Community learning and development (CLD) programmes and activities make positive contributions to a range of national and local policy outcomes. This includes education, lifelong learning, community empowerment, employability and skills, and health and wellbeing.

CLD work in Scotland is guided by the Strategic Guidance for Community Planning partnerships (2012). The guidance sets out the outcomes for CLD as:

• improved life chances for people of all ages, through learning, personal development and active citizenship

• stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities

Statutory duties

The CLD regulations place statutory duties on local authorities to work with partners and communities to co-produce and secure the delivery of CLD and publish a CLD plan every three years.

The Scottish Government produced guidance which set out the expectations of local authorities and their partners in CLD planning for the period 2024 to 2027.

Education Scotland collated and published links to the 32 2024 to 2027 CLD plans at the request of the Scottish Government.

National CLD Strategies and Policies

The Scottish Government’s National Adult Learning Strategy 2022 to 2027

The Adult Learning Strategy 2022 to 2027 sets out shared priorities to improve life chances for adult learners across Scotland. It outlines how CLD partners will work together to ensure that there are accessible opportunities for adults across Scotland to learn throughout their lives. The strategy is based on the principles that learning is lifelong, life-wide and learner-centred.

The Scottish Government’s National Youth Work Strategy 

The early development work on a national strategy for youth work was designed to build on the achievements of previous strategies (PDF, 1.03MB).

The Scottish Government’s ambitions for community empowerment and participation

Community development builds the capacity of communities to do things for themselves and have their voices heard in the planning and delivery of services. It therefore contributes to the Scottish Government’s ambitions for community empowerment and participation.

The Independent Review of Community Learning and Development (CLD)

The review was commissioned by the Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Veterans, and began in December 2023 led by Kate Still.

The review report ‘Learning: For All. For Life. A report from the Independent Review of Community Learning and Development (CLD)’ was published in July 2025.

One of the recommendations of the review was that the Scottish Government and COSLA should establish a joint community learning and development strategic group. The Community Learning and Development Strategic Leadership Group was established in December 2024.

Wider policy context

CLD and Curriculum for Excellence 

CfE Briefing 10: The role of community learning and development (CLD) and partnership working (PDF, 2.4MB) explores the important contribution that CLD is making to CfE outcomes for learners through partnership working in educational establishments and communities.

The Scottish Attainment Challenge

CLD also makes a significant contribution to the Families and Communities organiser of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

‘Prior learning and research evidence shows us that schools and education services alone will not reduce the poverty-related attainment gap. The mission of the Scottish Attainment Challenge is one that must be supported by ‘collective agency.’

‘Consideration should be given to how the local authority can work with wider local services, such as Community Learning and Development, Social Work or Family Services, and with community or third sector partners to support the health and wellbeing, attainment and outcomes of children and young people impacted by poverty. The three organisers of learning and teaching; leadership; and families and communities should shape local approaches.’

From: Scottish Attainment Challenge: framework for recovery and accelerating progress, March 2022

Find out more about parental involvement and engagement, family learning, and learning at home.

Find out more about how effective youth work and school partnerships support the aims of the Attainment Challenge from this SAC-funded national programme, based in YouthLink Scotland.