National Civility & Respect Project
Throughout the sector, there are growing concerns about the impact bullying, harassment, and intimidation are having on parish and town councils, councillors, clerks and council staff and the resulting effectiveness of local councils. The National Association of Local Councils (NALC), One Voice Wales, the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) and county associations have responded to this by setting up a Civility and Respect Working Group to oversee the Civility and Respect Project.
In-Council Bespoke Training
This bespoke training on the Code of Conduct, including the national Civility & Respect agenda, enhances councillors' and clerks' understanding of standards in public life.
The session covers the legal framework and roles and responsibilities of council members and clerks, stressing the need for civility and respect in all interactions. It highlights the impact of misconduct and the procedures for addressing it, and introduces the national government's Stress Management Toolkit to prevent stress and promote wellbeing.
Participants learn the significance of signing the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and end the session with the Civility & Respect Pledge, committing councils to oppose poor behaviour, support positive conduct, and learn from best practices. The pledge includes early intervention in bullying and harassment cases and promotes good governance practices, including training, staff contracts and dignity at work policies.
FEE: This three-hour session takes place at your council and costs £300 for the first eight delegates and £30/delegate thereafter.
4-Part e-Learning Modules:
Civility & Respect
One of the key aims of the Civility & Respect project has been to deliver training support for councillors, clerks, and employees who experience difficulties with bullying and harassment, and to start to address some of the causes of poor behaviour. These e-learning modules enable flexibility with busy council schedules.
Module 1: Standards in public life
This bespoke e-learning module has been developed by county associations in the South West region and is primarily designed to support those elected or co-opted and/or working in local councils, to understand the principles of conduct expected of all councillors. Information is based upon national model code of conduct produced by The Local Government Association but recognises that councillors must abide by your own council's code of conduct, and so also provides some generic support for those wishing to better understand the behaviours expected of all councillors.
Module 2: Respectful and Positive Social Media for Councils and Councillors
In this introductory e-learning module we'll consider the opportunities and risks associated with social media from a civility and respect perspective. We will explore a range of proactive and pre-emptive strategies councils and councillors can put in place to set themselves up for success. We'll explore what to do if things go wrong and how to manage a range of scenarios from trolling to harassment and practical what steps you can take.
Module 3: Leadership in Challenging Situations for Councils and Councillors
In this introductory e-learning module we will consider different leadership styles in the context of your role at the council, exploring which styles we personally 'default' to and which styles can work effectively for different situations. We will also discover how to build, support and get the most from an effective and motivated team.
Module 4: Personal Resilience for Councils and Councillors
In this introductory e-learning module we develop a better understanding of where our behaviour comes from and we'll consider what resilience means for us in the context of our roles within the council. There will be opportunities to explore role-focused scenarios and consider how we might respond to them. We'll also explore strategies to deal with and manage a range of situations.
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