Developing CLD Competences: Line Managers Report

University of Aberdeen: School of Education

Programme: PG Diploma Community Learning & Development
Student: Vikki Carpenter
Line Manager: Nicola Twine
Date: 16th December 2014

This report should be completed on the basis of a dialogue between the student
and their line manager/senior colleague, drawing on evidence of practice over
the last 12 month period. Evidence of all competences demonstrated through
ongoing work in this period should be noted. For each competence achieved,
please provide a brief bullet list of what was discussed as evidence. For
example
1
1a

Know and understand the community in which

we work
conduct an external community/ environment
assessment, considering the political, economic
and social context of the community

Competence
Demonstrated

Creative community profile work

P7s / parents engaged for above
Research ability data highlighting local
picture

Signatures:
Student:

Date:

Line Manager:

Date:

Competence 1: Know and understand the community in which we work

Purpose: so that practitioners can work with individuals and communities to
identify and plan action based on knowledge of some of the internal and external
influences at work.
Context: understanding the context within which our work takes place will be
based
upon our knowledge of social, political and wider environmental influences on
communities. Competent CLD practitioners are aware of the relevant global and
local factors that impact on the community with which they work.
As a competent practitioner with an understanding of the community/
environment in
which you work, you will be able to demonstrate that you can...
1

Know and understand the community in which we work

Competence
Demonstrate
d

1a

conduct an external community/ environment assessment,

considering the political, economic and social context of the
community

1b

Assessment of ESOL community learning needs

investigate internal views and information relating to the area

within which you work

Challenging direction from Literacies and ESOL

strategies regarding tutor training

1c

critically analyse internal and external factors impacting on

individuals and communities

1d

identify needs, assets and opportunities using relevant

information and evidence

1e

Family resource rooms as a facility

Regularly matching opportunities for tutor training
and development with need.

involve other stakeholders in identifying and agreeing needs

and local priorities

1f

Work with Ellon Resource centre and LEAD Scotland

ALP, Schools etc

evidence an awareness of challenges relating to barriers to

participation within the local community/environment

Shaping the delivery of literacies tuition at times to


1g

ensure accessibility to service in consideration of

transport, child-care, employment and other issues.
Transport and crche arranged to support
participation of STEPS learners.

ascertain conflicting needs and demands

Competence 2: Build and maintain relationships with individuals and

groups
Purpose: so that peoples ability and opportunities to work together are
enhanced.
Context: CLD is built upon the interactions between people, be these
community
members, activists or those working with organisations offering support. These
relationships provide the basis to support learning and engage people in action
to
support change within their communities.
As a competent practitioner able to build and maintain relationships with
individuals and groups you will be able to demonstrate that you can...
2

Build and maintain relationships with individuals and groups

2a

seek out and engage with individuals, groups and

communities

2b

Work done to support Literacy Tutors.

Work done to develop Google + as a means of
communication
Members of the ESOL community through
research and partnerships

practise in different roles, such as facilitating, supporting,

leading, advocating, that are appropriate to the work in which
you are involved

Competence
Demonstrate
d

Facilitating
and delivering
on the STEPs
programme
Supporting tutors and learners
Leading on the development of our local literacies
and ESOL projects
Advocating on behalf of participants involved with
3

the jobs club

2c

use informal dialogue in individual relationships and within

groups

Her work with matching a learner with a tutor has

element of informal chats. This is required to
match learner with the most suitable tutor.

2d

handle challenges and opportunities constructively

2e

2f

High level of engagement and retention among

learners and volunteers demonstrates this

understand and deal with the underlying dynamics at work

within relationships and groups

STEPs programme
Volunteer support programme and training

work towards the resolution of conflict

2g

recognise the power dynamic and action needed to equalise

power relationships in decision making

2h

Engagement with residents around the Castlepark

Community House to ensure a better balance of
active and interested stakeholders on the
committee.

facilitate endings for individual and group relationships where

appropriate

Work done when learners when they have met

their goals. Signposted to other agencies or
appropriate services.
STEPs programme

Competence 3 : Provide learning and development opportunities in a

range of contexts
Purpose: so that people can identify and achieve their individual and collective
goals.
Context: CLD is based on providing learning and development opportunities that
are
accessible and responsive to individual and community priorities. These
opportunities create personal and community benefits such as improving selfconfidence and skills and enhancing employment opportunities, as well as
supporting health and well-being, community regeneration and individual and
community activity.
As a competent practitioner able to provide learning and development
opportunities in a range of contexts you will be able to demonstrate that you can
3

Provide learning and development opportunities in a range of

contexts

Competence
Demonstrate
d

3a

provide education and development opportunities that are

developed in dialogue with individuals and communities

Working in a job club to delivery progress paths for

individuals who are either returning to the
workforce or un-employed.
Literacies delivery

3b

generate learning opportunities that will stimulate personal

and community change

3c

tackle barriers to participation

STEPs

Shaping the delivery of literacies tuition at times

to ensure accessibility to service in consideration
of transport, child-care, employment and other
issues.
Transport and crche arranged to support
participation of STEPS learners.

3d

develop, design and deliver learner-centred programmes

3e

Literacies tutor support

Adult Literacies programme

take advantage of learning and development opportunities in

everyday situations

Vikki provides support to learners who are seeking

3f

use appropriate methods and techniques

3g

our Literacy services.

Jobs Club
Attending community events to promote
opportunities
Tutors developing skills with ICT and the use of
Google +.
Core Skills provision

support progression and transition

Making links with learners to look at employment

opportunities and progress to gain support for the
Job Club.

3h

use appropriately targeted methods to promote learning and

development opportunities

Development of promotional materials and

distribution to all local primary schools.
Involvement with Jobs Club

Competence 4: Facilitate and promote community empowerment

Purpose: so that people can take individual and collective action to bring about
change.
Context: CLD practice is built on critical analysis of internal and external factors
that
influence individual and community priorities and has a distinctive role in
working with people to take action to identify and influence decisions that impact
on the quality of individual and community life.
As a competent practitioner able to facilitate and promote community
empowerment you will be able to demonstrate that you can support individuals,
groups and communities to:
4

Facilitate and promote community empowerment

4a

analyse and understand power dynamics and decision-making

processes;

4b

4c

4d

4e

Development of social media with Adult Learning

Tutors. The use of Facebook to promote and
engage.
Engagement with both tutors and learners on a
regular basis. This would include a growing number
of ESOL learners.
Engage with ESOL learners and signpost to relevant
services in the area to support their integration.

participate in decision-making structures and processes

Invitation and promotion of castlepark opportunity

to community residents

interact within and across communities

Re-establishing the management committee of

Castle Park Community House

be inclusive and involve the wider community

Re-establishing the management committee of

Castle Park Community House

use community action as a means to achieve change

Competence
Demonstrate
d

Contributes to base and team meetings where

appropriate.

4f

Meeting with Line-manager and mentor on a

regular basis.
Professional dialogue with CLD colleagues

campaign for change

Supporting the Community of Castlepark to change

to ethos of the resource from a house to a
community centre.

4g

identify and manage community assets

Maintaining a disused school classroom and

develop the space for learners and tutors to meet.
Castle Park community house support

Competence 5: Organise and manage resources

Purpose: so that individuals, communities and organisations can achieve
effective
management of community assets and resources, services and organisations.
Context: CLD practitioners need to understand the culture of organisations, the
responsibilities of those involved and how organisation and management styles,
practices and governance relate to sustainable organisations.
As a competent practitioner with an understanding of planning, organising and
managing resources you will be able to demonstrate that you can:
5

Organise and manage resources

5a

develop and plan programmes and project activities;

Development of a literacy tutors training plan.

Develop the use of Google+ for Tutors CPD.

STEPs programme

Competence
Demonstrate
d

5b

manage and monitor programmes and project activities

5c

5d

Maintains recording of projects and individuals

learning on Cognisoft database.

promote and manage a culture based on equality

Re-design publicity suitable for ESOL Learners

Promote the CLD services available for ESOL

Learners through the local primary schools.

organise, deploy and monitor resources effectively

Developed the use of KoBo ereaders to be used by

Literacy Tutor and their learners.

Maintains a lending library of short story books for

literacy learners.

Establish a data base for all literacy resources e.g.

workbooks etc.

5e

recruit, manage and support people (staff, volunteers);

5f

5g

Support CPD opportunities for Literacy Tutors.

The high standard of work shown to the literacy

tutors, who are volunteers. Ensuring that they are
well trained and source any CPD requirements on
their behalf.

identify and access funding/ resources

Secured funding to run two STEPS programmes in

Formartine

Secured funding to purchase KoBo eReaders for

literacy learners to borrow.

Completed a funding application to secure funding to

run an ESOL project which would require to be
staffed.

understand and manage risk

Risk Assessments provided for all projects.

Explaining Social and confidential risks within a
group setting.
Ethical responsibilities.

5h

interpret and apply relevant legislation (e.g. equalities, Child

Protection, Health and Safety).

Knowledge of Child Protection Policy

Knowledge of Health & Safety Policy
Knowledge of GIRFEC
Curriculum for Excellence
ICT
Volunteering
Parents consent forms for youth work
PAT testing agreement.
Risk Assessment for all projects and work carried
out.

10

11

Competence 6 : Develop and support collaborative working

Purpose: so that people can enhance decision making and collaborative
activities that impact on the quality of life of individuals and communities.
Context: CLD practitioners need to understand, recognise and value the benefits
of
collaboration and build appropriate and effective alliances, networks and other
forms of working together.
As a competent practitioner able to develop and support collaborative working
you will be able to demonstrate that you can
6

Develop and support collaborative working

6a

Competence
Demonstrate
d

develop and support collaborative working within your own

organisation;

6b

STEPS programme with CLD worker from another

network

Assisting other CLD workers with projects

Literacies and Libraries

initiate collaborative working with relevant organisations

6c

participate in partnership and collaborative working

6d

LEAD Scotland and Ellon Resource Centre

ALP tools, training, resources and guidance
support community participation in partnership and
collaborative working

6e

Contributes to the Ellon Community Development

Group when appropriate.
Working with the Library services to increase
learners uptake and knowledge of what services are
available.

clarify and articulate the role of your own organisation and

that of others

Able to communicate to partners and individuals the

changing role of CLD in the community. Describing
the new themes and relating them to the service.
Speaking at CDG meetings to explain and give clarity

12

to the work she is involved with.

6f

negotiate and agree roles in collaborative and joint work,

taking a leadership role where appropriate

6g

6h

Castlepark project has a conflict of interest within the

community. This had major effects on the progress
Challenge ALP traditional methods of CPD for both
tutors and workers.

manage the ending of collaborative and joint relationships

Training of literacy tutors to deliver core skills to

learners.
Steps course deliver, with other partners such as
Working for families and CLD networks

challenge and be challenged on issues undermining effective

partnership working being aware of tensions and conflicts

6i

Agree roles and responsibilities for tutors, learners

and worker.

identify, put in place or provide appropriate training and

development opportunities for collaborative working

Tutors satisfactory end for both learner and tutor.

Peers v tutors
Roles and responsibility for formal ending of
programmes.
Looking at next steps

13

Competence 7 : Evaluate and inform practice

Purpose: so that robust evidence can sustain, inform, influence and change
policy and practice.
Context: Competent CLD practitioners require to build evidence-based practice
based on an appreciation of the value of research and evaluation. They need a
knowledge of the methods and techniques commonly used and an understanding
of the current issues and challenges in evaluation, quality assurance and
performance measurement in CLD.
As a competent practitioner with an ability to evaluate and inform practice you
will be
able to demonstrate that you can:
7

Evaluate and inform practice

Competence
Demonstrate
d

7a
understand the differences between research, evaluation and
associated concepts

7b

employ appropriate tools, frameworks and methodologies in

the evaluation of practice

7c

7d

Primary school feedback information developed the

needs for an ESOL programme.
Change environmental for steps course.

use participative evaluative processes

7e

The use of LEAPS and illuminating Practice in all

projects.
Thematic as framework to identify needs
HGIOCLD2
Delivering Change for community group outcomes

draw on evaluation findings to inform your own practice

The use of Survey Monkey as a tool to gather

evidence.
Programme evaluation

promote and support community led research and evaluation

7f

analyse policy, research and evaluation evidence

7g

learn from other perspectives and challenge your own

14

assumptions

7h

interpret and use evidence related to outcomes and impact

7i

Team Work discussion

CPD
S&S notes

present evidence to a range of audiences using appropriate

tools and technologies

Social media presentation to tutors.

Base and Team meetings
Peer review to Area team
Share practice meeting with area co-workers
Competency report on learners to ALP

15

Narrative Report
Please comment on the range of practice the student has been involved in during
the past twelve months, noting any particular achievements and impacts.

Vikkis main focus of work in her role as CLD worker is around adult
literacies programmes, also incorporating core skills, volunteer
management, resilience and personal development, ESOL work, and CCB
in supporting groups to progress with their goals.
In particular, her achievements and impacts include:
Developing a robust tutor training and support programme for
volunteer adult literacies and ESOL tutors. This has included
assessing their learning and support needs and providing regular
tutor forums to discuss practise issues as well as training
opportunities. There has been a strong retention of tutors resulting
from this.
Exploring and developing online resources and networks such as
Google + to further develop literacies volunteer support and
resources. Tutors have learned new social networking skills and
incorporated resources and support from this in terms of their
development and effectiveness.
Delivery of the STEPs programme for personal development and
confidence building with a targeted group of women in collaboration
with a fellow CLD worker from another network. This programme
saw an extremely high retention rate of learners to completion and
positive learning and progression routes with great feedback on the
impacts.
Continuous research into ESOL needs and seeking and securing
funding, resources and learning materials to develop this area of
work.
Capacity building work to re-establish a stagnant and nonperforming management committee of a local community facility. In
collaboration with colleagues from Leisure and Community Planning.
Always positive engagement with the local staff team and
colleagues in terms of learner and community needs, professional
and team development and developing new areas of work. Vikki is a
great team player. This includes bringing areas of her own research
and development into team discussions.
Evaluation
Please provide an evaluation of the students practice in relation to the following
questions:
What is the profile of strengths and challenges in relation to the
competences?

STRENGTHS:
Ability to develop services and learning programmes that increases

16

engagement and take-up of learning opportunities.

Understanding and responding to volunteer learning, development
and support needs which in turn enhances the services we provide.
Resourceful and able to think outside the box in relation to exploring
and utilising tools and resources for practise.
Solid understanding of theories, studies and policies relating to adult
literacies, ESOL and core skills that underpins her practise.
Skilled and effective facilitator of individual and group learning
opportunities who is able to make positive engagements and
connections with a wide range of people.
Effective at evidencing learner progression and moving learners on
to next steps and further opportunities, often utilising opportunities
provided through a range or partners.
CHALLENGES
Make better use of support and supervision for critical reflection and
exploring the links between theory and practise.
Work with a greater range of community groups and learner needs
to broaden practise experience.
Support community led research and action.
How has the students practice developed in relation to the
competences and towards their identified development goals?

Vikki has worked alongside colleagues in L,L&L and community planning

to develop and support a new management committee for Castlepark
Community House. She competently led on areas of work within this
partnership increasing the capacity of community members to be able to
form a new management committee.
Supporting Christmas Leavers with achieving a positive destination,
through a motivational and confidence building six week programme.
Vikki did not have the opportunity to participate in this as it has not
transpired as a piece of work in our network within the youthwork or
curriculum programmes. She has however supported young people
through DJ workshops which is a social enterprise project developing new
skills and enabling young people to actively contribute to their
communities.
Vikki has taken opportunities to share skills she has been developing in
new media formats such as Prezi and google+ with colleagues and
learning communities. As a result of this the staff team have a better
awareness of new media tools and volunteers have increased their
methods of sharing and engaging with resources and discussions as she
has set up a web based space for tutors to communicate privately and to
share good practice.
Plans to work with colleagues and partners to undertake a research
activity to understand the current DNA of the community of Ellon have
17

been hampered by some challenges and barriers in place within local

planning structures that have prevented this project from progressing to
the community action research stage. However, plans are in place for this
to move forward in 2015.
Which competences, if any, require further development and how might
they be developed?

1) Know and understand the community in which we work

- Critically analyse internal and external factors impacting on
individuals and communities
This is something I am confident we can explore in support and
supervision as Vikki demonstrates a good awareness of learner
needs and challenges but we could certainly discuss this in a more
analytical way relating it to practise.
2) Build and maintain relationships with individuals and groups
- Work towards the resolution of conflict
There would have to be an area of conflict to arise among
individuals/groups that Vikki is working with. There will be more
opportunities coming up through work for Vikki to engage with a
greater range of groups that may require support with conflict
resolution.
6) Develop and support collaborative working
- Initiate collaborative working with relevant organisations
It is recorded in Vikkis annual review that she plans greater
partnership working with school and third sector organisations to
establish ESOL classes.
7) Evaluate and inform practise
- Understand the differences between research, evaluation and
associated concepts
- Promote and support community led research and evaluation
- Analyse policy, research and evaluation evidence
There will be opportunities to focus on areas of policy, research and
evaluation within support and supervision, team peer reviews and
team training opportunities. There will also be a significant piece of
community action research beginning shortly which Vikki will have a
role in.
I am very confident in Vikkis abilities to complete with evidence all
areas in the competencies within the workplace. I am aware that
areas still to be developed in her workplace have been developed
and reflected upon in the course of her placements and studies.

18