This Apprenticeship is a good choice for anyone interested in social change and making a difference. Community development is about helping local people develop the skills they need to influence and improve their quality of life. This includes removing the barriers that prevent people from participating in the issues that affect them.

Community development is all around us with people working for local authorities, or voluntary and charitable bodies, to bring about change. As an apprentice, you might be active in one community, or maybe have a specific aspect to your job (for example, community-based learning, regeneration and renewal, community sport or community safety). You must achieve the NVQ and also the Certificate in Community Development at Level 3. Learners must take Key/Functional Skills Level 2 in Communication and Application of Number, unless they have GCSE C grade Maths and English within the last 5 years. At level 3 you must be operating in some kind of supervisory role.

NVQ Community Development Work Standards (Level 3)
Mandatory Units – Candidates must complete ALL FIVE mandatory units
A2   Build relationships within and with communities and organizations
A2.1 Develop contacts within and with communities
A2.2 Negotiate the purpose and basis for community development opps        
A2.3 Initiate joint working relationships with and within communities

B2   Facilitate the development of community groups/networks
B2.1 Support community groups/networks to identify and review strengths and weaknesses
B2.2 Support community groups/networks to develop their own practice
B2.3 Promote inclusive and empowering ways of working within communities

B4   Promote and support learning from practice and experience
B4.1 Promote the value of learning from practice and experience
B4.2 Support learning from practice and experience

C3   Support communities to plan and take collective action
C3.1 Support communities to identify aims & objectives 4 collective action
C3.2 Support communities to develop a plan of collective action
C3.3 Support communities to put an agreed plan into action

C6   Work with communities to identify needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities
C6.1 Support groups/networks to identify needs and opportunities
C6.2 Support groups/networks to identify rights and responsibilities
C6.3 Co-ordinate the collective prioritising of community needs, rights, opportunities and responsibilities

D1  Support communities to monitor and review action for change
D1.1Support communities to identify the purpose, criteria and focus of monitoring
D1.2 Negotiate inclusive ways of monitoring action for change
D1.3 Support communities to monitor action for change
D1.4 Support communities to review and use the outcomes from monitoring

F2   Review own practice, knowledge and values
F2.1 Evaluate own practice F2.2    Identify potential contradictions in values and practice
F2.3 Draw up a work programme and review the impact of your work

Optional units – Group 1 – Candidates must complete ONE unit from the optional group
E2   Review and develop funding and resources
E2.1 Support community groups/networks to review  current funding and resources
E2.2 Work with community groups/networks to identify and secure required funding and resources
E2.3 Support community groups/networks to monitor the use of funding and resources

E4   Develop people’s skills and roles within community groups/networks
E4.1 Assist community groups/networks to define their needs for people and skills
E4.2 Enable community groups/networks to support volunteers and staff
E4.3 Work with community groups/networks to review their purpose

E6   Develop and review community-based organisational structures
E6.1 Identify organisational structures to meet agreed group/network purpose
E6.2 Establish roles and responsibilities to fulfil organisational development
E6.3 Support the development of effective organisational practice
E6.4 Monitor and review organisational development and practice

Optional units – Group 2 – Candidates must complete ONE unit from the optional group
B3   Facilitate ways of working collaboratively
B3.1 Facilitate bringing people together around common issues
B3.2 Assist community groups/networks to identify different ways of organising
B3.3 Encourage partnership working with and between key people, organisations and communities

B6   Support individuals, community groups & communities to deal with conflict
B6.1 Support groups and communities to identify and deal with the causes of conflict
B6.2 Identify roles and responsibilities within conflict situations and support appropriate action

F5   Review and meet own learning and development needs
F5.1 Identify and evaluate own learning, supervision and support needs
F5.2 Take action to meet your own learning needs, including developing  own supervision and support networks

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