About us:
Establishing a pool of Associates

The Federation aims to work with a group of suitably experienced and qualified people, committed to the aims and values of the Federation, who can:

• provide advice on a consultancy basis to statutory bodies, community groups, local training groups, colleges and universities on community development work training and learning opportunities; particularly in terms of writing courses for recognition and endorsement, and other community development learning opportunities,
• respond to the needs of diverse, marginalised and excluded groups,
• enable the Federation to respond to tenders for work in connection with community development work training,
• enable the Federation to respond to requests from Government departments,
• work with the Federation on research with universities or other bodies,
• work with the Federation organising conferences and workshops to share good practice and disseminate information,
• work on publications. Including writing, editing and production/layout.

Download an Associates application form.

Person specification

Most of the work carried out by our Associates is expected to be on behalf of the Federation reacting to requests or the need for some work to be carried out, rather than proactively tendering for work. There may be occasions when the Federation is asked to tender for an appropriate piece of work, in which case a decision will be made by the Federation about whether they write the tender themselves or pay an Associate to undertake the writing. Writing a tender will not necessarily guarantee that Associate the resulting work if the tender is successful.

Each contract will specify particular experience required of the Associate. To be accepted into the pool of Associates, the following is required as a minimum.

The level of experience required will depend on the piece of work being offered and whether the work requires a team of people or a sole worker. This will be agreed between the Federation and Associate/s at the time of agreeing the contract.

By 'community development' experience, we mean work that would fit into the following definition of community development work. Applicants will be expected to explain, in their application, how they will incorporate the values and principles of community development work into practice.

Community development work is about the active involvement of people in the issues which affect their lives and focuses on the relations between individuals and groups and the institutions which shape their everyday experience.

It is a developmental process which is both a collective and individual experience. It is based on a commitment to equal partnership between all those involved to enable a sharing of skills, awareness, knowledge and experience in order to bring about change.

It takes place in both neighbourhoods and communities of interest, whenever people come together to identify what is relevant to them and act upon issues of common concern.

 

Recruitment procedue

• Initial recruitment takes place through the Federation's mailing list. Recruitment to fill any gaps in skills and geographical coverage will use the newsletters of the national community work organisations.
• Meetings for potential Associates will be publicised in advance.

There are two processes for approval of Associates:

• People who are already doing work or have done work for the Federation, and have done a competent job, either through the Collective, the National Occupational Standards review or the Community Development Learning Fund and who indicate a willingness to be Associates will be entered on the database of Associates, but will still be asked to provide details so we can do the matching to work.
• People newly applying to be Associates should return their written applications to the Federation office (see below for application form). Potential Associates will be asked to supply two referees who will have knowledge of their community development work and training work. Potential Associates will be invited to a meeting where a process of information giving and working together will take place. By the end of the meeting both potential Associates and Federation staff/management committee members will have had the opportunity to assess the possibilities and any issues around individuals becoming Associates. The Federation will take up references before the meeting.

Candidates will be recommended for inclusion in the pool on the basis of their written application, participation in an introductory meeting for Associates, and references. They will then be placed on the database together with details of their specialisms and geographical area of coverage. Inclusion on the list doesn't necessarily guarantee work. It will, however, ensure that Associates are kept in touch with the Federation through mailings and being invited to conferences and other Federation events.

Associates will also be expected to attend annual updating and training events and to become Individual Associate Members of the Federation (this is different from being an Associate as described on this page - click here for details of Federation membership).

Process of selection for pieces of work

When the need for an Associate is identified, the Associates' database will be consulted for people who have the appropriate skills and experience and are in the relevant geographical area. Where the work is of a general nature, the Federation will email all Associates. Where a specialism is required, all Associates with that specialism will be emailed. Associates will be selected against the person specification in the tender.

If there is a gap in the database in terms of skills and/or geographical coverage, staff will need to use discretion about whether one of the existing Associates would be versatile enough to cover the work or whether to advertise through the 'community work press'. It will probably depend very much on the urgency of the piece of work.

Payment

The amount of payment will be the agreed block amount agreed by the Federation for the work; this will be specified in each tender advert. The Federation will ensure that it adds a management fee of 25% to its price for each contract for which it applies.

Quality assurance

It is essential that all Associates commit to an effective monitoring and evaluation system. Each Associate will be assigned a contact person within the Federation to whom they will report within specified periods and from whom they will receive support and information. In some cases a small working group will be set up to oversee the work. Alternatively, where the work is happening a long way from Sheffield, a local member group or agency may be asked to provide supervision and/or support for the Associate, and will be paid for doing so. If problems seem to be arising during this process, the working group or local group should report any issues to the Federation contact person to enable action to be taken as soon as possible.

All contracts will be subject to evaluation and will comprise the following:

• Associates completing a self evaluation form at the end of each contract,
• Evaluation questionnaires being distributed to people involved in the work at the end of the contract,
• Evaluation questionnaires being distributed to participants at the end of training.

The completed questionnaires will be analysed and a report written by the Federation contact person and a report written and submitted to the Federation Personnel and Finance Group. Any issues arising out of the evaluation will be highlighted in this report together with any action that needs to be taken as a result.

Support and supervision

Associates will receive some support and supervision under the procedures described above. There may also be some scope for peer support and the Federation contact needs to be able to put Associates involved in pieces of work at the same time in touch with one another to enable contact to be made. Associates will also be invited to events organised by the Federation as a result of being an Individual Associate Member of the Federation and will receive the same support from these as other Federation members. Associates will be encouraged to contribute to workshops at conferences at which they may present and discuss their work.

Contractual liability

Associates will be issued with a written contract at the start of each piece of work, setting out the responsibilities of the Associate and the Federation. Associates will be responsible for completing the work unless they are unable to do so because of illness or because there is clear evidence that s/he is incapable of finishing the work, in which case, the responsibility lies with the Federation for finding someone else either to work with the Associate or finding someone else to replace him/her. Payment will be made for the work completed by the Associate.

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