CREATING CHANGES Using Community Development to support small

community groups, Voluntary organisations and networks in your local area

Supporting Community Groups to Influence Decision Makers

Free One DayTraining Monday, 18th July

Weston Super Mare

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Date: Monday, 18th July 2011 Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm

Venue: Friend Resource Centre, 39 Oxford Street,

Weston super Mare, BS23 1TN

Creating Changes is a project offering free community development training to a wide range of local support and development organisations, so that they can improve their practice in supporting small groups and networks. Course aims This course will offer the opportunity for course participants to develop an awareness of how to support community groups in identifying their own needs, in order to take actions and influence the decisions that affect the quality of the lives of the communities they are part of.

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Who is this course for?

Supporting Community Groups to Influence Decision Makers is a one day course aimed at community activists and paid and unpaid workers who, within their ongoing roles, support the learning, development and actions of small groups and networks and who are interested in developing their skills, knowledge and understanding of how to use participative approaches in facilitating informal community development learning as part of such work. Workers do not need to be generic Community Development Workers. This project is not targeted at statutory/private sector employees but some places may be available for a small charge of £25 if there are places available. Priority will be given to free places for community and voluntary sector participants. The course is for workers who work with small community groups as part of their ongoing unpaid or paid role. These roles should include: 1) Supporting community groups to develop and work collectively within and between

groups 2) Supporting groups to work collectively to understand and engage in policies that affect

communities and small groups. What skills, qualities and experience do I need?

You should be able to provide evidence of supporting inclusive and collective working for 6 community groups and networks.*

You should have an interest in developing skills, knowledge and understanding of how to use Community Development approaches in working with small groups

To support your continuous learning and development you will be expected to reflect on the skills learnt when working with at least 6 groups* over a period of 6 months. The course tutor will provide you with a process for doing this and FCDL will support you through the tracking process which will include a feedback form.

* If your circumstances do not allow you to support 6 groups but you think this course would benefit your practice please contact at South West Foundation on 01275333666 or jcrawley@southwestfoundation.org.uk to discuss. We don’t want to exclude people, but the aim of the Creating Changes project is to indirectly improve support to a high number of small community groups and networks. Please look out for future practice sharing workshops to improve the overall effectiveness of your practice and your continuous professional development. Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course participants will: 1. Understand how to use inclusive methods to support community groups and

networks to engage with public policies affecting their communities 2. Use the values and process of Community Development outlined in the Community

Development National Occupational Standards (CD NOS) 3. Share examples of their work practice with others 4. Create draft plans for supporting community groups engaging in policies.

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Booking form

Date: [Date] Location: [Location] Course Code:

Full name

Role / job title:

Group/organisation:

Organisation address:

Postcode:

Statutory / private

sector

If places are available

there will be a charge

of £25

Community /

voluntary sector

paid

unpaid

Telephone: Email

Home address:

Postcode:

Telephone: Email:

Dietary needs:

Support or access needs: Please give details of any requirements you have - including hearing loop or

sign language interpretation.

Deposit. Attendance at this workshop is free. However a returnable deposit of £20 is required to secure

your place (payable to South West Foundation). The deposit will be returned to you, providing that you

attend the event. Please tick if cheque enclosed OR

Please tick if you agree to be invoiced for this amount if you do not attend

Q1 What skills do you hope to develop from this course in relation to aims and

outcomes?

Q2 Please name up to 6 community groups that your learning and development might impact on over the next 6 months. 1. 4.

2. 5.

3. 6.

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Registration and refreshments available from 9.30 am, the course starts at 10.00am and finishes at 4.00pm. A vegetarian lunch will be provided. Further information, including venue details, will be provided once your booking is confirmed.

Please tick if you are a member of FCDL

FCDL may, in exceptional circumstances, be able to support partial travel costs. Tick

here if you would like more details

If you are not already listed on FCDL’s database, your details will be added and you will receive information about events and other FCDL work. Please tick if you do not wish to

receive this information

Please return completed form by to

Q3: What is your role in supporting these community groups?

The categories are based on what workers identified in previous Creating Changes workshops

Supporting group development

Governance

Liaise between statutory sectors and community and voluntary sectors

Managing buildings

Delivering learning/training

Support/advice

Signposting

Fundraising

Are there any other key roles that you carry out that haven’t been identified above?

Q4: By taking part in this training you are agreeing to share information with us so that we can support you in tracking your learning and development while working with community groups over a 6 month period. Please tick to say that you agree to this