Getting CPD Ready Preparing training and learning activities for

Independent CPD Accreditation

The CPD Standards Office INDEPENDENTLY ACCREDITED CPD

www.cpdstandards.com Part of the Professional Development Consortium

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Getting CPD Ready The CPD Standards Office has been launched with the support of an increasing number of universities, professional bodies, institutes and employers. Its mission is to improve the quality of CPD activities in the market place, and increase individual professional’s experiences of CPD activities. The specific remit of the Office is to independently accredit training and learning activities for CPD purposes. Each activity submitted to the CPD Standards Office for formal assessment is carefully reviewed by our assessment team. The assessment process considers the educational structure, learning value and design of content for each activity, and ensures it adheres to the CPD guidelines and criteria that have emerged from our comprehensive research into CPD. By answering the following questions, and preparing your CPD activity accordingly, you will become “CPD Ready” and ensure the activity is suitable for formal CPD assessment.

Define your activity When designing your activity, make sure the following points have been considered: Value Gap: What skills, knowledge, market or technical specialist ‘gap’ does your activity address? Audience: Specifically identify and communicate who your training activity is targeted at. This could be by profession, role, industry, level of seniority, Title: Ensure the title is concise and fully describing the activity. Not too short and not too much waffle! Learning Objectives: State a minimum of five points that delegates will know, or be able to do differently, on completing your activity.

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Be Authoritative and Educational:

Professionals undertaking CPD activities want to learn from others who are credible and knowledgeable. In addition, they need the activity to be ‘educationally sound’, in terms of structure and design. Hence you need to be authoritative and educational in your delivery: Author / Instructor: Who are they? What are their credentials? How are they qualified to teach this particular subject or topic? Keeping up to date: How do you ensure the content does not become outdated? Collaboration: The extent the activity is collaborative – individuals learn best through sharing their learning with others If networking opportunities are included, do these contribute to the CPD element of the activity? Consolidating knowledge: What opportunities there are for delegates to reflect on their knowledge or skills developed e.g. through a quiz

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Thinking beyond the activity:

The ‘Continuing’ within the term CPD is one of the most important aspects for training and learning providers, but is often overlooked. Individual professionals are not looking for a short one off experience, rather an activity that assists them with ongoing development. Hence, as a provider, we need to see that you have thought about steps delegates may take after the activity in terms of impact on their role and mapping their learning into their CPD record. Key points to include are:

Demonstrating that clear consideration has been given to ‘future learning’ beyond the course or activity.

Feedback mechanisms: How do you capture delegates overall experiences of the course or activity, and does this contribute to future developments or revisions? Evaluation: Do you measure impact of the delegates learning post-activity? In term of behavioural change, benefits to colleagues, cultural change, ROI calculations, or any other evaluation models. CPD Recording: Do you provide any assistance or support for delegates to map their learning onto their CPD record?

Required Information and Documentation: For each activity, the submission and assessment process requires you to complete one of our assessment forms, and copies of the following information. We need to see copies of all documentation that are used in the creation, promotion, delivery and evaluation of your course, event of activity. These will include:

• Full agenda and programme of the activity or course with a clear indication of how the content fulfils the proposed time frame.

• All publicity materials i.e. copies of marketing documents or URLs so that we have a full understanding of how the activity is promoted to potential delegates

• CVs or biographies describing the qualifications and experience of your authors, instructors or developers.

• The welcome and joining instructions received by the delegates once they have booked or purchased the activity.

• Copies of any PowerPoint slides or visuals used

• Copies of handouts or workbooks distributed to delegates before, during or after the activity.

• Copies of evaluation and/ or feedback form.

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• Copies of evaluation and/ or feedback form.

An understanding of all key written communications to potential or current delegates.

Next Steps Once you have your course or activity ready, you will need to complete one of our assessment forms, and then submit all of the information and documentation along with the completed form. The assessment can take up to 30 days to complete, and we may contact you for further information. Please note, CPD assessments can only be completed once your organisation is registered with the CPD Standards Office as a formal provider Not registered? Please contact us for a registration form, if necessary, this can be processed within 48 hours. Got a question? If you have any further questions regarding the CPD assessment process or preparing your activity, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0845 862 1386.

Good luck with becoming CPD ready!

CPD Standards T: 0845 862 1386 E: info@cpdstandards.com W: www.cpdstandards.com

To get involved… If you would like to find out more about the CPD Standards Office, or become an accredited provider or coach, please contact our friendly team at: