Professional Standards Update for IOL Members @ 03 May 2017

Professional Standards Framework (Draft V3) @ 5 October 2016

Briefing for members @ 16 August 2016

December 2016 Update

Many of you will have noticed the employers leading the creation of new Outdoor Trailblazer Apprenticeships are testing their thinking to date on the Outdoor Learning Session Deliverer Apprenticeship Standard. I hope many of you will have the chance to look at the evolving standard and offer feedback to the employers. Once this first standard is set, the employer group will look at an Outdoor Learning Programme Deliverer Apprenticeship Standard, and possibly higher outdoor apprenticeships.

I hope members will look at the evolving apprenticeship standards and consider their relevance for future IOL Professional Standards. If we are to look at higher levels of recognition and accreditation from the Institute, it would be timely to consider the career pathways for members to get there. Asking ourselves what kind of Institute does the sector need in five or ten years time will also be essential to informing future plans. Is there a desire to have IOL accreditation or membership criteria that have a clear equivalence to QTS/QTLS, Chartered Member, Fellow or Senior Fellow in other professions? Is something else a better way for the Institute to fulfil it’s charitable aims and vision?

Neal Anderson, IOL Professional Standards Manager

Evolving Development Principles

Member discussions, consultations and comments have informed the developments so far and the following principles represent where there is a degree of common agreement.

• A career pathway should include development routes to a professional level as well as development from a professional level
• The importance and value of reflective practice should be upheld within any new standards or assessment processes
• RPIOL, APIOL and LPIOL will still be valid IOL awards whether or not we create new standards
• Competencies should be defined in a way to be holistic and recognise members skills in delivering learning, leading others in the outdoors, activity/subject specialisms and professional practice that includes ethics, values and critical reflection
• IOL Professional Standards should demonstrate to the "public" (stakeholders, customers, participants, etc.) they will receive safe, effective and high quality outdoor learning
• Employers/providers would value a common framework that could help when selecting, training and developing staff
• Standards and accreditation should recognise the range of members experience and learning gained through practice, critical reflection, sector specific awards (e.g. NGB), academic study (FE, degree and postgraduate), vocational training (e.g. ILM) and other recognitions (e.g. QTS)
• The Professional Standards should "bring together" all aspects of being competent and allow for accrediting prior experience and learning (APEL)
• They Professional Standards should have relevance for all IOL members - no matter what their area of outdoor learning or activity/subject specialisms
• Asking "what kind of Institute does the sector need in five or ten years time" will be essential to informing plans

Please let the project know how you would word things differently or propose different principles for the working group to consider.

Proposed Structure of IOL Professional Standards for Individual Members

One possible view moving forwards: Download the Professional Standards Summary (V3 Draft 14/10/20016)

NOTE: The above is in development. Please let us know how you would word things differently or propose a different structure.

At present the proposals are being revised and all responses are being considered. Please get in touch or engage your local IOL Executive Committee with your aspirations.

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:

1. They could have a better fit with what employers/providers want when selecting, training and developing their staff.
2. 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

• They can help assure the public they will receive safe, effective and high quality outdoor learning.
• They fit with what employers/providers want when selecting, training and developing staff.
• They recognise prior experience and learning (APEL) gained through sector specific awards (e.g. NGB), academic study (FE, degree and postgraduate), vocational training (e.g. ILM) and other recognitions (e.g. QTS).

• Activity/subject skills and knowledge.
• Leadership.
• Delivering learning.
• Professional approach.
• Business operations.
• Personal skills.