HM Inspectors of Education have published a new report highlighting features of effective community development practice in response to COVID-19.

As part of Scottish Government’s Education Recovery: Key Actions and Next Steps, HM Inspectors of Education committed to undertaking national thematic reviews. These thematic inspections promote improvement by sharing more widely ‘what works’. This report outlines how the Community Learning and Development (CLD) sector and its partners are helping to secure better outcomes for individuals most marginalised or socially isolated during and since the pandemic.

HM Inspectors visited 23 settings and engaged with learners, volunteers, practitioners, local authorities and national and third sector organisations to gather evidence.

The findings focus on the key themes of:

• Community response;
• Volunteering;
• Partnership working;
• Digital access and workforce development; and
• Planning for the future and next steps.

The report includes case studies of settings which demonstrate high quality community development practice related to each of the key themes.

PDF file: Responsive, supportive and resilient communities: A review of community development during the pandemic (1.8 MB)