CiLCA Support Programme

Our CiLCA Support Programme guides you through your Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) – a portfolio based, level 3, foundation qualification designed specifically for local council officers.

Our CiLCA Support Programme guides you through the portfolio with training sessions and ongoing mentoring to help you complete the qualification.

What is CiLCA?

The Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) is a portfolio based, foundation qualification which tests knowledge and understanding of all aspects of a clerk’s work.  Achieving your CiLCA will not only assist you with your own professional development; but your council will benefit enormously from having a fully qualified officer to support them.

The CiLCA qualification is a level 3 qualification, and is an important feature of the Local Council Award Scheme. It is also a requirement for councils who wish to adopt the General Power of Competence. It is owned and managed by the Improvement and Development Board, administered by the Society of Local Council Clerks and the accrediting body is Ascentis. It is mandatory for CiLCA learners to attend CiLCA training in order to complete their qualification.

Is CiLCA a good fit for me?

We recommend that clerks do not begin CiLCA unless they have been in post for at least a year. CiLCA is a portfolio qualification, so it is expected that the knowledge and experience has already been acquired.

If you are very new to the role, then we would recommend starting with our Clerks Essentials training, or the ILCA course which is run by the SLCC.

Please note that CiLCA training is now mandatory. When you register with the SLCC for CiLCA, you will be asked to select the name of your trainer so you will need to ensure you have been enrolled onto a course prior to registering. The process for enrolling onto our courses is outlined below; we cannot guarantee a spot in advance.

What is the DALC CiLCA Support Programme?

 The Devon Association of Local Councils is a CiLCA training provider, with CiLCA Recognised Trainers to deliver our CiLCA Support Programme.

Our CiLCA Support Programme has been designed to offer the best possible support to students undertaking the qualification. Our trainers can support you with:

• Introductory session. You must attend an introductory session before completing your CiLCA training; this introduces you to the course. If, after attending the course, you decide not to proceed with CiLCA then no charge will be made.
• Training. 5 webinars (one per learning unit) delivered over the year will take you through each step of the portfolio, building your confidence through exercises and discussion. You will leave each session knowing how to approach each learning outcome, signposted to useful resources, and knowing the pitfalls to avoid.
• 12 months of mentoring support delivered through our targeted monthly online drop-ins.

Our CiLCA Support Programme costs just £300 + VAT per student, exclusive of the registration fee which you will need to pay to the SLCC to complete CiLCA.

I’m keen – how do I get started?

You will need to complete the Training Needs Assessment.  Following completion, one of our CiLCA Trainers will contact you to discuss the results and address any concerns you may have.

If you are happy to continue with the course, we will make a booking for you on our CiLCA Support Programme. You’ll need to complete a Learning Agreement before you’ll be able to join a session.

Do not register for CiLCA in advance! Registrations last only 12 months and we recommend that you attend the Introductory Session before registering.

What resources will I need?

We will discuss with you what resources may be useful in completing the CiLCA, and how to get hold of those. We will also send round resources prior to each training session.

I don’t think I can make all the sessions – what do I do?

 We do recommend blocking out time to attend the CiLCA sessions in advance. However, we do run two courses a year; if you are unable to attend one session then you are welcome to attend the other session being run that year.

We also have a series of YouTube videos which act as bitesize versions of our training which you can use to catch-up; these links will be sent out. These are not a substitute for attending training.

What is the learning agreement?

 This document sets out DALC’s role as your trainer, your role as the learner, and your council’s role. As trainers, DALC reserves the right to keep your council informed of your progress where necessary.

We look forward to you joining our programme!

If you have any further queries, or would like to discuss the package further, then please get in touch and we will be happy to help.

 

Why undertake CiLCA?

What are the benefits of CiLCA? Hear from our past students!

• “The knowledge I acquired and, in particular, finding out what I didn’t know and when I need to check things or seek advice has given me far more confidence in my work and I find I am enjoying it all so much more.”
• “I found undertaking CiLCA this last year, invaluable in helping me to learn everything I needed to know in my role as the new Parish Clerk”
• “What is great about CiLCA, it covered a very wide range of topics, everything that a clerk would need to know to support their council.”
• “The CiLCA qualification has been extremely worthwhile but challenging for me.”
• “The CiLCA qualification portfolio provides an excellent foundation for the parish clerk role and I feel much more confident having completed it.”
• “Even though everyone says it, taking CiLCA really does boost your confidence and I would thoroughly recommend it”
• “Taking part in the qualification has given me a greater understanding of my role and the confidence to support the Council and wider community.”
• “CiLCA has been a very worth while experience it highlighted gaps in my knowledge as well as in the council”
• “Whether it takes you one month or more than a year, it’s a great feeling when you pass the CILCA!”

Why choose DALC for CiLCA training?

Hear from our CiLCA students about why you should choose DALC for your CiLCA.

• “I couldn’t have done it without DALC’s support, for which I am truly grateful.” 
• “Great mentoring from DALC’s CiLCA trainer, who also doubled up as our personal therapist :)” 
• “The support from DALC was invaluable, and I would recommend their mentoring service to anyone thinking of starting CiLCA.” 
• “The DALC CiLCA support programme has been brilliant.” 
• “The DALC CiLCA support programme was invaluable; the trainer was very knowledgeable and approachable and the monthly tutorials and mentoring sessions were a great opportunity to meet (virtually) and work with others undertaking the qualification”
• “Without support from DALC it would not have been possible.”
• “I must say that I couldn’t have done it without DALC.”
• “The assistance and advice I also received from DALC, was very much appreciated and all queries, big or small, are always answered and there’s never an issue.”
• “Whilst undertaking the CiLCA qualification I found the group sessions invaluable in helping to “set the scene”.  The course covers a wide range of local government matters and being led through each module in a pragmatic and focussed approach was hugely helpful. In addition, the back-up support was invaluable for the “niggles” along the way, with DALC officers offering ongoing support with speedy responses to any issues raised. The support was hugely important and great value for money too! I would recommend anyone undertaking this qualification also sign up to this option.”
• “The training and support from DALC was invaluable and I would not have succeeded without them.”

If you’re interested, then get in touch with us to see how we can support you. If you have completed your CiLCA and are looking for another challenge, then why not look at the SLCC’s Community Governance qualifications?