A MANIFESTO FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN SCOTLAND?

Today’s event  A contribution to the process of manifesto building.  An opportunity to discuss challenges with key partners.  An essential step in building a forward work plan for CDAS.

“Community development makes curial but often invisible contributions to the achievement of policy objectives”

The policy context  Regeneration  Health promotion/development  Community safety  Social cohesion  Cultural entitlement  Citizenship and work with young people  Adult learning and capacity building

Manifesto “A public declaration by individual or a body of individuals….” (Oxford English Dictionary) “A means of expressing publicising and recording ideas….” “A public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature….” (Wikipedia)

From rhetoric to action  A good manifesto needs to say what its promoters are setting out to do.  Many new manifestos are now appearing to a world-wide audience due to the Internet.

Values  Social Justice - enabling people to claim their human rights, meet their needs and have greater control over the decision-making processes which affect their lives.  Participation - facilitating democratic involvement by people in the issues which affect their lives based on full citizenship, autonomy, and shared power, skills, knowledge and experience.  Equality - challenging the attitudes of individuals, and the practices of institutions and society, which discriminate against and marginalise people.  Learning - recognising the skills, knowledge and expertise that people contribute and develop by taking action to tackle social, economic, political and environmental problems.  Co-operation - working together to identify and implement action, based on mutual respect of diverse cultures and contributions. (CDX Website) (CDX Website)

Community Development Alliance, Scotland.

Where did CDAS come from?  The Community Work Forum- SCEC  “its explicit purpose, networking, promotion and policy development relating to community work and community development”  The Community Development Alliance  An autonomous network funded by Learning Connections, Community Scotland  Serviced by Volunteer Development Scotland

Review and re-focus  The starting point for the 2006 Avante review of CDAS was to ask the question : was an ongoing need for a national alliance of organisations which have the promotion of community development as part of their objective?  The answer was “yes”  A number of specific recommendations for action  Commissioned background paper to promote discussion

Underpinning principles  Empowerment - increasing the ability of individuals and groups to influence issues that affect them and their communities.  Participation - supporting people to take part in decision- making.  Inclusion, equality of opportunity and anti-discrimination - recognising that some people may need additional support to overcome the barriers they face.  Self-determination - supporting the right of people to make their own choices.  Partnership - recognising that many agencies can contribute to CLD to ensure resources are used effectively. (Working & Learning Together Scottish Executive)

CDAS – aims and objectives  Aims - The Community Development Alliance aims to influence policy, management, practice, and training that relates to community development in Scotland, in accordance with the principles endorsed by the Budapest Declaration  In order to achieve its stated aims, CDAS will:  enable regular exchange of information on community development policy and practice;  provide a forum for the discussion and debate of issues of national importance relating to community development;  provide opportunities for the study of specific aspects of community development;  contribute to the development of national strategies.

Membership  National organisations which seek to promote community development and influence policy.  Membership is open to regional and national organisations, or networks of organisations, whose aims include the promotion of community development and who are willing to endorse the principles of community development.

Policy support  The preparation of materials, information, and recordings.  Supporting members to effectively represent views on current issues.  Assisting in the dissemination and promotion of learning.  Liaison with and support to CDAS members.  Liaison with national agencies and networks on behalf of CDAS.  Supporting the efficient organisation of meetings, seminars and events.  Supporting the administration of CDAS and the development of the website.

Administrative support  Providing the arrangement for meetings, including the preparation and distribution of relevant papers and agendas etc.  Arranging for seminars, conferences and other events.  Producing and distributing briefing papers and other publications.  Maintaining and developing CDAS membership database and mailing lists etc.  Maintaining and developing the website.

The workshops  Today's participants are representative of the key stakeholders in the field of community development in Scotland.  We are inviting you to engage in this process of manifesto building and, simultaneously, generate the next work plan for the Alliance.