Professional Accreditation

Registered Practitioner of the IOL (RPIOL)

What is RPIOL?

Click to download the: RPIOL info flier. (3Mb)

RPIOL poster (1Mb)

RPIOL is IOL’s entry level accreditation; it’s for you if you have:

• consolidated experience of facilitating outdoor learning sessions
• are not necessarily working in “challenging environments”
• are working in any branch of outdoor learning (including traditional “outdoor pursuits” but also environmental studies etc)

RPIOL does not “retest” specialist skills.  It records and recognises the way you have used these skills in your work with groups and individuals.

There are 5 key areas in RPIOL: 

• the core skills of Facilitating Learning and Managing Risk
• backed up by Personal Philosophy of outdoor learning, Values and Ethics, and Reflection and Career Development. 

To check out whether you could be at the level to apply for RPIOL: Click here to see/download the RPIOL Benchmarks (Pdf) and Criteria (Pdf).

RPIOL for Participants

RPIOL for Participants - CLICK HERE
Supporting documents can be downloaded here (part of the members only area - you will need to log in)

Click to download the: RPIOL info flier. (3Mb)

RPIOL in Centres

RPIOL for Centres and Employers - badging quality delivery - CLICK HERE

Supporting documents can be downloaded here (part of the members only area - you will need to log in)

Click to download the: RPIOL poster (1Mb)

The Accreditation Process

RPIOL is not a course; it is a Logbook where you record:

• Qualifications, achievements and experience
• Continuous Professional Development: development history and a development plan
• Evidence against the 5 key criteria, to show your competence at RPIOL level.

The stages of the accreditation process are:

• Complete Logbook with the help of RPIOL Internal Facilitator
• Meet with External RPIOL Facilitator for professional discussion about Logbook. 

Click here to see an overview of the RPIOL application/accreditation process.

Benefits of RPIOL for practitioners, employers and the outdoor sector

RPIOL provides:

• map of good practice showing path towards integrated professionalism
• framework which can be integrated with appraisals/staff development
• evidence of experience of session leadership
• an integrated stepping stone towards APIOL

RPIOL is applicable across all areas of outdoor learning; it increases flexibility and career options.

Quality Assurance

RPIOL is administered through local centres, each of which has a trained Internal Facilitator, who is an APIOL Mentor.  Quality is assured by a regional team of External Facilitators who interview participants, and moderated by the IOL Region/Home Nation Professional Development Officer.