Community Development
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Course overview
Empower communities. Inspire change. Build a fairer future.
Are you someone who wants to work alongside people and communities, support local strengths, and help create opportunities for others to grow and thrive? This course is for you.
The HNC Working with Communities is built around real people, real issues, and real practice. It reflects core CLD values such as inclusion, participation, empowerment and social justice, helping you develop the confidence and skills to support individuals and groups in meaningful, respectful and purposeful ways. While you study, you can also register as an Associate Member of the CLD Standards Council Scotland—recognising your commitment to becoming a professional CLD practitioner.
Throughout the year, you’ll explore the ideas, policies and approaches that shape community work today, connecting them directly to everyday lived experience—people, place, identity, wellbeing, inequality, learning and change. You’ll also examine how your own values, background and experiences influence the way you engage with others.
This course welcomes a wide range of learners: those already working or volunteering in community settings, people with years of grassroots experience looking for a formal qualification, and those who are completely new to the sector. Whatever your path, you’ll deepen your knowledge, strengthen your practice, and widen your opportunities across community development, youth work, adult learning and broader social support roles.
A key part of the course is the practice placement, where you’ll work directly with a community organisation.
This is where theory becomes real—supporting groups, contributing to projects, and experiencing the everyday realities and rewards of community-led change. Placement is typically completed one day or two evenings a week and is central to building your professional identity.
Delivered in a supportive learning environment that values your voice and perspective, the course is often described as transformative—not only for learners, but for the communities they go on to support.
This course is ideal for:
- Individuals who want to work directly with communities to promote equality, learning and inclusion.
- Volunteers or professionals already active in community, youth or social development projects.
- People with grassroots or lived experience who want to gain a formal qualification in CLD.
- Adults returning to learning who bring insight, commitment and a desire to support positive social change
What you will learn
You’ll develop a strong foundation in the values, knowledge and practical approaches that shape community learning and development. Topics include:
- Principles and Values of Effective Community Practice
- Social Science Approaches and Theories of Community Change
- Facilitating and Developing Community Groups
- Supporting Learning and Building Community Capacity
- Digital Skills to Enhance Practice
- Working with Young People and Adult Learners
- Social Models of Health and their Impact on Communities
- Community Practice Placement – engaging directly with groups to apply theory to real-world situations.
This course connects local, national and global perspectives, helping you understand the challenges communities face and the creative solutions that drive change.
📘 Learning & Assessment Methods:
- You’ll take part in lectures, discussions, debates, online learning, group work and fieldwork activities.
- Assessment includes reflective journals, research reports, presentations, and a practice portfolio based on your community placement.
Entry requirements
✅ While there are no formal qualifications required, applicants should demonstrate:
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- A genuine passion for social inclusion and community empowerment.
✅ If you do not yet have community experience, you may wish to start with the College’s part-time Certificate in Youth Work Practice.
Additional requirements:
- Your personal statement and your performance at competitive interview are central to the selection process. This allows us to understand your motivation, your experience (formal or informal), and your readiness for Level 7 study and practice placement.
- Because the course includes a practice placement with a community organisation, you will need to join the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme through Disclosure Scotland.
- The course is Full-time: Two days per week in College plus placement (at least one day or two evenings per week).
ℹ️ For this course, if English is not your first language
- you need to have SQA ESOL Higher (or equivalent, click here to see equivalent qualifications)
- If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment here at the College.
Career Opportunities
Graduates can progress to roles such as:
🌱 Community Learning and Development Worker
👥 Youth or Adult Learning Worker
🏙️ Community Capacity Building Worker
💡 Engagement Officer or Outreach Worker
Future prospects
The HNC is nationally recognised and can lead to:
- Direct employment in a wide range of CLD roles
- Progression to degree-level study, often to 2nd year depending on university requirements
- Professional development within youth work, adult learning, community development and social justice sectors
Graduates frequently describe the course as transformative — both personally and professionally — as it deepens their understanding of community practice and builds confidence to lead change.