Skills for Life: Community Participation
Community Participation is an Open Awards Skills for Life unit in which learners learn about diversity, responsibilities and services in their community, plan and take part in a community project, and give examples of environmental action locally, nationally and at Level 2 internationally. Each level, from Entry 1 to Level 2, is a separate 20 hour, 2 credit unit, assessed through school-designed tasks and observation, collected in a portfolio and judged Pass or Fail. Digital demand is low: no criterion requires digital work, but the guidance gives websites and online booking as ways to access services, online feedback forms as a way to have a say, and social media as a way to promote a Level 2 project.
- Awarding body
- Open Awards
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level 1 (CBM036) and Entry Level 2 (CBM037): Four outcomes at each level: people and behaviours in the local community, taking part in a small community activity, how people help their community and environment, and local community services. Entry 1 learners identify groups of people, positive and negative actions, an idea for an activity and a way to prepare, state their contribution and one thing that went well, and identify a service and how to use it. Entry 2 adds stating features of the community, taking part in preparation, stating one improvement, and giving a way people can have a say in services. Evidence can be verbal, by gesture or written. Provider-designed tasks collected in a portfolio. 20 guided learning hours and 2 credits at each level, Pass or Fail.
- Entry Level 3 (CBM038) and Level 1 (CBM039): Learners explain or describe features and diversity of their community and citizens' responsibilities, identify a suitable project and describe how to prepare, including health and safety, carry out a defined role in a community project and review their contribution with strengths and improvements, give one local Welsh and one national environmental group action and their benefits, and describe at least two public services, how to access them and how people can influence them. Provider-designed tasks collected in a portfolio, with assessor observation of participation. 20 guided learning hours and 2 credits at each level, Pass or Fail.
- Level 2 (CBM040): Learners explain diversity, responsibilities including respect, consent and relationships, and rights linked to wellbeing, design a proposal and plan for a community project with risk assessment and communication methods, play a substantial role in carrying it out, reflect on their contribution with peer or community feedback, give local Welsh, UK and international environmental actions and their benefits, explain two public services and how to access them, and describe and evaluate three ways citizens influence services. Provider-designed tasks collected in a portfolio. 20 guided learning hours, 2 credits, Pass or Fail.
The digital skills in this qualification
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Finding and accessing community services online
Learners state how to access a community service, with using a website as one example (Entry 2), describe two ways to access each service with awareness of opening times, websites or contact details (Entry 3), and explain practical ways to access services, including online booking (Level 1). The unit's own rationale names online booking and accessing services as digital competence. Accessing services is assessed, but online methods are only examples.
DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils find the opening times and contact details of the local library and leisure centre online and record them on a help card.
- Year 8
- Pupils use a council website to find out how to book a sports session and write the steps with screenshots.
- Year 9
- Pupils compare the official website of a local health service with an unofficial listing, check which details are current, and explain which to trust.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Learning outcome 4, Entry 2 to Level 1; Indicative Content, Entry 2 page 18, Entry 3 page 22, Level 1 page 27; Relevant Cross-Cutting Themes, Entry 3 page 24
“Learners must show awareness of opening times, websites, or contact details”
Progression step 3
I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.
I can store search results for future use, e.g. bookmark, add to favourites.
Progression step 4
I can search a variety of sources using relevant search techniques with increased complexity.
I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.
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Having a say through online surveys and feedback forms
Learners give a way people can have a say in services, such as filling in surveys (Entry 2), and describe how people influence services, naming online feedback forms (Entry 3 and Level 1). Level 2 learners describe three rights-based approaches, such as consultations and surveys, and evaluate them. The criteria are assessed, but online feedback is only one of the examples.
DCF: Communication, Online behaviour and online bullying
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils fill in an online school council survey about the playground and discuss how their answers could change things.
- Year 8
- Pupils write a polite online feedback message to a local service using a practice form, giving one suggestion and a reason.
- Year 9
- Pupils compare an online consultation, a petition and a public meeting as ways to influence a council decision, listing pros and cons of each.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Learning outcome 4, Entry 2 to Level 2; Indicative Content, Entry 2 page 18, Entry 3 page 23, Level 1 page 27, Level 2 page 31
“online feedback forms”
Progression step 3
I can show an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of communication and when it is appropriate to use each, e.g. explain when video conferencing may be more appropriate than e-mail, and vice versa; explain the pros and cons of using instant messaging in social contexts; talk about purpose and audience.
I can demonstrate appropriate online behaviour and apply a range of strategies to protect myself and others from possible online dangers, bullying and inappropriate behaviour, e.g. turn off comments on digital media, reporting, block users.
Progression step 4
I can select and use different online communication tools for specific purposes with higher levels of competence, e.g. set up and manage an address book, organise contacts, use advanced features of e-mail provider (signature, auto reply, read receipt, widgets).
I can act appropriately online, keeping myself safe and behaving in a responsible manner.
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Promoting a community project with posters and social media
Entry 2 learners may choose making posters to encourage recycling as their activity, Entry 3 and Level 1 learners may take promoting the event as their role, and Level 2 learners' plans must include communication methods such as posters, social media or word of mouth. The plan is assessed, but digital promotion is not required.
DCF: Creating digital content, Identity, image and reputation
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils design a digital poster for a school litter pick with a clear title, date, place and image.
- Year 8
- Pupils create a poster and a short social media style post for a charity event, adapting the wording for each.
- Year 9
- Pupils plan a promotion for a community event using a school account, deciding what is safe to share, such as avoiding pupils' names and faces.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry 2, criterion 2.1, page 17; Entry 3 and Level 1, criterion 2.3, pages 22 and 26; Level 2, criterion 2.2, Indicative Content page 30
“communication methods (e.g., posters, social media, word of mouth)”
Progression step 3
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
I can use software tools to enhance the outcomes for specific audiences.
Progression step 4
I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:
- text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
- presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.
I can discuss the benefits and risks of presenting myself in different ways online.
Good to know
- Each level is a separate unit with its own code, worth 2 credits and 20 guided learning hours: CBM036 (Entry 1), CBM037 (Entry 2), CBM038 (Entry 3), CBM039 (Level 1) and CBM040 (Level 2); every unit page states "Guided Learning Hours: 20" (Unit Content, pages 13 to 29).
- Only one level counts in a qualification: "with the exception of British Sign Language (BSL), units with the same title at different levels are barred for completion within the same qualification" (Level 1 Qualification Guide, Qualification Units, page 17).
- Tasks are set by the school: the unit is "assessed through assessment tasks and activities designed by the provider", tasks need pre-course verification, and "All assessment criteria must be met in full for the learner to be awarded a 'pass'" (Assessment Approach, page 7). The task tables say assessment "could include" the listed tasks (page 8), so they are suggestions.
- Every level needs a real activity: learners must take part in a community activity or project, observed by the assessor, so schools need a local project with safe roles for each learner (Learning outcome 2, all levels).
- Evidence goes in a portfolio, on paper or digital, and "Wherever possible, e-portfolios are encouraged" (Assessment Approach, page 7).
- Staff must handle sensitive topics: "Teaching staff must be suitably trained and confident in managing sensitive discussions" (Staffing Resources, page 6). Physical resources are minimal: a room for group discussion, lesson plans and visual aids (Physical Resources, page 6).
- The unit specification has no rule on AI tools; the qualification guide only requires that evidence must "Be the learner's own work" (Level 1 Qualification Guide, Assessment Conditions, page 30).
- Document slips: Entry 1 guidance says learners "must stake" an example (page 14); the Entry 3 guidance for criterion 1.3 asks for a "positive action" but lists negative examples (page 21); Level 2 guidance for criterion 1.3 says "describe the y rights" (page 30); the Level 2 criterion 4.4 guidance refers to examples "identified in AC4.4" when it means 4.3 (page 31); and the Level 2 cross-cutting rationale about developing "knowledge to act in emergencies" appears to be copied from another unit (page 32).
Links with other qualifications
Community Participation links with GCSE Religious Studies and Geography through diversity, community cohesion and sustainability, and with GCSE Digital Technology where learners use online services or social media to promote a project. Within the WJEC Skills Suite, Community project and Volunteering share planning, carrying out and reviewing a community activity. Within the Open Awards Skills Suite, Values for Life shares respect and responsibility, and Online Safety supports the safe use of social media for promotion. Compared with the Pearson Community participation unit, the Open Awards unit adds required Welsh, national and international environmental actions and, at Level 2, a written proposal, plan and evaluation of how citizens influence services, but like Pearson it does not require any digital work.
Source: Open Awards Skills for Life Unit Specification, Community Participation, Entry Level 1 to Level 2.