The Emergency Planning Society

Launch of the on-line CPD Scheme

Wednesday 10th February 2010

The Society will be launching its on-line CPD Scheme from 9am Wednesday 10th February 2010. All Member and Fellow grades of the Society will be able to register free with the Scheme from that date and simple user instructions will accompany this email. Associate grades will be able to register as part of the phased roll-out:

7th April 2010- Scottish, Northern Ireland, London,
Yorks & Humber & East Midlands Branches.

5th May 2010- Republic of Ireland, SouthWest, NorthWest, Southern & Eastern Branches.

2nd June 2010- Welsh, Northern, South East &West Midlands Branches.

At this stage the Scheme will be optional for Student members and the new Affiliate grade, more information for these members will be available as the Scheme progresses.

The introduction of this scheme, together with the launch of the Core Competences Framework in 2008, is a huge step towards the Society achieving Chartered Institute status. The next step is to profile our member’s qualifications including future entry requirements, the CPD Scheme will then assist in defining ongoing professional development. CPD was initially proposed by the Society as early as 2005 and this launch will be the culmination of the thoughts and intense research by a number of Society members. It is based on current good practice aligned to other professional bodies.

The short delay in the launch of the CPD Scheme (less than 48 hours) is due to improvements being made by our developers to the original specification. These are taking place as I write and some 15 issues identified during the ‘soft launch’ are being addressed, a small number will require additional funding and be part of the enhancements to future versions of the Scheme. This scheme is for the benefit and the professional development of Society members, so constructive comment is invited to ensure the Scheme grows in line with the needs of the Society membership. Future enhancements will also include an on-line CV builder, further links to assist upgrading membership and expanding the FAQs section.

From early 2011 the scheme will be compulsory for all Associates, Members and Fellows of the Society and initially will be by means of personal points attained towards professional development via the on-line scheme. Further routes currently being explored include through recognised employers and possible agreements with our allied professional bodies.

Although the Scheme has been designed to be simple to use, it is recommended that members registering should read the brochure ‘Continuing Professional Development (CPD)’ available as a downloadable link on the EPS website. This will be 30-40 minutes well spent and explains the Scheme in full. The brochure is also available by contacting the EPS Central Office who will email a copy to any member requiring it.

The Scheme has been well trialled by a large group of experienced resilience practitioners but there will be further untested ground to come and it is already recognised further enhancements are required. This is a huge step forward for the Society and the benefits for members will be enormous but planning and recording is the responsibility of the individual member. Also the EPS Central Office needs your views and thoughts which will be quickly passed onto the Membership & Development Committee.

The Scheme in brief:

·        The awarding of points depends on the degree of professional development you as the member believe has been achieved. The Scheme is member focused and not just about ‘ticking boxes’ or ‘attending conferences.’ Development and learning is about reflecting and considering the next best professional way forward.

·        There is a general maximum of 3 points per activity.

·        A full list of activities is described in the brochure.

·        Each CPD cycle spans 3 years.

·        A minimum of 30 points are required per cycle, more are required when upgrading membership.

·        The Scheme links closely into a number of skills and competences, particularly the Society’s Core Competences Framework. All are outlined fully in the brochure.

·        The brochure has a full list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and more will be included on-line as the Scheme progresses.

·        CPD records will be audited as the Scheme rolls out and members will receive full notification and assistance during any verification or checks.

·        Two case studies are outlined in the brochure and more will become available during this year.

·        The writing of a personal development plan is essential for which one CPD point is automatically allocated.

·        A brief explanation to assist in writing a personal development plan is included in the brochure and will be available via the EPS web site in the near future.

The Scheme is entirely for the benefit of our membership, registration is free and I suggest preparing an early personal development plan is a vital task

I wish you the very best of luck with your CPD.

Mike Lees
Director of Membership & Development
The Emergency Planning Society