Community Learning and Development Planning 2021 – 2024

Published 10/01/2022. Last updated 06/06/2024

Self-evaluation Community Learning and Development (CLD)

The Scottish Government recognises the role of the Community Learning and Development (CLD) sector across the public and third sector in providing invaluable support to vulnerable and marginalised learners and communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. CLD approaches will also be key to planning for a full recovery and renewal to active civil society across Scotland.

"Community Learning and Development (CLD) is a field of professional practice that enables people to identify their own individual and collective goals, to engage in learning and take action to bring about change for themselves and their communities." The CLD Standards Council Scotland

The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013 place duties on local authorities to work with partners and communities to co-produce and secure the delivery of CLD in their area and publish a 3-yearly CLD Plan.

Explore this exemplar

The following documents provide the national context for Community Learning and Development (CLD) plans. The Scottish Government’s Strategic Guidance for Community Planning Partnerships is the foundation policy for CLD delivery in Scotland. It sets out the purpose and outcomes of CLD and who could be involved at local level. CLD’s specific focus should be:

Improved life chances for people of all ages, through learning, personal development and active citizenship.
Stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities.

What we’ve learned since the last round of CLD Plans 2018-21:

During the period September 2016 to June 2019, HM Inspectors of Education carried out inspections in all 32 local authorities. A summary of the main inspection findings was published in 2020 in the Improving life chances and empowering communities Community learning and development in Scotland: Findings from inspection evidence 2016-19 report.
In December 2020, the Scottish Government set out guidance and accompanying information local authorities and their partners to take into account when meeting their statutory requirements for CLD. The guidance reinforced the valuable contribution that the CLD sector is making to supporting learners and communities during the Covid-19 crisis. It also took into account the challenges that the sector is facing as a result of the pandemic and the impact this will have on CLD. The Scottish Government recognise that CLD practitioners have a vital role to play in rebuilding from the pandemic and responding to the new challenges ahead. Community learning and development plans: guidance - 2021 to 2024.

Improvement questions

Here are some examples of improvement questions regarding CLD plans which are based on the challenge questions in the HGIOCLD? framework:

How well informed, clear, ambitious and achievable are the targets and aims of our CLD plan? (QI 1.1)
How well do staff, volunteers and partners understand and work towards meeting the targets and aims of our CLD plan? (QI 1.1)
How well does our CLD plan help us to embed fairness, equality and diversity in all aspects of our work? (QI 1.2)
How well does our CLD plan encourage partners, including community organisations and activists, to plan, work, evaluate and share resources and intelligence to reach those most affected by persistent inequalities? (QI 1.2)
How well does our CLD plan align to local, regional and national priorities? (QI 3.1)
How effective are we in developing, sustaining and supporting partnerships to develop and take forward priorities within our CLD plan? (QI 3.2)
How good are our quality assurance processes to enable us to monitor and report on progress of our CLD plan? (QI 6.1)
How well does our CLD plan help us to meet CLD statutory regulations, strategies and guidance? (QI 6.1)

Community Learning and Development Plans 2021–2024

Forth Valley and West Lothian

North

South East

South West

Tayside

West

How good is our CLD (HGIOCLD?) 4th edition is part of a suite of quality frameworks developed by Education Scotland. This is a draft version of the framework. CLD services, organisations, partnerships and practitioners can now use this to support their self-evaluation.

Download(s)

PDF file: CLD Planning 2021 - 2024 - FAQs

PDF file: Aspect Review 2016-17

What is this?

This resource provides links to the current Community Learning and Development plans for every local authority area in Scotland, covering the period September 2021 to 2024.

Who is this for?

CLD plans describe priorities of CLD partners in each local authority area. They have been developed with learners and communities. They are relevant to everyone involved in the learning sector – in communities or in education establishments – and those involved in community development and community based planning, across the public and third sectors. They are also likely to be of interest to local, regional and national policy makers.