Doncaster College Community Involvement Strategy 1 Overview This strategy needs to be seen in the context of the College mission: Meeting learner needs and aspiring to excellence. This Community Involvement Strategy sets out the College`s commitment to active involvement with its local and wider communities. It recognises the College s role as the largest provider of learning opportunities in the Doncaster area and also acknowledges the relationship with other key community providers and partners. The Strategy has been developed as one of a number of supporting priorities to ensure that the College is connected to, and actively involved in, local and wider community issues. The strategy confirms that the College s involvement in local community issues and agendas is undertaken in a constructive and mutually beneficial manner to improve access to, and promote the College, its facilities and resources by sharing good practice, knowledge, expertise and skills. 2 Context 2.1 National Policy Context: This Strategy takes account of Current Government policy direction as outlined in the Giving White Paper, (May 2011) Baroness Sharp s report on Colleges in their communities: A dynamic nucleus: Colleges at the heart of local communities (NIACE Nov 2011). 2.2 Local Context: This Strategy underpins the local Doncaster Borough Strategy and Plan: the Doncaster Council Core Strategy 2011-28 and associated Development Plan Document (DPD) in the context of living and life chances, and ensuring that Doncaster is recognised as a place where people want to live, invest and do business. A key priority is to work with partners to engage hard to reach learners, particularly those not in education, employment or training (NEET). 2.3 College Strategies: This Strategy is set in the context of the College`s Corporate Strategy 2011-14, and the increasing significance of corporate and social responsibilities underpinned by the Equality and Diversity, Widening Participation, Employer Engagement, Learning and Teaching, Student Volunteering, Learner and Staff Involvement, Professional Development and Training and Participation Strategies, and the College`s Partnership Framework in order to: 1
Add public value to the communities which the College serves Contribute to the local economy as a large employer creating employment, education and training opportunities Gain strategic advantage and competitive edge through improved agility and responsiveness to customer needs Develop partner relationships and create business opportunities to further add value and improve performance Improve knowledge and skills and enhance career development by providing opportunities for staff and students to work across boundaries and broaden experience. 3 Scope and Purpose 3.1 Definition For the purposes of this strategy, the College community is defined as those key constituents identified as key to our work and mission: Geographically: primarily the Doncaster and Yorkshire and Humber Region, and national and international communities where appropriate. In terms of relationships with local interest groups: local residents, schools and other education and training providers, community, voluntary and charitable organisations within and across the region (including sports, arts, business, culture, faith), local and regional businesses and networks, the Local Authority (Doncaster MBC), Health and Social Care and Police Authorities, and regional bodies (including the Sheffield Local Enterprise Partnership). This list is not exhaustive as the strategy is responsive to the changing profile of the community (economic and social) and embraces local, regional and national developments. 3.2 Role of the College The Community Involvement Strategy seeks to explain the College`s role in these communities. The scope of the strategy therefore relates to: Improving life chances for communities in Doncaster, around the College`s two main campuses and other outlying properties. Widening access to and participation in further and higher education. Fulfilling corporate responsibility as an employer and business with significant presence in the Doncaster area. Providing corporate social responsibility opportunities for learners and our workforce. Developing strong partnerships with stakeholders to the benefit of learners and the community. Ensuring the range and content of learning programmes and services are relevant to local communities. 2
Improving learners` understanding of their local and wider community and their role in contributing to the community. The Strategy is designed to promote a culture of community involvement linked to widening access to, and participation in, further and higher education as well as providing a means to influence and impact on wider community agendas. This will be achieved through recognition of the positive contribution our students and staff make to their community, and by further encouraging and supporting them to be more actively involved in such areas as: Promotion of the College and its economic and social role in all areas of the local and regional community Key strategic developments across the Borough School governance Community schemes Voluntary work, charity events and fundraising Social responsibility schemes Committee and other external partnership work 4 Fundamental Principles Community involvement is seen as a significant factor in ensuring organisational development and success in understanding and meeting the needs of the community and key stakeholders within it. As such, we: Believe, and actively engage in, mutual exchange and dialogue by consulting with local people, schools and other education providers, the community and voluntary sector, local business and the local authority Believe in, and work towards a culture of, embedding community involvement and engagement in our planning, people, resources and strategic infrastructure across all academies and business support departments Support and encourage community involvement in the context of our Corporate and associated strategies, ensuring a mechanism for review, best practice and communication Seek opportunities for students and staff to engage in community involvement activities as part of their wider continuous personal and professional development Ensure that the community agenda is appropriately reflected in governance and corporate accountability Strive to reflect the community diversity profile within our student and staff population. 5 Strategic Themes and Aims The College has translated its Community Involvement Strategy into key aims and objectives related to each strategic theme as follows: 3
1. Increasing Access to the College and resources To actively promote and encourage public access to our campuses To support appropriate use of our facilities by the public, schools and charitable/voluntary/community groups To engage in outreach activities with the local and wider community 2. Sharing and exchanging knowledge and skills To support student placement opportunities in a variety of workplaces with a view to supporting the development of employability skills To provide opportunities for, and support students and staff in, volunteering activities in a range of settings and with a range of organisations to broaden experience and support social responsibility and community work To provide workplace experience for individuals and groups underrepresented in the wider College community 3. Contributing to key civic, regional and national agendas To contribute to Doncaster s key civic agendas and priority areas regarding : o Business and the Economy o Education and Skills o Self-Reliance and Self-Improvement o Children`s Services o Housing Standards o Tourism o Regeneration o Environmental Protection o Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour o Value for Money from Council Services o Community Harmony and Cohesion To contribute to civic, regional and national partnerships through participation of senior staff in e.g. Association of Colleges national and regional subjectspecific forums, local and regional strategy boards, school governor representation, local and regional business forums, and community and voluntary sector networks. 4. Being good neighbours To foster positive relationships with individuals and community groups in the immediate locality of our College campuses To promote and support students as active and responsible citizens 4
5. Promoting and supporting education opportunities To promote and support: o Educational aspirations and an interest in education o Educational attainment o Access to further education o Progression to higher education o Progression into and through work o Volunteering opportunities 7 Implementation The College has a strategic objective to strengthen strategic alliances and partnership opportunities which drive local, regional, national and international priorities. These are focused on social inclusion, entrepreneurship, employability and innovation to ensure learning and training meets the needs of local businesses and the wider community. In this context, the College works in collaboration and partnership with relevant community partners and/or stakeholders to achieve mutually beneficial aims and support specific projects. The College`s planning process will ensure that community involvement opportunities and activities are highlighted in, and actioned through, academy and department operating and development plans linked to the College`s Corporate Strategy and strategic objectives and this Community Involvement Strategy. 8 Monitoring Progress in relation to this Strategy will be monitored through the central Community Involvement Action Plan with key performance indicator progress reports to the Executive, SMT and the Corporation on a termly basis. The Chief Executive Group will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of this strategy through the curriculum and business support areas. The Corporation will be accountable for ensuring that the College responds effectively to local learners, employers and community partners. 9 Critical Success factors Critical success factors will include the following: Positive and visible commitment of senior management and Governors to community involvement and engagement Active staff and student participation in community involvement activities to support community agendas, broaden experience and impact positively on our social and corporate social responsibilities 5
Commitment at all levels to provide appropriate resources to enable and encourage staff and students to contribute to the community Recognition that community involvement is integral to the staff work role underpinned, where appropriate, by the provision of reasonable time away from work duties for such activities Provision of appropriate training and development to enhance knowledge and skills and encourage the sharing of good and best practice An innovative and entrepreneurial approach to the implementation of this strategy 6