GUIDELINES FOR RECOGNITION
AS A COMMUNITY EDUCATOR FOR
APPLICANTS TRAINED OUTWITH
SCOTLAND
CONTENTS
PAGE
Background
1
What are the Requirement for Recognition?
3
Recognition Panel
4
Appeals
5
Appendix 1
Value Base and principles
5
Appendix 2
Application for Recognition as a
Community Educator
7
Appendix 3
Chart
8
Membership of CeVe
i.b.c
CeVe Recognition as a Community
Educator for Applicants Trained Outwith
Scotland Sub-Committee
i.b.c
7
BACKGROUND
THE ORIGINS OF THE
COMMUNITY EDUCATION
PROFESSION
It was the Government’s Report “The
Challenge of Change” chaired by
Kenneth Alexander that recommended
the setting up of the community
education services in Scotland in 1975.
Whilst community education has its
origins prior to 1975, the Alexander
Report gave public policy recognition
to the term, through recommending to
Government the merging of the former
adult education, youth and community
work services under a new titlecommunity education. Alexander drew
upon the three traditions, placing
community education within a lifelong
education and a community
development framework.
The Alexander Report recognised the
need to train community educators to
the highest quality to take on this
challenge. A further working party was
established by the Government,
chaired by Elizabeth Carnegy ,to make
recommendations on professional
training. The Carnegy Report published
in 1977, reviewed existing professional
training provision in Scotland through
the still somewhat separate traditions
of adult education, youth and
community work provided by several
Colleges of Education and Universities.
The Carnegy Report focused primarily
upon the content of training,
recommending a social and political
science base and taught and practical
elements in adult education,
community work and youth work. By
the end of the 1970s and early 1980s
integrated professional community
education courses at diploma and postgraduate certificate level were available
in Scotland. There did not exist at this
time, however, a central validation and
endorsement process or national body
to oversee training.
A desire by practitioners, employers
and trainers to raise the status of the
profession developed, paralleled by a
growing interest in opening up new
forms of flexible access to training and
accreditation. In 1982 the national
agency for community education, the
Scottish Community Education
Council, recommended by the
Alexander Report, was established by
the Scottish Office. As one of it’s first
tasks the Scottish Community
Education Council, recommended by
the Alexander Report, was established
by the Scottish Office. As one of its
first tasks the Scottish Community
Education Council established a
second working party on training
chaired by Geoffrey Drought. This
committee reported in 1984 under the
title “Training for Change”. It examined
in detail issues of flexibility and
accessibility to training, the need to
enhance the quality of training, and the
need to establish a “National Council”
to oversee the training system. Whilst
the Carnegy Working party had set outa
common core content of knowledge
and skills, generally accepted by the
Drought Working Party, “Training for
Change” focused upon establishing a
flexible community education training
system through which there should be
a variety of routes, recommending the
introduction of a modular approach to
training. The Report also called for
improvements in the quality of
fieldwork practice and supervision and
for employers to be given greater
recognition in the planning of training.
Modularisation of training and tentative
experimentation with innovative access
routes continued through the 1980s.
There was a greater clarity in terms of
the focus upon learning outcomes
through both college and practice
elements of training.
In 1990, the “National Council” function
was finally established by the Minister
of Education as CeVe (Community
Education Validation and
Endorsement), a committee serviced
and supported by SCEC.
CeVe has the following delegated
powers approved by the Minister for
Education:
A. To maintain and
implement methods
leading to the
endorsement of
qualifying training
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
for professional staff
in community
education
To maintain and
implement methods
leading to mutual
recognition of
community
education
qualifications within
the European Union
Internationally
To maintain and
implement methods
leading to
endorsement of
training for part-time
and voluntary
workers and for prequalifying training
To maintain and
implement methods
leading to the
endorsement of inservice courses and
staff development
programmes
To provide such
advice as may from
time to time be
required
To establish subcommittees
The CeVe Committee has members
appointed by SCEC, representative of
the principal local government and
voluntary sector employers, the
professional association and trade
unions, and the main training
providers.
CeVe established a number of standing
sub-committees in December 1991, one
of which was the Recognition SubCommittee. The aim of this subcommittee is to implement guidelines
approved by CeVe for methods leading
to mutual recognition of community
education qualifications within the UK,
the European Union, and
Internationally.
REMIT:

To consider individual
applications for recognition pf
professional qualifications in
community education gained
outside Scotland, with
particular emphasis on the UK



To maintain close links and
partnerships with parallel
endorsing bodies across the
UK, Europe and other
appropriate bodies
To review procedures for
recognition and make
recommendations for change to
CeVe
To bring together Recognition
Panels as appropriate
WHAT ARE THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR
RECOGNITION?
Procedures for recognition are
consistent with the values and
principles of CeVe*. They aim to be
clear, fair and non-discriminatory.
Candidates will be expected to
demonstrate that their EDUCATION,
TRAINING and EXPERIENCE has
equipped them to a standard
comparable with their Scottish
counterparts and that they are
competent to work in community
education.
Where there are substantial differences
in the training received candidates may
be required to complete a period
supervised practice not exceeding
three years.
Recognition will be of the individual’s
combined personal practical
experience and qualification. In keeping
with European Union Directives, this
experience need not exceed four years.
In terms of the General System of
Mutual Recognition of the European
Union CeVe is the ‘competent
authority’. As such, according to the
Second General Directive:
“The competent authorities of the host
Member state should be allowed to
determine, in accordance with the
relevant provision of Community Law,
the detailed rules necessary for
implementation of the adaptation
period and the aptitude test”.
Given the nature of the community
education, CeVe considers that an
aptitude test is not appropriate but a
period of supervised practice may be
required.
Within Scotland, community education
is provided by local authorities and
voluntary organisations. Local
authorities are active in three main
areas;
- Youth Work
- Adult Education
- Community Work
Voluntary organisations tend to
specialise and operate in one of those
areas.
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY
EDUCATOR?
One of the most difficult issues is that
of terminology, with a range of training
for related fields throughout Europe,
e.g. Animateurs, Sozialpadogogen,
Jongeren, Opboouwwerkers, Educator
Socio Professionals, Youth and
Community Workers, all of which have
some similarity to community
education.
However, the name of the qualification
is less important that the competence
achieved through experience and
participation in a programme of
training.
Within Scotland community educators
are trained to degree (BA) or post
graduate certificate level. They must
show that they can:
- Engage with the community
- Develop relevant learning and
educational opportunities
- Empower the participants
- Organise and manage
resources
- Practise community education
within different settings
- Use evaluative practice to
assess and implement
appropriate changes.
RECOGNITION PANEL
A Recognition Panel shall meet to
consider submissions* four times per
year normally in February, May, August
and November, to fit in with CeVe
schedule of meetings. It shall be
chaired by a member of CeVe or Vice
Char, and a minimum of two other
members of the Recognition
Committee, which includes
practitioners and training providers. It
shall be serviced by an officer of the
Scottish Community Education Council
(SCEC). Membership of the Panel shall
be reviewed annually.
A recognition panel shall examine
candidates’ applications according to
the following criteria:
Evidence of higher education at a
University or equivalent Institution will
be required:
1. Title of Post Secondary
Qualification (this should be
recognised as offering
professional training within the
member of state)
2. Duration of Training – full
time/part-time
3. Date of award
4. Awarding Body of Institution
5. Evidence of Practice
6. Any other supporting information
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY
Assessment procedures akin to those
used by the Scottish General Teaching
Council may be necessary to establish
language competence. This would
cover:
1. Aural/Oral competence in social
communication
2. Aural/Oral competence in a
potential workplace
3. Reading ability sufficient to enable
continued professional
development
4. Writing competence in both formal
and informal communication
Applications may submit evidence
such as the international English
Language Testing Scheme Certificate.
It may be possible to acquire this
through the British Council in the
country of residence.
Inclusion of the IELTS Certificate with a
score of six or better with satisfactory
information of qualifications and
experience may entitle applicants to
provisional recognition subject to
scrutiny of documentation.
Interview of applicants for language
assessment when necessary shall be
held prior to or following meetings
where current applications are
considered.
The Recognition Panel will advise
CeVe:
a. To issue a letter of recognition
b. To provisionally recognise
provided certain conditions are
fulfilled. This applies to
candidates with qualifications
from a member state of the
European Union (outwith the
UK) who do not meet all the
criteria but who hold a
qualification recognised within
their state
c. To call for interview, where
appropriate for assessment of
language proficiency
d. Not to recognise
This is in keeping with the
requirements of the first and second
general Directives of the European
Union.
APPEALS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
There shall be an Appeals
Committee consisting of the
following officers of the Scottish
Community Education Council.
Chief Executive, and two other
members of Council. None of the
members of the Appeals
Committee shall have been
involved previously as members of
CeVe with any case, which they
consider on appeal.
Any appeal against a Decision by
CeVe concerning recognition shall
be lodged in writing with the Chief
Executive of the Scottish
Community Education Council
within 21 days following the
intimation of the Decision to the
candidate for Recognition. Such
appeal shall briefly state the
grounds of the appeal.
Appeals shall only be considered
on the grounds that the decision is
not properly in accordance with
the criteria set out in the
guidelines for Recognition.
After the Candidate has lodged an
appeal, he / she shall be offered a
fair and reasonable opportunity to
present their case, both orally and
in writing, to the Appeals
Committee, and CeVe shall be
given a fair and reasonable
opportunity to respond to the
appeal. The Appeals Committee
may impose such procedural rules
or requirements as it may think fit
to allow the appeal to be
conducted fairly and with
reasonable speed.
The Appeals Committee shall have
power to dismiss the appeal, or
allow the appeal, or allow the
appeal subject to such conditions
as it may specify. It shall give
reasons in writing for its decision.
Such decision will be implemented
by CeVe.
RECOGNITION FEE
The amount of the fee shall be agreed
by CeVe and revised each year.
PROCEDURES FOR
RECOGNITION
Applicants shall write to the Chair of
the CeVe Recognition panel at the
offices of the Scottish Community
Education Council (SCEC), making the
envelope “Recognition”.
APPENDIX 1
VALUE BASE AND PRINCIPLES
DEFINING COMMUNITY
EDUCATION
In 1990 the Minister of Education
approved the following definition of
community education against which a
functional analysis for community
educators was carried out:
“Community education is a process
designed to enrich the lives of
individuals and groups by engaging
with people living within a geographical
area, or sharing a common interest, to
develop voluntarily a range of learning,
action, and reflection opportunities
determined by their personal, social
economic and political needs”.
The function or role of the community
educator in society, therefore, is that of
an animateur, positively intervening
and engaging with people within their
community, motivating, organising and
enthusing them to acquire new
knowledge, skills and confidence. In
Scotland this has been closely linked to
community development strategies for
tackling social exclusion, for
supporting individual and community
enterprise and self-help and for
encouraging public participation in
determining change.
THE VALUE BASE
At the core of the training and practice
of community education is an active
concern to promote certain ethical
values, which underpin and give
coherence to its operation. The Report
on community education training
“Training for Change” published by the
Scottish Community Education Council
in 1984, noted that:
“despite the differing traditions of adult
education, youth and community work,
there is common ground. They have, as
a common aim, the building of a
healthy democracy in a pluralist
society…founded on a belief in the
individual as an active participant in a
shared process of a personal and
group development through education”
This value bas has since been
reinforced and developed in the first
published CeVe guidelines (1991), the
Principal Community Education
Officers’ Report “Value for People”
(1993) and the Convention of Scottish
Local Authorities Report on Community
Education (1995).
The underlying values at the heart of
community education are that
education:
 Respects the individual and the
right to self-determination;
 Respects and values pluralism
 Values equality and develops
anti-discriminatory practice
 Encourages collective action
and collaborative working
relationships;
 Promotes learning as a lifelong
process;
 Encourages a participating
democracy.
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY
EDUCATION PRACTICE
In its first published guidelines, CeVe
noted that these values should
themselves be reflected “at the level of
the operating principles” of community
education practice. Community
education providers should encourage:
 Equality of opportunity, positive
action and open access
particularly for disadvantaged
learners;
 Active participation of learners
in the process of identifying
learning needs, planning a
learning programme and
monitoring it;
 Flexibility of approach, covering
content, location and style;
 Recognition that learning cam
relate to persona. Social,
economic and political
experiences as well as more
academic and vocational
subjects;
 An emphasis upon learning as
well as teaching, and on
matching the content and
manner of delivery to the needs
of the people concerned;
 A positive response by
participants to change and to
the demands made on them in
the present and the future.
APPENDIX 2
APP/REC/95
APPLICATION FOR RECOGNITION AS A COMMUNITY EDUCATOR
PLEASE COMPLETE IN TYPESCRIPT OR PRINT IN BLACK PEN
1.
TITLE e.g. Mr, Mrs, Ms……………
SURNAME………………………….
FORENAME(S)……………………..
ADDRESS……………………………
…………………………………………
………………………………………..
TOWN…………………………………
COUNTRY…………………………….
ZIP/POSTCODE……………………..
i.
3.
DO YOU HAVE:I. Aural/Oral competence in
social communication
Yes/No
II. Aural/Oral competence
suitable for a workplace
Yes/No
III. Reading ability sufficient to
enable continued
professional development
Yes/No
IV. Writing competence in both
formal and informal
communication
Yes/No
V. Evidence of above
Yes/No
2.
TITLE OF POST SECONDARY QUALIFICATION(S) E.G.
CERTIFICATES, DIPLOMAS,
DEGREE……………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
TRAINING INSTITUTION (S)
ATTENDED…………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………
DURATION OF TRAINING……………………………………………….
FULL/PART TIME………………………………………………………….
DATE (S) OF AWARD……………………………………………………
PLEASE NOTE:I. Please enclose
original certificate
Diploma or
Degree. This will
be returned by
recorded delivery.
II. Evidence of
practice, e.g.
letters of reference
from other
agencies or
authorities.
III. Any other
supporting
information
APPENDIX 3
Applicant for recognition submits details of qualifications and experience to CeVe recognition panel
Are the qualifications already recognised as equivalent?
NO
YES
Evidence of English language proficiency (all
candidates)
YES
Qualifications and
experience are
assessed against
established criteria
Fully meets criteria for
recognition including work
experience.
Recommendation to CeVe
to recognise
Provisional recognition,
including a requirement to
undertake specified training
and/or a period of supervised
practice.
Does not meet criteria
Recognition Refused
Partly meets criteria for
recognition
Letter of Recognition
issued
Provisional recognition
requirements completed
NO
MEMBERSHIP OF CeVE
CHAIR
Stewart Murdoch, PCEO, Tayside Regional Council.
MEMBERS
Tim O’Brien, Head of Training and Staff Development, COSLA
Ian Craik, Association of Directors of Education
Pauline Ashton, General Secretary, Girl Guides Association, (Scotland)
Peggy Macnab, Managing Officer, North Highland Regional Council
Jim Donaldson, Director of Teaching and Learning, Scottish Higher Education
Funding Council
Ann Boyd, Product Development Manager, SCOTVEC
Maria Slowey, Professor, Department of Adult and Continuing Education,
University of Glasgow
Terry Reid, Training officer, Grampian Regional Council
David Wiseman, Principal Officer, Social Strategy, Strathclyde Regional Council.
Lyn Tett, Director Community Education, Moray House Institute
Myra Galloway, Team Leader – Musselburgh, Lothian Regional Council
Rory Macleod, PCEO, Borders Regional Council
Derek Crichton, Community Education Co-ordinator, Dumfries and Galloway
Regional Council
Lesley Greenaway, Training Officer, Volunteer Development Scotland
Charlie McConnell, Chief Executive, Scottish Community Education Council (Ex
Officio).
ASSESSOR
Duncan Kirkpatrick, H.M.I., Scottish Office Education and Industry Department.
SCEC
Fiona Blacke, Director, CeVe
Gordon Mackie, SDO, CeVe
CeVe RECOGBITION SUB COMMITTEE
Rory Macleod, Chair, PCEO, Borders Regional Council
Mike Hough, Lecturer, University of Strathclyde
Ian MacGowan, Head of Community & Continuing Education Department, Northern
College
Ken McCulloch, Lecturer, Moray House Institute, Heriot Watt University
Vernon Galloway, Adult Learning Project, Edinburgh
David Wiseman, Principal Officer, Social Strategy, Strathclyde Regional Council