“CADS” is an idea that I’ve had simmering on the back burner for a while. The idea is to help people think about the sorts of skills that effective “climate activists” (for want of a better description) need in their valiant deckchair re-arranging.
Anyone employed in the public sector will know about “appraisals” and “performance reviews” etc. (My impression that is in the private sector you’re too busy actually acting quickly or collecting a P45 to do these things). Anyone who’se been employed by the NHS of late will know about the “Knowledge and Skills Framework.” It’s a framework. For knoweldge. And skills.
And it assigns the same six “core” dimensions to everyone in the NHS. And then there are about 25 other dimensions. You end up with a different (smallish) number of those depending on whether you are a janitor or brain surgeon, helicopter pilot or bean counter.
So, my idea is this: in order to take our ability to learn and develop as individuals in a learning and developing “movement”, should there be- FOR THOSE WHO WANT IT- (sorry to shout, but I am trying to head off claims of fascism and social engineering)- a framework that sets out core competencies and ‘additional skills’ depending on if you’re at heart a cuddly lobbyist or a crusty eco-warrior?
For each of these there would be four levels, from ‘basic’ to ‘really advanced’. So someone with a level 1 on national politics would be able to say who Ed Miliband was, but someone with level 4 would be able to give an historical context of Cabinet tussles around energy, and also explain what a SPAD was, what the Tory and Lib Dem positions were on carbon capture and storage and the Aldersgate Group operates. For example. But there would be NO expectation or insinuation that we all need to be level 4 at everything to be effective. It would just be a way for people who wanted to map out the current expertise, and give some suggestions about how they could progress.
Why it might be useful
Give some focus to what you as an individual might want to learn
Make you realise how much you already know (but then, if you’re at level 2, 3 or 4, don’t you then have the responsibility of helping those who want to come up to your level?)
Join with other people who want the same skills and seek out opportunities. (Of course, network is only as powerful as the number of people in it)
What think you?
