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Independent Expert Panel on CD – first update
Sunday 18th July 2010, 22:07
A huge thanks to CDX members who have read and responded to the first panel paper (more about you below). I’ve just heard from CDF that the panel chair will be contacting panel members early this coming week to begin the first discussion online (we’ll meet in person for the second two discussions).
The current context for community development - your responses
Panel Paper One, written by Melanie Bowles sets out the current context for community development in England. Theresa Kennedy, a CDX member from Birmingham City Council has fed back that she feels the paper provides some very cogent issues, pertinent to the organisation of community development and community development worker principles and practice.
David Randall concurs with description of the fragmentary nature of CD work and the lack of a formal system of entry into it and coherent progression routes through it. Andrew Pilley strongly agrees that the lack of a professional structure or skills accreditation to the profession is an issue to employers (and staff), especially in the public sector.
Shamsher Cohan has responded to the paper with a focus on values. She feels there is challenge is around values and principle in practice. She also thinks there needs to be a greater recognition of the informal CD work that most people do as volunteers and so it is not seen as an occupation as such but an approach.
Mark Woodhead, a CDX member working for NHS Wakefield District has provided some helpful ideas around asset-based approaches and co-production, highlighting the need to avoid using an accountant's notion of assets.
In relation to the Government’s ideas about community organisers, Sue Shaw has commented on how political and challenging the real Community Organising process is. She is travelling to Chicago to spend a week the Chief Exec of the Gamelial Foundation, who trained Barack Obama. Hopefully Sue can share her reflections with us on her return.
The panel and the process - our challenges to CDF
In addition to comments on the paper, a number of concerns have been raised around the purpose of the panel, its composition and the processes being used by CDF. Gabriel Chanan and Colin Miller are anxious that the Panel and evidence include people from outside the CD practitioner circle itself, and critical voices. Gary Craig has asked some questions about CDF’s role in the process and feels that there is a lack of clarity about what CDF will do with the panel findings. The staff team at CDX have also suggested that I assert the need for the panel to tease out key questions for wider debate - so that we can engage CDX members in the discussions and effectively challenge the notion that an expert panel decides CD’s future.
I feel very strongly that as a network we should have a way to discuss the issues raised in the papers, and by the process. Sophie is on holiday this week, but on her return she will look in to ways that we can support dialogue online, with CDX members able to build on and respond to each other’s comments. In the meantime I will feed in the all the comments and challenges received to date and continue to update you through this blog. Do keep your comments coming in, via nick@cdx.org.uk
Have a lovely week all
Lorna