Community Learning and Development Managers Scotland have published ‘Doing Things Differently’, a short booklet about how ‘Community Learning and Development helps to deliver change and cut social costs’.

It argues “not … for the protection of specific existing services, organisations or projects [but] for an intelligent focus on what makes a difference”. “The main aim of community learning and development is to help individuals and communities tackle real issues in their lives through community action and community-based learning. This can prevent people falling into situations where they would make much greater demands on public expenditure, through ill-health, anti-social behaviour, unemployment and many other issues. We work in and with communities and reach out to people who might otherwise place future demands on services. We enable them to find ways of growing and developing.

This is not about community groups ‘running public services’. In some circumstances, that is appropriate. But far more important is strengthening the ability of communities to prevent the need for services from arising, and to develop in self-sustaining ways”.

The booklet will be used to help to make this case to the National Community Planning Group, the Local Government and Communities Committee of the Scottish Parliament, and by Community Learning and Development Managers around Scotland