been developed in line with the Education Scotland guidance and the continued engagement and professional guidance from Community Learning Development Managers Scotland. Throughout the plan we have identified the key themes and have made commitments to the communities of North Ayrshire, commitments that will be realised throughout the life of the plan with recognition that the levels of delivery will differ from year 1 to year 2 and 3. We make the commitment that communities of North Ayrshire, communities of place and communities of interest, will have access to the CLD support they need, We have identified through consultation and engagement with our communities where needs have not been met and they have been included in the action plan, with a clear focus of action to close the gap between needs and delivery. This plan has been developed in a co-production approach which is evident and detailed in our process section. The voice, experience and aspiration of communities, partners and staff is the scaffold on which this plan has been built. Throughout the plan we will use the terms learners and communities, these terms are all encompassing and reflect all of our citizens of North Ayrshire. Introduction
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Impact of Covid-19 on CLD in the Communities of North Ayrshire In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way that CLD services were delivered and how the vital support to our communities had to change overnight. CLD staff and services were no longer responding to learning and development needs, rather the staff and partners were the agents of essential support in term of access to food and access to vital services. The CLD approach of whole systems thinking informed and drove the Community Hub resilience model across all localities. The leadership qualities of the CLD workforce, with their levels of community understanding and networks ensured within one week of lockdown hubs were established, providing vital emergency support. 90 716 requests for hot food 111 641 food deliveries made 14 297 prescriptions delivered 22 248 requests for help with social isolation 1 489 requests for help with period poverty 20 887 requests for advice
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In February 2021 at all six Locality Planning Partnerships, the requirements for CLD Strategic Plan were presented and the draft proposal of creating the Strategic Plan were shared, including the draft stakeholder mapping. The feedback from the presentations, informed and formalised the process for developing the plan, with the following agreements and actions: Creating the Plan Workshops for all partners to be developed in partnership with Education Scotland. Creation of stakeholders reference group to create engagement plans for learners. Consultation and focus groups identified. Advisory and writing group to be established. Creation of public consultation to be created utilising Consul and hosted on the Community Planning Partnership site. Development of an animation to support consultation Engagement with Public Health colleagues to support a Health Equality impact Assessment. Workforce survey. Identify case studies and impact assessments. Use of plain English Equality Impact Assessment Summary of plan On the 28th of April 2021, a joint workshop with Education Scotland was hosted for partners, colleagues, volunteers and staff. With the result of jointly agreeing the priorities, themes and commitment which informed the plan. Involving our learners and the community of North Ayrshire was a key focus of the development of the plan, with our stakeholders’ reference group, we developed the questions and workshop plan for this involvement. An agreement was made for both a targeted and universal approach to this, which included a workshops and engagement with targeted learners who were engaged in Youth Work, Adult Learners and Community Capacity across the six localities of North Ayrshire. This included the Adult Learners Voice Forum and the Youth Participation Engagement Structure. In terms of universal consultation, we utilised the Consul platform as a digital engagement tool. The results of both the targeted and universal consultation enabled the identification of gaps and feedback on the priorities which ultimately informed the plan. Examples of questionaries and workshop plan are included in the appendices including the link to the animation.
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It forms a framework that provides the basis for community engagement strategies to be planned and carried out by partners. It is underpinned by easy to use templates that will support those carrying out any engagement with communities. Reflects the National Standards for Community Engagement. CLD staff and partners are committed to ensuring the quality of community engagement and with ever increasing demand for services to be delivered and developed in partnership and informed by the community. A range of partners and learners came together to provide a suite of resource to support the quality of the engagement and the Community Engagement Toolkit/ Hub was created. The North Ayrshire Community Engagement Toolkit/ hub aims to support and promote effective community engagement practice carried out across North Ayrshire by the Community Planning Partnership (CPP), the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), and their respective Locality Partnerships and Locality Forums. In North Ayrshire, the approach that has been developed is the "co-define, co-design and co-deliver" model. This has been established in partnership with the Consultation Institute. The Community Engagement Network (CEN) is hosted by North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership and meets quarterly. It is the community engagement reference group for this toolkit/ hub, support and development forum for the Engagement Champions and a networking opportunity for all partners involved in community engagement. Engagement Champions are representative from all partners/departments/ organisations. They must embrace and reflect the National Standards of Community Engagement and be an active participation within the Community Engagement Network meetings/ developments. Community Engagement
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The North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership Vision is that "Every person in North Ayrshire is valued and should have the best opportunities to live their life to their full potential". To achieve this we need to make sure that life is “Fair for All” in North Ayrshire and our Fair for All Strategy promotes equity as its primary objective. Our Local Outcomes Improvement Plan explains how public bodies work in North Ayrshire with communities across four priority areas: A Working North Ayrshire A Healthier North Ayrshire A Safer North Ayrshire A Thriving North Ayrshire - Children and Young People Policy Context We have two cross cutting themes which influence our approach to these priorities: Building stronger communities – by this we mean enabling communities to increase control over their lives, being supported to do things for themselves and having their voices heard in the planning and delivery of services. Prevention – by this we mean tackling issues early to stop things from happening in the first place or from getting worse. This is supported by thematic and partner plans, including the North Ayrshire Council Plan 2019-24.
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This plan draws from and links to a wide range of national and local policies and plans, some of the key ones are detailed below. NATIONAL REGIONAL NORTH AYRSHIRE Local Outcomes Improvement Plan 2017-22 North Ayrshire Council Plan 2019-2024 Fair for All Strategy North Ayrshire Child Poverty Action Plan Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 Ayrshire Growth Deal Community Wealth Building Youth Participation and Citizenship Strategy 2021-24 Locality Partnership Plans Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013 Adult Learning in Scotland The Statement of Ambition for Adult Learning 2014 LOCALITY Childrens Services Strategic Plan Welcoming our Learners: Scotland's ESOL Strategy 2015 - 2020 Strategic Guidance for CPPs: Community Learning and Development 2012 Adult Literacies in Scotland 2020
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Community Wealth Building North Ayrshire Council is the first Community Wealth Building Council in Scotland. The launch of our Community Wealth Building Strategy in 2020 supports our ambition of a North Ayrshire that is Fair for All by “enhancing local wealth and the creation of fair jobs, and maximising the potential of all our places through working in partnership with our communities and businesses." Community Wealth Building is an approach to economic development that recognises the power that the Council and other major public sector organisations, such as the NHS and higher education institutions, have to spend their money in a way that builds strong and resilient local economies. This includes building the capacity of local businesses to bid and win public sector procurement contracts; paying the Real Living Wage in jobs that have meaningful progression; supporting businesses to diversify their business models (encouraging social enterprise, employee ownership and cooperative development); and making alternative use of land and other assets that can provide greater benefit to local people under new ownership. Key to the success of this approach is a strong relationship with our communities, who stand to gain the most from a strengthened, local, and inclusive economy that puts the people of North Ayrshire at its centre.
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Working in partnership with our communities in all we do, being led by their aspirations, concerns, and ideas. We will raise their voices to our decision makers through Locality Planning Partnerships, meaningful stakeholder engagement and consultation, and joint community/Council working groups such as the North Ayrshire Fairer Food Network, ensuring that communities remain at the heart of North Ayrshire Council’s Community Wealth Building Strategy. Continuing to develop sustainable, dignified food systems that are locally sourced, offer good value for money and are led by our communities’ needs. We will work with our food providers to identify ways to work with local businesses, reduce food miles and supply our larders, pantries and community fridges with good quality food whilst building food knowledge and connections to complementary services for local people. Transforming community interaction with Council procurement process through improved delivery of Community Benefits. The launch of a new process and public portal for communities and Third Sector organisations to share their requests for support will increase the transparency of this element of public sector procurement, and ensure that communities are able to ask for the resources and help they need to sustain their projects. Community Wealth Building Key Priorities
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Health and Wellbeing CLD adopts an asset based approach across all service delivery and engagement, which is important when we focus on health and wellbeing, with the desired outcome of improved health and greater resilience. Relationships with self and others are at the centre of our communities health and wellbeing. Recognising and supporting healthy relationships is central to improving our communities overall physical and mental health and wellbeing. The CLD Strategic Plan has an important place in promoting the health and wellbeing of our communities, including children and young people. Placing health and wellbeing in a learning context ensures that we help communities develop the knowledge, understanding and skills that are needed for good mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing. Learning about health and wellbeing enables adults, children and young people to make informed decisions about their health. It also allows them to experience positive aspects of healthy living and activity for themselves, thereby allowing them to apply the skills to pursue a healthy lifestyle and to develop a positive pattern of health and wellbeing. In North Ayrshire, the Health and Social Care Partnership and Public Health are key partners, and the work of CLD is intrinsically linked through our Community Planning Partnerships, Community Resilience Hubs and whole systems working. There are many examples of joint planning and delivery from strategic through to operational such as Green Health Partnership, Café Solace and Walk and Talks.
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Inequality and Targeting Resources Profile and Context of the Communities of North Ayrshire The latest 2020 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) highlighted continuing levels of deprivation in North Ayrshire. 52 of our 186 data zones now fall within the 15% most deprived in Scotland. 39,139 people live within these deprived areas representing 28.8% of North Ayrshire’s population, significantly above the Scottish average. High levels of inequality exist in North Ayrshire, particularly poverty and the associated effects this has. North Ayrshire is one of the most deprived areas in Scotland. Deprivation levels are significantly higher than the Scottish average. In addition, unemployment levels in North Ayrshire are high, there are significant numbers of people on low income and almost a third of children live in poverty. It is these high levels of inequality that informed our Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) 2017-2022 and we have increased our focus on child poverty. The CLD service and partners are key contributors to the actions in our Child Poverty action plan and the targets within the plan inform the operational plan of the CLD service and its partners. Inequalities in outcomes can be seen across all sectors including education, employment, income and health and wellbeing. They are the result of an imbalance in power, money and resources across society, further compounded by the recent economic conditions of recession, austerity and welfare reform. This sets the context for service delivery and allocation of resources throughout Council and partner services. It is this partner approach to service and delivery, and the culture of co-production that has ensured that the CLD community empowerment agenda has been recognised and featured in national reports and audits: "The council is committed to community empowerment and is recognised by the Scottish Government and COSLA as a sector leader. The council’s approach is focused on embedding community empowerment in everyday business. The council works well with a wide number of communities and groups including young people and tenants." Best Value Assurance Report: North Ayrshire Council, Accounts Commission 2020 Reducing inequalities and ensuring no one is left behind are integral to achieving our equity focus. CLD provision is targeted to those most in need whilst ensuring communities also have a universal offer of access to learning opportunities and activities, this achievable by the partnership approach, through empowering communities and individuals to have their place within the delivery of services. This is realised through the policy and strategy developments that have the principles of equity at the very core of resource allocation. Inequality within and among the communities of North Ayrshire is a persistent cause for concern and remains a focus of strategy developments. The CLD strategic plan brings together the range of partners together necessary to address the inequalities and the governance of the plan ensures the voices, needs and aspirations of the communities informs the operational delivery and targeting of resources.
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This page gives you a summary of some key statistics. If you want more detail at a local level, please take a look at our locality profiles at www.northayrshire.community/your-community 22% POPULATION AGED 65+ Our People 135,280 ESTIMATED POPULATION 76 YRS MALE LIFE EXPECTANCY FEMALE LIFE EXPECTANCY 80 YRS UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMENT COUNT 7.6% 27.9% CHILDREN IN POVERTY PEOPLE WITH A LONG TERM HEALTH CONDITION 27%42% population in top 20% of SIMD20 (people living in areas within North Ayrshire that are amongst the 20% most deprived in Scotland) Targeting resources Engaging communities and partners in the universal offer of CLD services Learning from Community and Locality Hubs approach to inform service delivery Empowering approaches from customer to citizen journey This understanding of the needs and aspirations of our communities has shaped our priorities
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Digital Participation Learning and support quickly moved on to digital platforms and the North Ayrshire Virtual Community Centre was created and established, providing access to vital information, addressing social isolation and crucial learning. This digital learning and engagement have become increasingly important as a method of delivering services and support. The pandemic inevitably presented challenges for North Ayrshires more vulnerable communities and learners. The issue of digital poverty had never been so important and vital to daily life. Digital poverty resulted in people being excluded from learning through lack of devices and connectivity. A lack of digital skills resulted in people being unable to access learning, confidence and trust in the digital world were also barriers. Working with the Connecting Scotland project we secured devices and connectivity for learners and families in North Ayrshire. CLD staff and partners found themselves providing devices and delivering support to individuals on their doorsteps and front gardens to enable people to then access services, and over time as confidence grew, taking part in learning and activities to address social isolation. There was a growth in participation in some learning, for example ESOL staff and partners developed the ESOL YouTube channel and native language digital volunteers, there was an increase in Gaelic participation and learners. Targeted support was put in place for elderly group members, in terms of devices and learning. The digital youth work programme was developed as were family activities such as the weekly family quiz, which enabled the reach of CLD services to engage with learners that had never been involved previously. Through the Leadership Collective we were able to provide learning on the use of devices and how the use could assist to address social isolation, provide learning opportunities for community groups on digital engagement and support staff with their digital learning. North Ayrshire Council and Education Scotland will be piloting a peer learning project that trains volunteers to go out into their community to provide cyber resilience support. Creating this plan has provided time to reflect on the achievements of digital work and the learning has informed the priorities of the digital learning and engagement targets. We have agreed the following priorities for Digital Participation for the three year plan.
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Digital Participation Key Priorities We will continue to work with partners to provide digital learning opportunities, accessible support and learning resources. Using digital technology we will collaborate with our partners to co- define, co-design and co-deliver better community digital engagement and participation. We will work partners to develop Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety (CRIS) skills for our young people and adults enabling them to be digitally secure and resilient.
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Child Protection Work of the Alcohol and Drug Parentship Funding Health and well being ESOL Employability The workforce development has greatly been enhanced through the joint approach to training as identified in the South West Collaborative action plan and the programmes and opportunities this has provided to staff and partners at all levels. The sharing of resources, ideas and knowledge has produced synergy and developed relationships across the South West. This work features in the operational plan of the CLD Service, with a focus on ensuring partners can access the training opportunities and resources. Workforce Development North Ayrshire is CLD workforce is diverse landscape as reflected in the Working In Scotland’s communities report 2018. The CLD Standards Council Scotland defines Community Learning and Development as “a field of professional practice that enables people to identify their own individual and collective goals, to engage in learning and take action to bring about change for themselves and their communities.” By nature, CLD is varied and wide-ranging, including those involved in community development, youth work, community-based adult learning, learning for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, health and wellbeing work for communities, and volunteer development. This definition is an accurate description of the CLD workforce in North Ayrshire and we recognise ourselves in this definition. There is a well-established partnership with the range of services, and orgainsations, multiagency approach to workforce development this evident across such areas as:
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Workforce Development Community Asset Transfer Introductory Course Range of digital upskilling courses Intergenerational Training Governance Structures for Community Groups Introduction to Participatory Budgeting Naloxone Training Child/Adult Protection Awareness LGBTQI+ awareness We had an overwhelming response on the workforce survey, and it is evident that we have a highly skilled motivated workforce. The needs of the workforce will inform the future work of the Leadership Collective, which is developed and delivered with partners and learners. The Leadership collective provides the opportunity for access to training and learning opportunities, to partners, community learners and volunteers. Ensuring they are equipped the skills and knowledge to develop their practice. Example being during the pandemic the Leadership collective adapted to online learning and provided: The leadership collective is built into the operational plan of the North Ayrshire Council CLD service. There is a culture of “Grow your own” within the CLD workforce with the CLD service approved to deliver SVQ level 2 and Level 3 in youth work, which enables the continued growth of a robust Modern Apprentice programme. As a council we support one of the highest numbers of Modern Apprenticeships in Youth Work, providing a learning pathway for young people. The apprenticeship is delivered across the learning partners providing experience for the apprentices across a range of youth work providers. The CLD service also has a strong commitment to supporting unqualified staff through a range of qualifications, including the opportunity to access the work base degree of Community Education (UWS) and Community Learning and Development (Glasgow University) The focus of the workforce development is informed by the professional competences for CLD which include ‘Know and understand the community in which we work’ and ‘Develop and support collaborative working.
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Shortly after leaving school, I began working as a Scaffolder. I knew I wanted to work within the community, but I was unsure of which routes were available to me. From attending youth groups, the staff members encouraged me to apply for a Youth Work Modern Apprenticeship to start my journey to become a full time youth worker. Once vacancies became available I applied for the role within North Ayrshire Council. Throughout my apprenticeship I was based within the Caley Youth Centre where I gained experience as well as great working relationships with staff and young people. I worked with young people with additional support needs, people in recovery, employability, LGBT & a wide range of community work. At the end of my Modern Apprenticeship, I applied for university and was successful. Whilst beginning the course, I ran the Activity Agreement within the Argyle Community Centre staying within the service and allowing me to gain further experience to enhance my skills set. During this time a role became available as a Locality Worker within the service in which I applied for and was successful. The role has given me experience not only in Youth Work but also working within Adult Learning and Capacity Building in more depth. As I entered the last stages of my university education, I applied for a newly created Locality Priorities Officer within my current team and was successful. This exciting new role is my first full time graduate role and will allow me to put all the skills I have learned throughout my time with the service to use, benefiting the communities I work with. My journey within the Connected Communities team in North Ayrshire Council has given me a purpose and a career I am passionate about, something I had been searching for since school. Without these opportunities to progress throughout my CLD journey I wouldn't have the wealth of knowledge and experience that I have today. Cast Study Workforce Development My CLD Journey - Modern Apprentice - Localities Priorities Officer
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Governance This Community Learning and Development Plan fits within a landscape of Community and Locality Planning, with strong relationships in place with partners including community groups. You can find out more about Community and Locality Planning at www.northayrshire.community The delivery of the CLD Strategic Plan is essential in achieving the aims of the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership, that every person in North Ayrshire should have the best opportunities to live their life to their full potential. In acknowledgement of these interdependencies, and in accordance with national requirements, our governance arrangements include reporting to the Community Planning and Locality Partnerships. As detailed the development of this plan has included consultation with Community Planning partners and the Locality Partnerships. Six monthly performance reports on the delivery of the plan will be provided to the Community Planning Senior Officers Group. Annual reports will be discussed by the Community Planning Board and the six Locality Partnerships. This plan provides the strategic direction for the CLD operational plan, which includes the CLD KPI’s. These KPI’s have been shared with the CLD Partners as part of the process of shaping the plan, enabling partners to see themselves and their work. They have also been added to the refresh of the Service level agreement with the Third Sector Interface which will enhance the performance reporting to the CPP to capture the CLD landscape.
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The North Ayrshire CLD Plan Our staff and partners are committed to the highest standards of consultation and community engagement as developed by the Consultation Institute and in accordance with the National Standards developed by the Scottish Government. We have evolved the following planning model, which meets our promise of a high level of community and partner engagement through: The North Ayrshire Planning Model
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Youth work is an educational practice contributing to young people’s learning and development. Youth work engages with young people within their communities; it acknowledges the wider networks of peers, community and culture; it supports the young person to realise their potential and to address life’s challenges critically and creatively and it takes account of all strands of diversity. Youth work takes place in a variety of settings, whilst using numerous approaches it centres around young peoples needs and wants, where young people choose to participate, and builds from where young people are at recognising the young person and the youth worker as partners in a learning process. An understanding of youth work’s essential role across public policy areas and recognition of the benefits of taking a youth work approach as a key component towards achieving positive outcomes for all Scotland’s young people must be a priority. This is especially important at a time when the Scottish Government has committed to directly incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law. All of this is important as incorporation will mean that the rights of children and young people will be integral to law making at all levels of Government. The challenge of full incorporation of the UNCRC and advancing the legacy of the Year of Young People in 2018, will place an expectancy on a range of sectors – including youth work. Articles 12 focusses on every child having the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. In North Ayrshire we take a rights based approach to any work we carry out and is embedded throughout our work and in our Youth Participation and Citizenship Strategy. It is crucial therefore that our work commits to enhancing youth voice and recognises the opportunities the youth work sector provides at realising the ambition contained within UNCRC”. We have agreed the following priorities for Youth Work for the three year plan. Youth Work
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Youth Work Key Priorities Positive Destinations for 16-19 year olds Through the work of our Modern Apprenticeship Programme we will continue to take young people though their SVQ Level 3 in Youth Work. We will strengthen our employability programmes from Playback Ice Qualifications, Ambition Agreement, Youth Guarantee and a wide range of one to one support, group work and signposting services. Recruitment of 2 posts focusing on 16-25 year olds will allow us to support more young people into positive pathways by supporting young people to access training, further education, awards, qualifications, work experience and employment opportunities. Attainment and Wider Achievement We will continue to provide a wide variety of youth work opportunities to young people in North Ayrshire based on local need in partnership with young people. Young people will have access to awards and certification though our programmes including Youth Achievement, Saltire, Duke of Edinburgh and STEM. Working in partnerships with schools we will provide a menu of alternative curriculum options for young people to access. We will ensure we go to where young people are at using digital methods, diversionary and outreach and using roadshow events with our Mobile Youth Centre. Health and Wellbeing Focusing on young peoples mental health through project work. We will continue to development oour LGBT specific work across localities and gaining the LGBT Charter Mark. We will continue to develop issue based resources, projects and programmes on health for young people including alcohol and drugs, mental health, suicide prevention and promote positive wellbeing tools and resources in partnership with young people.
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Youth Work Key Priorities Young Peoples Voice and Rights Ensuring young people have structures in place for young people to use their voice through our Youth Participation and Citizenship Strategy. Strengthening the voice of seldom heard young people with focused work with Care Experienced young people, Young Carers and New Scots. Working with partners using our Child Centred Council model ensuring young peoples voices are represented at all levels. Poverty and Inequality Through our Cost of the School Day work, we will work on ensuring equity across school and community regarding opportunities and activities. We will continue to provide food with dignity through our activities, events, holiday programmes and weekend and evening provisions. Digital Connectivity We will work with partners to ensure that young people can get access to devices and connections to connect digitally to services and peers. We will ensure that young people are equipped in digital literacies to ensure they can access the services and opportunities they want. We will provide training and information to young people to keep them safe online.
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In North Ayrshire we are proud of the young people that are at the heart of our Youth Participation Structure. Throughout the pandemic young people volunteered across our local Community Hubs in North Ayrshire. This allowed our young people to contribute to the ongoing work in supporting the wider community during the pandemic. Their efforts attracted funding from the Corra Foundation, Tesco, and Youth Scotland to name but a few. This allowed youth forums to enhance the offer for young people during lockdown including activity packs for young people, garden planting packs, and a whole host of digital activities including filming challenges including Tik Tok competitions and “Saturday Night Fake Away” for our social media platforms. By involving young people, community partners and working alongside the Health and Social Care Partnership, Education and our CLD Team it provided a joint approach under the banner of ‘DigiDream’ allowing young people access to a mass of activities during a time where participation was restricted. During the last year one of our youth forums they have secured £100,000 from the Community Investment Fund to open their own Youth and Community Skills Hub and look forward to it opening later this year. We were overwhelmed with the number of young people and families engaging digitally during Covid with over 71,000 social media engagements during the first lockdown. Case Study Youth Work - Youth Participation
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"I've had so many opportunities through youth work! I've made great friends, met some amazing people, had some unforgettable experiences and seen my confidence improve incredibly. It was also just really fun!!!" "My experience of youth work is one that is very empowering. As someone once told me - ‘youth work in North Ayrshire is like getting on a bus – we’ll get you to your destination, but you can get off at any time’. In North Ayrshire they take a ‘for young people - by young people’ approach to the work they do and ensure their needs are instilled through the whole process. My experience has given me the platform to raise youth voice meaningfully and show people that yes - young people are the future, but we are here already and have a voice too – we are active in our community, we are ready to get stuck in, and we are actively adapting and changing to what we are faced with each and every day." Youth Work - Impact Statements "Being a young person in North Ayrshire, you get the opportunity to use your voice, to get involved and to be listened to – I am thankful for the opportunities we have and know it really makes a difference." "For me its been the defining role of my life so far. To work for and represent young people and be chosen by them is all because of the work we have done. We have made sure young people are involved and participate and they are developed into responsible and active citizens" "It has given me the confidence to speak out for myself and help others with confidence and be their voice. It has given me so much experience with different groups and experiences at different places and has definitely helped me decide on what I want to do and achieve when I go into further education"
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Community Capacity Building and Community Development Community Capacity Building is the support that community groups access to help them address issues which are important to them. ‘Capacity’ describes the range of resources that people have – knowledge about their area or common interest, skills and ideas, shared experiences, and material resources like funding and community spaces. Community Development (building the capacity of communities to meet their own needs, engaging with, and influencing decision makers) – this can be with communities of place/geography or communities with a shared interest. Community development is a process where people come together to take action on what’s important to them. We have agreed the following priorities for Community Capacity Building and Community Development for the three year plan.
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To extend our, participatory approaches, offering communities more opportunities to lead in local decision making, including our sector leading grant making (youth and locality) and mainstreaming PB. And to build on the projects funded via the devolved Community Investment Fund. To support community organisations and groups seeking to secure local management/control of community assets, through lease, ownership, or management. Capacity Building Key Priorities To continue to develop our food with dignity approach to food poverty/insecurity – working in partnership with communities, to expand food pantries, larders, and community fridges. To support volunteers, individuals, and community groups, to develop the required skills and knowledge, to achieve their ambitions, thorough opportunities co- produced and offered thorough our ‘Leadership collective’.
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Capacity Building Key Priorities To continue to develop and enhance opportunities for community engagement/involvement, through the development of the Participation and Citizenship Strategy, involvement in the Community Engagement Network (CEN) and the development of the Community Engagement Hub. To continue to raise awareness and provide support with Participation Requests to complement and improve our local range of participation processes rather than replace them. Participation Requests are included in both our Community Planning and Community Empowerment training courses which are open to all staff, partners and community representatives. To provide capacity building support to key community anchor organisations. We will support communities to achieve what’s important to them through strong local networks. To support groups to generate sustainable income, through successful grant funding applications’
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Building community wealth by supporting the transfer of assets from Council to community ownership, allowing community organisations and groups to develop their aspirations for their projects, grow community enterprise initiatives and benefit from plural ownership of the local economy. Working with colleagues and communities to develop the capacity of community organisations to generate sustainable income for their associations, groups or projects, be that through successful grant funding applications, social enterprise or other models, enabling the long term impact and steady growth of grassroots initiatives that benefit our communities. Community Wealth Building Key Priorities
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Participatory Budgeting (PB) is about local people having a direct say in how public money is spent. PB can support active citizenship, helping build more active and stronger communities that are better able to take decisions on where public funds are spent, more likely to take part in community activities and better informed about public budgets and decision making. In this round of Youth PB on Arran, applications were invited for up to £1000 for youth projects/ideas. For Locality and Arts & Culture PB applications for up to £400/£1200 respectively. Youth projects which were successfully short-listed were then voted on by young people age 8-25 years – in school or via the Young Scot website. The highest voted projects secured funding. The Locality and Arts & Culture Projects were short-listed by the Locality Steering Group and those who met the agreed criteria secured funding. Youth and Community Capacity has been built around PB and completing and assessing applications – this is the 3rd round of Locality PB and 5th of Youth PB, it is now embedded in the way we work. A wide range of groups secured funding for their ideas and projects – 4 from Arts and Culture, 11 from Youth and 12 from Locality Funds. Communities and residents are benefiting from new/continued opportunities, delivered locally. Local adults and young people were involved in all stages of the process from design to decision making, via the youth and locality steering groups – community empowerment and active citizenship. The steering groups spoke very positively about their experiences and being involved in making decisions about their Locality. Case Study Capacity Building - Participatory Budgeting
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Capacity Building & Community Development - Impact Statements “I think considering the circumstances this year the PB Partners Outdone themselves with the program that was provided” – comment from member of steering group “PB Funding will enable more young people to get involved in our activities on the Island” ‘we are indebted to the Council for it’s ongoing support to our shed. This community asset transfer will afford the opportunity to not only continue to develop and improve the facilities, without the pressure of high rent, but also allow us to focus on and meet the needs of our growing membership for many years to come.’ “Providing free starter kits during lockdown is an ideal way to introduce more men to the hobby and I’m really looking forward to meeting up with lots of beginner modellers online. The beauty of this project is we can connect with a much wider audience, than we would normally, and introduce new people to this pastime.” "I had been in the building game all my life before I lost the sight in one eye from an accident. I was so down when I lost my eye and now, thanks to the shed, I have so much to focus on." “It was a really positive experience meeting other volunteers from different areas, swapping idea’s and skills and building things from scratch.”
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Adult Learning Community based adult learning covers a wide variety of learning opportunities which target learners who have multiple barriers to opportunity, focusing on disadvantaged individuals and communities. Using a Social Practice Model, learning is built around the experience and needs of the learners and is underpinned by the three core principles of the Adult Learning Statement of Ambition learning is lifelong, life-wide and learner-centred. In North Ayrshire we will ensure that learners are placed at the centre of our planning arrangements, involving them in the identification of appropriate and relevant learning opportunities, the delivery and evaluation of their learning and the development of support for learners. This will ensure that there are sufficient opportunities available for adults to learn, achieve and progress through their learning journey. We have agreed the following priorities for Adult Learning for the three year plan.
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Adult Learning Key Priorities To work with our partners and organisations in localities to ensure adult Literacy, numeracy and core skills support given is learner centred. Using a collaborative approach to develop staff, volunteers and programmes to best support learners. To support our New Scots to become active members of our community building social relationships. Be an active partner to improve participation and deliver ESOL activities and learning. To continue to provide opportunities for learners to participate in activities that promote Health and Wellbeing and tackling isolation. Working with partners to train staff, volunteers, community groups and deliver learning opportunities. To work with partners and organisations to deliver employability support. Providing opportunities to learn for work to achieve stronger employability outcomes for learners. To provide digital learning and digital literacy support to help communities to develop digital skills and confidence. Encouraging and supporting people to get online and enjoy the opportunities offered by digital technology.
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North Ayrshire Leadership Collective provides a community-based Adult Learning programme that all communities across the authority can access. The Collective is a partnership of CLD, TSI, NHS, HSCP and a number of national organisations. The group was formed after engagement with partners and the community on their learning aspirations. The Leadership Collective meets monthly to discuss, develop and plan a training programme and calendar that is informed by the community’s needs. Currently, all training is delivered virtually and, to date the wide range of opportunities have been accessed by learners across North Ayrshire. Our engagement methods ensure that there are a number of routes for learners to book onto these opportunities and gain new skills. The breadth of learning opportunities ensures that a wide range of topics are covered, some of these include digital skills, Community Engagement/Empowerment, Health and Wellbeing (including Community Green Gym), Employability, Bookkeeping, ESOL, Gaelic and core skills. The learning programmes are built around the needs of the learner and it provides the right learning environment for many that are taking their first steps back into learning. Positive evaluations/feedback from learners highlight the opportunities they have experienced through the leadership collective have enabled them to develop new skills e.g. digital and language skills; gained greater understanding of issues in their community and, of national and local policies; learned new techniques and ideas to address health issues. Community groups have benefited from capacity building opportunities such as book- keeping and governance and commented on the valuable networking opportunities. A strong partnership has been created, who bring their expertise and enthusiasm to the Leadership Collective. Case Study Adult Learning - Leadership Collective
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Adult Learning - Impact Statements “I have a sense of continuity in the lessons. I feel normal despite the bad conditions of Corona and have been able to continue my lessons and learn about Scottish life. I thank all volunteers who contributed” “I was helped by the volunteers to use the computer and activate the zoom programme. It made a big difference in my daily life, I begin to comprehend the language faster than before” “The volunteers helped me very well. I am now able to use my computer and use YouTube to learn.” “Yes, the English Whats App classes are useful because it helps you in writing and reading. It help you to write so fast and help you read more fast as well. It also makes your brain thinking what and how you should talk in English.” “I arrived 2 months before lockdown. The whatsapp group has been very good for me. I've learned language to help me make GP appointments and other useful things” “The volunteers helped us well….Had it not been for the study on zoom we would have learned nothing of the English language.”
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Throughout the process of community engagement with learners and partners we have been able to identify key areas of unmet need as a result of addressing priorities within a finite resource for delivery, which had to be utilised as a response to community need as result of the Covid 19 pandemic. We will engage our community partners in addressing these needs. They will inform our first year of operational implementation plan these include: Unmet need within the North Ayrshire Community Addressing the digital gap Implementing the Engagement hub resources that were created pre pandemic Creating a structure of voice engagement for older people These key areas were paused due to staff and partners relining resources and service delivery to implement the Community Resilience Hub model. Where we are aware of a learning need as a partnership , we always seek to engage our community partners to fill that gap. We will continue to note any unmet need, report it through the CLD Strategic Plan governance structure, and determine how best to fulfil that need within our community partnerships and learners voice, both adult and young people.
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Action Plan
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Conclusion Community Learning and Development (CLD) supports primarily disadvantaged or vulnerable groups and individuals of all ages to engage in learning, personal development and active citizenship with a focus on bringing about change in their lives and communities. At the very heart of developing this CLD Strategic Plan has been the principles of participation, for all partners, those who identify themselves as the CLD workforce for North Ayrshire and most important our citizens of North Ayrshire, our learners. There has also been a focus on engaging with those who do not currently engage in our service provision, as this is an important learning space for all partners. At the very start of developing the plan, the importance of plain English was identified as being important, and we have also produced a summary of the plan, to increase the accessibility of the information contained. The commitments and priorities of the plan establish our framework for the next 3 years and on an annual basis we will evaluate our impact and the reach of the plan. The Strategic Plan informs our operational plans across the partnerships and individual staff action plans. Our intention is for partners, staff, volunteers and learners to see themselves and their work in the plan. The plan builds on our previous CLD Strategic Plan 2018-2021 and the commitments made, we have moved from consultation and engagement to a co-production approach. Co-production essentially describes a relationship between service provider and service user that draws on the knowledge, ability and resources of both to develop solutions to issues that are successful, sustainable, and cost-effective, changing the balance of power from the professional towards the service user. The Scottish Co-Production Network Our response to the Covid Pandemic and the leadership role that CLD services adopted has created a depth of relationships and greater understanding of the role of the CLD professional. The learning from the response has created a greater scaffold which will enable the CLD Strategic Plan and its priorities to be realised and developed over the next 3 years. The performance will be measured quarterly using the CLD KPIs, which were shared and reviewed at the Education Scotland workshop. This reporting will feature as part of the governance of the plan. In North Ayrshire we have a robust Community Planning structure, which puts our communities at the heart of the evaluation and review of the plan. Ensuring effective and appropriate targeting of resources, with the principles of equity informing how the plan is delivered. North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP) is a strong and effective collaboration of a wide range of organisations. By working together, we continue to realise the benefits of sharing our resources, knowledge and skills to improve the lives of local people. All partners have a shared commitment and partnership visions: “North Ayrshire – A Better Life”.