links to statistical data for this sector:
Quality Indicator data from inspections
1.1 The community learning and development sector
Community learning and development (CLD) refers to informal learning and social development work with individuals and groups within their communities. This diverse sector comprises three main educational activities:
In communities throughout Scotland, local authorities and partner agencies in the public and voluntary sectors provide a diverse range of mainly informal learning opportunities for young people and adults. They also support community organisations to improve their communities and, where appropriate, to deliver local services. CLD provision is delivered in widely varying social, economic and geographical environments and in a wide range of community settings. Participation in CLD activities is voluntary. Learning programmes are developed through negotiation and dialogue between staff and participants in CLD programmes.
During the period covered by this report, strategic and operational management arrangements for the CLD sector have been changing as a result of a significant amount of legislation and guidance. Activities included:
Local authorities across Scotland adopt different service structures within which to locate their CLD services. These arrangements influence the priority given to aspects of CLD.
As a result, the strength of the CLD contribution to wider initiatives such as integrated community schools, learning communities, early years initiatives, community regeneration, community safety and cultural, sports and arts developments varies from council to council.
The sector is slowly developing the professional self-confidence and infrastructure to emphasise and publicise the difference that CLD services make to participants, particularly those from disadvantaged groups. It is also beginning to develop more effective approaches to self-evaluation and improvement. Strategic and operational planning for CLD is very effective in a few local authorities but much less so in around half. Overall, the CLD sector is particularly well developed in its partnership work with a range of other services, agencies and community and voluntary organisations. There remains a challenge for the sector to gather and use performance information to evaluate provision systematically and to improve services.
Further details about the quality of CLD provision are available in the HMIE report summarising the findings of the cycle of CLD inspections across all local authorities (forthcoming).
1.2 Key strengths Overall, the key strengths in the CLD sector include:
1.3 Aspects for improvement This report identifies the following key themes as aspects for further improvement in the sector. Assessment:
Self-evaluation and planning:
Staffing and accommodation:
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Introduction
During the period covered by this report, national priorities for CLD were introduced by the Scottish Executive. They relate to achievement through learning for adults, achievement through learning for young people and achievement through building community capacity.
In many local authorities, CLD inspections focused on geographical areas with high levels of multiple deprivation as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation24 (SIMD) 2004. Many of the communities inspected were in urban areas and areas formerly characterised by mining, steel, fishing and textile industries. In the majority of CLD inspections, the levels of unemployment were significantly above the national average in the years 2002-2005.
The achievements of adults and young people outlined below increased the capacity of local communities to respond positively to industrial decline, high levels of unemployment and poor quality of life by providing new opportunities for participants and by raising aspirations and confidence. A majority of learners interviewed by HMI had few or no previous qualifications. These learners are often balancing considerable life issues relating to poverty, child care, difficult family circumstances, and poor health, particularly mental health, with involvement and achievement in CLD programmes. Given this context, the achievements against the national priorities for CLD are significant.
2.1 Outcomes for learners
Overall, effective practice in adult learning and youth work develops individual self-confidence and core skills such as working with others, communication and problem solving. It provides participants with opportunities to learn from experience in those areas of their lives where they choose to learn and often engages their enthusiasm and energy to very good effect. Particularly in youth work, and to a lesser extent in adult learning, the sector needs to use assessment processes more effectively to ensure that participants can identify and build on their learning experiences.
Adult learners in the CLD sector achieve well in a broad range of important outcomes. CLD experiences typically engender great enthusiasm and motivation for learning amongst participants. Staff are particularly effective in developing confidence and self-esteem in the majority of learners who are returning to learning, often following negative experiences of formal education. CLD provision successfully re-introduces them to learning, encouraging them to develop independently their own interests in their studies and at a pace, time and place which suit them. Family learning programmes are increasingly effective in developing interest and aptitude among parents, carers and children in early literacy activities and supporting the work of nurseries and primary schools. In literacy and numeracy work with adults, the majority of learners are developing important capabilities.
Participant achievement
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
For some, it is not an exaggeration to say that the impact can be life changing.25 A significant number of adults are gaining employment or progressing to further and higher education as a result of their involvement in adult learning programmes. However, with the exception of the literacies programme, there is insufficient data on the outcomes of adult learning in the community to identify trends in achievement.
Inspections of youth work involve meeting young people in traditional youth clubs and centres, on the streets with detached youth workers, in youth award programmes and in projects concerned with youth information, health, youth cultural activities, environmental awareness or citizenship and democracy. Young people are learning important core skills such as communication, working with others, and problem solving. Most participants experience improvements in their self-confidence and self-esteem. In some projects these core skills are supplemented with skills and experiences relevant to future employment.
Citizenship activities, such as youth forums or youth conferences, often result in young people taking more active roles in their communities and advocating on behalf of other young people (see also Citizenship in Youth Work (HMIE 2003)). Youth cultural activities build on young people’s enthusiasms for music, art, drama and multi-media to develop further their skills in these areas. Youth award programmes provide particularly effective means of engaging young people in project work. These programmes provide effective assessment arrangements and enable young people to recognise and celebrate their successes. However, the availability of this impressive range of opportunities for young people varies considerably across Scotland. With the exception of some award programmes, there is insufficient data on the outcomes of youth work to identify trends in achievement.
2.2 Outcomes for communities
Work in building community capacity is well developed in some of Scotland’s more disadvantaged areas where specific funding has supported a mix of initiatives to enable local people to participate fully in programmes to improve their communities. Work remains to be done to improve monitoring and evaluation arrangements for community capacity building in a majority of local authorities.
Community achievement
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
Community capacity building normally involves programmes of training, information and support to enable local people to engage with local and wider issues and to deliver services. Since 2003, CLD providers have become increasingly involved in supporting communities to engage with Community Planning. It is too early to evaluate any impact. However, evidence from inspections identifies a range of community achievements arising from the work of community workers with local people, young and old. In some disadvantaged areas, local people are significantly involved in major regeneration initiatives. Through this involvement they developed their capacity to influence public bodies and local decision making. The most significant outcome from this work is a sense of community ownership of new developments and considerable pride in their achievements. More generally, effective support for community and voluntary organisations resulted in vibrant and active communities.
2.3 The views of learners and participants
In CLD inspections, participants’ views of their experience are gathered through focus groups and individual interviews. Learners’ views contribute to evaluations of provision. Generally, most of those participating in CLD programmes who had negative previous experiences of education find that these programmes offer them an accessible return to learning.
Overall, youth workers and adult tutors develop very positive relationships with the people with whom they are in contact. They generally show a high degree of responsiveness to the needs and preferences of young people and adults and create environments which are sympathetic and supportive. Examples of best practice in the sector demonstrate the effectiveness of the work with particularly disadvantaged and marginalised individuals and groups. Adult tutors usually adopt approaches to facilitating learning which start from participants’ learning needs and work towards their individual learning goals. This approach is also adopted in more structured youth work programmes.
3.1 Learning programmes and delivery
Partnership arrangements in adult learning usually result in providers working effectively together to offer flexible programmes on a wide range of subjects. However, in a few areas the level of provision is constrained by lack of resources. Programmes are developed in response to locally identified needs. Provision for young people is more variable across different parts of Scotland and is to some extent influenced by the degree of priority given to it by the local community.
Learning programmes are characterised by a number of key factors, including the following.
Learning opportunities/delivery/learning experience
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
At times, staff’s lack of familiarity and expertise in using ICT result in learners not being able to benefit from learning experiences which are enhanced by appropriate applications of new technology. In some cases, weaknesses in staff review, development and training result in staff lacking the confidence and knowledge to provide learners with the help and support they need for a relevant, rich and rewarding learning experience.
Assessment and monitoring of outcomes in certificated programmes in adult learning and youth work are strong and well developed. Programmes which are accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) follow national guidelines. Award schemes which are delivered by youth organisations such as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and The Prince’s Trust, and programmes accredited by the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) are having a positive impact. In community capacity building, the use of funds from European, regeneration or charitable sources results in well-developed monitoring and evaluation systems to measure outcomes for these programmes. However, other aspects of data collection which would provide trend information at national level are not yet in place. Assessment and monitoring arrangements are inconsistently developed across CLD services. This is particularly notable in youth work where assessment needs to be improved in a majority of councils. The sector needs to improve further the collection and presentation of information on the impact of CLD provision on learners’ achievements. The systems for recognising the attainment of learners are still developing across partnerships. Use of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) needs to be further developed so that the achievements of, for example, young people on award schemes may be recognised within national qualification frameworks.
Signpost to improvement in assessment Staff:
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Strong partnerships enable a wide range of learners to access suitable and flexible learning activities with well-planned progression opportunities. Effective community learning plans are characterised by both strategic and operational staff developing productive partnerships with further education colleges, employers, community and voluntary organisations, and other educational institutions such as universities and schools. There is scope for further improvement in partnership working for adult literacy and numeracy provision. Inspection teams find that where the processes of learning and teaching ensure that learners’ needs are specifically addressed and support and guidance for all learners are provided, outcomes and opportunities for progression improve.
3.2 Climate and support
Commitment to inclusion is a principle which underpins CLD. In some authorities, the sector is very effective at targeting excluded groups such as lone parents, the unemployed and former drug and alcohol misusers. Programmes of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) include learners from a wide diversity of backgrounds, including asylum seekers. However, despite the very positive aspects of CLD provision in engaging with socially excluded groups, a number of areas need to receive greater attention and emphasis. Profile information about local communities is often out-of-date and of limited use. This may mean that CLD staff do not have a complete understanding of the demographic characteristics of the communities they work in. Specifically, inspectors come across fewer examples of CLD work with black and minority ethnic individuals and groups, and people with disabilities. Compliance with race equality and disability discrimination legislation needs to become better embedded in service planning and practice and result in improved services for these groups.
Values
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
Some important weaknesses in accommodation are found in half of all CLD inspections. The range and variety of accommodation is wide and usually includes use of local facilities such as schools, community centres and village and church halls. Overall, activities on offer to learners are responsive to local needs. To ensure inclusive participation, the learning environments and the atmosphere in which participants learn are typically friendly, relaxed, informal, purposeful, and conducive to learning.
However, particularly where services are delivered in older community buildings, access for people with disabilities can be difficult and sometimes impossible. Work with some CLD groups is best undertaken in premises other than schools. In a minority of community venues the environment is drab and uninviting and in many, limited access to ICT equipment is a particular drawback in the context of learning.
Accommodation and facilities
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
4.1 Leadership
Leadership
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
In many geographic areas where CLD is delivered, effective leadership and partnerships at strategic level encourage the development of community learning strategies which provide a clear vision for CLD in the local authority.
From these strategies, local managers and staff are able to develop local plans which identify key outcomes to be achieved and the processes which will achieve them. However, in a fifth of the provision inspected, leadership was evaluated as fair or unsatisfactory. In most cases, the predominant difficulty is the relatively low priority and resources which some local authorities are able to give to CLD strategic planning within the wide range of their other priorities.
The planning context for CLD has changed considerably in the period of this review. The legislative requirement for local authorities to implement Community Planning with key partner agencies and in consultation with communities impacted directly on CLD providers.
Also in this period, the introduction of children’s services planning began to have an effect on planning for youth work. In the best examples, strategic planning had significantly improved the extent to which providers worked effectively together, resulting in improved co-ordination and delivery of services in local areas. However, in half the provision inspected, there was a need to clarify strategic and operational planning and particularly to align community learning and development strategies more effectively within Community Planning.
Community learning planning
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
4.2 Capacity to improve
The period covered by this report began with the publication of the first self-evaluation framework for CLD in Scotland, How good is our community learning and development?. As with other sectors of education it has taken time for the process of self-evaluation for improvement to become embedded in the sector. The rate of progress has varied widely between authorities. By the end of the review period, a few authorities had produced well-considered standards and quality reports on their CLD provision. The majority, however, were only beginning to recognise the potential benefits of using a systematic approach to self-evaluation for quality improvement.
Self-evaluation/planning for improvement
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations in the CLD sector, 2002-2005.
Signpost to improvement in self-evaluation and planning Staff:
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The weaknesses in CLD providers’ quality assurance and improvement arrangements often relate to:
To date, HMIE has undertaken 11 follow-up reviews of the CLD services inspected in the period 2002-2005. The follow-up reports reveal that in nearly all cases CLD providers had made good or very good progress in addressing almost all main points for action.
The CLD sector is complex and varied. At national level it is informed by three main strands of Scottish Executive policy. Those currently in place are the lifelong learning strategy and the community regeneration statement. The third main strand, the national youth work strategy, is currently subject to development. At local authority level, CLD providers are starting to contribute to children’s services plans and the community engagement aspects of Community Planning. Service structures for CLD vary considerably across Scotland in response to local circumstances and priorities. CLD strategies are now in place in almost all community planning partnerships. The national priorities for CLD contained within the guidance Working and Learning Together to Build Stronger Communities provide a common focus for articulating local purposes and priorities.
The 2002-2005 inspection programme highlighted many strengths within the sector during a period of, perhaps, unprecedented change. It also highlighted some important areas for action and development. Over this period, a number of authorities have made significant progress since previous inspections of their community learning provision. A few, however, still have considerable scope for improvement. The sector needs to develop the collection and use of performance information, the use of self-evaluation for quality improvement, and aspects of strategic and operational planning. Given progress in these areas, and with appropriate national and local support, the CLD sector has the capacity to improve further.