Work-Place Learning in Local Government Shadowing a Local Councillor
Work-based learning in local government: shadowing a local councillor - Bev Clack
Jan 21, 2015
Presentation at HEA-funded workshop 'Work-based learning in Politics and International Studies: from theory to practice'.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders in the delivery of work-based learning and employability skills in the Politics and International Relations (IR) disciplines including academics, employers and careers advisors. Through presentations and discussion delegates had the opportunity to share best practice on existing work-based learning schemes and developing employability skills.
This presentation is part of a related blog post that provides an overview of the event: http://bit.ly/1x0KPae
For further details of the HEA's work on Employability and Global Citizenship in the Social Sciences see: http://bit.ly/17n8Knj
The workshop brought together key stakeholders in the delivery of work-based learning and employability skills in the Politics and International Relations (IR) disciplines including academics, employers and careers advisors. Through presentations and discussion delegates had the opportunity to share best practice on existing work-based learning schemes and developing employability skills.
This presentation is part of a related blog post that provides an overview of the event: http://bit.ly/1x0KPae
For further details of the HEA's work on Employability and Global Citizenship in the Social Sciences see: http://bit.ly/17n8Knj
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Transcript
Work-Place Learning in Local Government
Shadowing a Local Councillor
Possibilities and Problems
• Expanding knowledge of how local government works
• Understanding the role of the local councillor
• Structuring a work experience programme
Local Government Explained: Sort of…
• The example of Oxford:
• Oxfordshire County Council: schools, social care services, roads, libraries & museums…
• Oxford City Council: waste, leisure, planning, licensing, housing…
The Role of the Councillor
• 48 councillors, 2 elected for each of the 24 wards
• Not full time positions: allowances not salaries
• Elected to represent all the people in their wards
(Conflicting?) Aspects of the Role
• Usually – but not always – elected on a party political ticket
• Relationship to political campaigning and the local party (in my case, the CLP)
• Role of campaigning/door-knocking
Political Parties and the Council
• An example: • Labour Group: meet roughly once a month • As ruling group: budget setting; members
elected from Group to serve on Council Executive Board
• Full Council • The role of the whip
Representative Function
• As a councillor, and when using that title, you are NOT party political
• Role is to represent your community and their views, regardless of political persuasion
• Case work • Observer status on local organisations
funded by council
Civic Function
• Role of council committees:
• Planning • Licensing
• Scrutiny • Standards
Work Experience • Possibilities: • Making what is
obscure to many transparent
• Opening up political life and particularly importance of local government
• Potentially interesting (!)
Work-Place Learning
• Possible problems: • Irregular hours • Would there be enough from shadowing
one councillor during one week? • Timing • Confidentiality: ‘the first rule of Labour
Group is that you don’t talk about Labour group’
Importance
• Local government matters: ‘localism’ part of current government’s agenda; One Nation Labour exploring further devolution of powers
• Engagement in democratic processes which affect all our lives, whether we like it or not
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