Initial Proposal
It has been more than a decade since IOL began providing
individual accreditation awards. In that time over 842 people have
achieved RPIOL, APIOL or LPIOL and demonstrated meeting a
benchmark for good practice. The awards have been a success and
have only been possible with the support of our members who
volunteer their time and expertise to act as Coaches and
Assessors. However, lest we get complacent, the awards are not
without their drawbacks. For example:
-
They could have a better fit with what employers/providers want
when selecting, training and developing their staff.
-
The criteria and process of the awards makes it difficult to
accredit prior experience and learning (APEL) gained through the
awards, FE or HE study.
After 12 years the existing accreditation schemes are due for
review to ensure they are fit for purpose as a professional
institute. We are at the beginning of this process of change. In
parallel to these IOL reflections, a group of employers in the
sector have secured permission from the Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills to create a set of new trailblazer
apprenticeships. When successful, these will enable access to
funding for training outdoor instructors and leaders that will
replace and extend what is currently available. The new
apprenticeship standards will be focussed on specific requirements
for generic job roles. IOL as the professional body in the sector
are working in partnership with the employer-led initiative. The
institute will use the apprenticeship standards developed by
employers to inform an update and revision of our own professional
standards. A focus on end-point assessment will allow for multiple
and varied routes to gaining competence and being assessed.
The current proposals are based on four career points, the first
three of which are likely to have compatible IOL and
apprenticeship standards:
-
Outdoor Instructor - Delivering outdoor
learning sessions of up to a ½ day in duration to a
predefined session plan, usually in rural locations within 30
minutes of help and the business venue.
-
Outdoor Leader - Designing and providing a
progressive sequence of outdoor learning sessions of up to 24
hours in duration following set business protocols and
procedures and tailored to the participants needs, often 2-3
hours away from the business venue and help.
-
Accredited Outdoor Leader - Interpreting
customer needs to plan, resource, deliver and evaluate a
progressive programme of outdoor learning of more than 3 days
and often in remote and wilderness locations, potentially
several days away from help.
-
Certified Outdoor Leader - Developing creative
solutions to educational and development needs using a range of
locations, activities and expertise. Having the skill set to
lead and develop other outdoor learning staff and the capacity
to hold overall technical, financial, systems, staff or safety
responsibility.
At this early stage both the Institute and the employer group are
embarking on a process of collaboration and consultation. It is
essential that what each party develops will meet the needs of
employers and can help assure the public they will receive safe,
effective and high quality outdoor learning. Of course there will
be many hurdles in the project to overcome – including
working out the simplest way to transfer from RPIOL, APIOL or
LPIOL to a new standard. I hope that many individual and
organisational members will choose to assist the employer-led
group to develop their apprenticeship standards or work with the
Institute to shape and define our new professional
standards.
The Provisional timetable is below:
Employer-Led Apprenticeship Development & IOL Professional
Standards
It is exciting times as we build on the successes of the current
accreditation awards.
Please do follow progress on the IOL
website and get in touch with me directly to discuss your thoughts
and comments.
Neal Anderson
IOL Professional Standards Manager
Email
or 07899 856518