We need to act now or face having no Community Development qualifications or accredited training after December 2010.

This issue was raised as a matter of urgency by some FCDL members at our recent AGM. All the existing NOCN, OCN, NVQs and any other CD qualifications will cease to exist after December 2010. All the existing NOCN, OCN, NVQs and any other CD qualifications will cease to exist after December 2010.

We need to put pressure on the Awarding Bodies to commit themselves to turning the new CD units (currently in development and based on the CDNOS 2009) into qualifications.

A team of CD trainers and practitioners is currently developing the units of learning for the QCF (Qualifications and Credit Framework – click here for more info) in line with the agreed CD Learning and Qualifications framework adopted at the FCDL conference in Loughborough in April 2010. The units will then be combined to create different sized qualifications at different levels in CD by Awarding Bodies. These will replace all the existing CD qualifications which automatically cease at the end of this year.

At the moment there are not enough Awarding Bodies committed to turning the units we are writing into qualifications, this is mainly because they don't think there is enough demand for them. If you want to deliver CD qualifications at levels 1-3 after this December then can you please contact your regional OCN, or write to them urgently, and express your concern that there will be no CD qualifications at this level available. You need to tell them there is a demand for x number of people to take the awards/ certificates/ diplomas at x number of the different levels 1 – 3. Ask your regional OCN to confirm that NOCN will be taking the units, that we are getting uploaded onto the QCF and turning them into the appropriate qualifications in line with the CD Learning and Qualifications Framework.

Please let us know you when have done this, and any replies you get back, please contact our Training Development Officer, Susi Miller on susi@fcdlorg.uk or 0114 2536770.

It will be ironic if just as the Big Society and the 5000 Community Organisers come into being, there is no accredited Community Development training to even argue for or about. The other issue is arguing for the resources to deliver the training, but without the units turned into qualifications Community Development doesn’t have a chance.

ISA Vetting Scheme Halted

ISA Vetting and Barring Scheme halted

Home Secretary, Theresa May has announced that the Vetting and Barring Scheme will be halted to help bring the scheme back to “common sense” levels. More info The proposed Vetting and Barring Scheme required job movers and new recruits working closely with children to be registered with the ISA from November 2010. The scheme was to be rolled out to include existing staff and volunteers by 2015.

What's changing:

• ISA-registration will not begin in July for new recruits and job movers working closely with children.

What remains:

• Organisations should still collect Criminal Record (CRB) checks for staff and volunteers as usual.
• It is still a criminal offence to knowingly employ someone who is barred from working with children.
• You still have a duty to refer information to the Independent Safeguarding Authority if an individual has been dismissed (or would have been) for misconduct involving vulnerable groups.
• The new purple application forms will still be launched on 26 July. You should disregard those boxes which would have been used for ISA registration.

For more information on the new arrangements, visit the CRB and Home Office websites. CIPD also has a useful general factsheet on the recruitment of individuals working with children and vulnerable adults which you can access here.

NEW Community Work Skills Manual 2009
Date: ongoing

A Community worker's practice guide, written by community workers, covering everything from the values and principles underlying community work, to roles and responsibilities, working with groups, community surveys etc. Publ. 2009

Click here for details

The England-wide survey of Community Development Work 2009 is now open!
Date: October 2009

Are you working with local communities?
Are you volunteering with local communities?
Are you working with groups or managing a local communities team?
If so, you may be able to help.

CDF are carrying out the authoritative England wide survey of community development workers and their managers, updating and improving on a similar survey conducted in 2003. The experiences and information you provide will be used to raise the profile of community development, nationally and locally, at this challenging and important time.

How you can help

If you are a community development practitioner yourself or manage community development, please complete the survey by visiting www.keysurvey.co.uk/survey/278199/19fa/.
Tell all your colleagues and networks about the survey, and ask them to complete the survey.
If you do not have access to the internet and you want to take part in the survey, please call Helen Sender, Research Officer at CDF on 020 7812 5451.

This survey will form part of a published report on Community Development Practitioners and Managers to be published in March 2010.

Update on the revised National Occupational Standards for Development Work
Date: 3 August 2009

The Federation for Community Development Learning, in partnership with LLUK (the Lifelong Learning Sector Skills Council), have undertaken a review of the new occupational standards that will define what is good quality community development work practice for the next five years or so, and the new standards have now been approved by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES).

Click here for more information about the revised standards.

The mental health service user movement and community development work have existed in parallel worlds for a number of years - each promoting active participation and user/community influence for positive change.

In July 2008 the Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Mental Health and the Federation for Community Development Learning co-organised an event: Common Grounds: Building Alliances for Positive Mental Health: Communities, Community Development and Service User Groups.

The conference report explores the 'common grounds' between service user movements, participation initiatives in health services and community development work and identifies a number of practical action points.

Download the Report (PDF file)

Federation produces NEW "How To.." guides.
Date: 7 August 2008.
These guides are part of a series produced by members of the National Empowerment Partnership. Go to Publications page for more detail..

NEW - Community Development Work Accreditation Pilot Scheme
The National Empowerment Partnership funded ESB, through FCDL, to undertake a small research project with the aim of developing a formal model of accreditation which acknowledges the skills and expertise of experienced community development practitioners in England.
For further information see the Learning & Qualifications Framework page OR do to the ESB site

Federation Awarded £450k to Provide Training and Support to Marginalised Communities…
Date: 24th June 2008.