professional accreditation iconProfessional Development

Accreditation beyond APIOL - Leading Practitioner is here!

Who/what is a Leading Practitioner?

A Leading Practitioner (LPIOL) meets all the APIOL benchmarks and in addition,

  • demonstrates in-depth, professional development in outdoor learning over a sustained period
  • has made a significant contribution to outdoor learning

LPIOLs show leadership in excellent outdoor practice (this does not mean you have to be a manager!) and will be involved in and contributing to the outdoor field.  They will also show significant professional reflection and development, and be able to demonstrate how they have applied this learning to their own practice and to enhance the field.
The effect of all these qualities is felt beyond the LPIOL’s workplace or sphere of voluntary activity. LPIOLs are expected not only to extend their own practice, but to lead the development of others.

What do LPIOLs have to demonstrate?

As you develop beyond the 8 APIOL criteria, to become an LPIOL you will need to demonstrate four areas of excellent practice:

  • Extending the boundaries of best practice (INNOVATION)
  • High standards of continuously evolving reflective and ethical practice (REFLECTION)
  • Building and helping the practice of other practitioners (DEVELOPMENT)
  • Promoting the ability of the outdoor learning field to continue to operate and add value. (PROMOTION)

What this means is explained in full in the LPIOL criteria and benchmarks:

What this means is explained in full in the LPIOL criteria and benchmarks:

How do I become an LPIOL?

You will need to:

  • Resubmit your APIOL Part 1 showing the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) that you have been involved in since you did APIOL*. 
  • Write a Personal Statement about your values, how these have developed during your outdoor career, and how they have been challenged and developed by the changes in the sector during your career.
  • You will then need to provide a statement about how your experience meets each of the 4 areas of achievement at LPIOL. 
  • Your application will then be reviewed by a board, and you will be invited to interview.   
  • *In 2008-9, LPIOL will only be available to holders of APIOL.  Setting up a direct entry process to LPIOL will take additional work, and may become available later.  Rest assured, direct entry to LPIOL will not be a short cut, so the best route to LPIOL is through APIOL!

What will it cost?

  • During the pilot phase, the LPIOL accreditation will cost £200.  This is to cover the expenses of the Review Board and assessors/interviewers, and administration costs.

What happens next?

  • The Information workshop for the second pilot cohort will be held on Friday 6th June 2008, at a venue in the Midlands to be confirmed.  This will be immediately followed (4pm) by an LPIOL Leadership Development workshop which will last until 4pm on Saturday 7th June.
  • Twelve places are available on this cohort, and preference will be given to those people who can commit to the 2 days, in order to help us pilot the leadership workshop, which will be run at cost.
  • To state your interest, please email Heather Brown, enclosing your APIOL Sections A-F (minus Section C) updated in a different colour.  Applications will only be accepted if the APIOL documents are attached.
  • Those of you that have already emailed Heather to express interest in LPIOL, please could you resubmit your APIOL updated as above, and confirm your availability for the dates above.  Places will not be reserved on the basis of any previous expression of interest.

I’d like to be in the LPIOL pilot!

To state your interest in the second cohort, please send your updated APIOL Part 1 to Heather Brown

 

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