Community development

We provide information, advice, support and resources in order to promote community development.

What is community development?

'Community development' is the process in which communities build up their capacity to achieve their aims and fulfil their potential.

In Midlothian the main provider of such activities is Community Learning and Development.

We work in partnership with a wide range of other agencies, such as:

• Colleges
• Universities
• Voluntary sector groups
• Regeneration service in Midlothian Council
• Statutory bodies.

Further information on the work of the Regeneration service and community planning:

• Community planning

How we support community development

We play an important role in supporting community development throughout Midlothian.

This comprises a range of activities, such as providing:

• Information
• Advice
• Support
• Resources.

We provide these services for:

• Voluntary groups
• Community groups
• Individuals.

The aim of Community Learning and Development:

•  To put development, education and learning into the community.

We do this by:

• Working with management committees of community groups to make them more effective.
• Working in partnership with community groups to plan for the future.
• Enabling people to develop the skills required for community development.
• Supporting a range of programmes that help prepare people for further education or successful careers.
• Encouraging those who have not taken up learning opportunities in the past to do so.
• Engaging with young people to facilitate their personal, social and educational development.

If you are interested in community development in Midlothian, please get in touch, using the contact details below.

Further information

For information about the work of our partners in community development:

• Midlothian Voluntary Action website
• Volunteer Centre Midlothian website