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The Professional Development Curriculum Management Area (CMA) falls within the Community Involvement Strand.

Provision in this curriculum area strongly emphasises partnerships at both national and regional level to develop capacity in local communities and to promote workforce development within local and national voluntary sector organisations. It includes both accredited (levels 1- 3) and non - accredited programmes.

One main focus is Initial Teacher Training which includes the delivery of City and Guilds 7407 and more recently the new PTTLS programme. ITT courses are provided through WEA specific training programmes and in ‘mixed’ provision with WEA tutors alongside trainees from partner organisations. Initial Teacher Training provision is moving to respond to the requirements of ‘Equipping our Teachers’ across the wider ACL sector and voluntary providers.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for the WEA existing tutor cohort is also included through this CMA. There are also other teaching related courses such as Training for Trainers, Community Interpreting Training, OCN Internal Verifier, Learning Champions Training, Introduction to Mentoring and the Voluntary Educational Advisers course.

The second main focus of this CMA is the provision of courses for Community Capacity Building including courses such as Skills for Volunteers and the national partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureaux which provides training for their voluntary advisors. These courses for volunteers contribute to the wider government priorities on community cohesion, active citizenship, and workforce development across the voluntary sector.

The Community Involvement strand will continue to develop partnerships with organisations and communities across the country to build capacity and develop skills training.

The WEA has a real interest in giving people the confidence, skills and knowledge to get back into education and work. There is a range of courses that help individuals develop their skillsto enter or progress in their chosen field of work.

Courses are centered around developing skills for education and training and include:

• Certificate for Teaching Assistants
• Community work skills
• Working with volunteers
• Equality and diversity
• Team Building

Other courses in this area cover:

• Citizenship
• Business administration
• Marketing
• Self-employment

The most popular courses in this area:

• Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector PTLLS
• Volunteer Training
• Community Interpreting