IHBC launches ‘Local delivery (Branch) CPD training pilot’: Calls for expert leads in ‘Retrofit’, ‘Curtilage’ and ‘Engineering’ to help develop local training programme: Closing 6 January 2020

The IHBC is launching a new ‘Local delivery (Branch) CPD training pilot’ to inform its evolving sector-wide national training programme of locally accessible, IHBC quality-assured CPD-priority training days, and is calling for ‘expressions of interest’ from nationally recognised lead conservation experts in ‘Retrofit’, in ‘Curtilage’ and in ‘Engineering’ to partner in developing and delivering this pilot programme.

IHBC Chair David McDonald said: ‘We have long recognised the challenges faced by our voluntary Branches as they deliver training events.  Capacity limitations are always critical, and targeting Continuing Professional Development (CPD) priorities, while also securing national standards, can be too much to hope for all the time.’

‘So we are delighted to launch a national pilot to help Branches offer locally delivered training tied to national practice standards across CPD priority areas in conservation practice.  This pilot covers three areas that we already know are in demand: retrofit of traditional buildings; law and curtilage, and engineering practice.  We will use the experience from the pilot to develop a model that can extend the range of content while maintaining quality and accessibility.’

IHBC Education Secretary Andrew Shepherd said: ‘This initiative marks the fruition of many years of discussion about how we can best offer high quality, local, accessible and cost effective targeted support to our members.’

‘With conservation services and conscientious private sector practitioners so hard pressed, both today and for the foreseeable future, it is all the more import, urgent and relevant that we get this right.’

‘This pilot will make sure that our limited financial resources and hard pressed volunteers can come together with nationally recognised lead experts and offer informed access to critical areas of practice and learning.’

IHBC Director Seán O’Reilly said: ‘Our new local delivery pilot programme, delivered through our Branch network, will help us achieve one of our most challenging corporate commitments of recent years: to support accessible local conservation training for all members, to national standards and regardless of area.’

‘For this pilot we need lead experts on select topics only – for now anyway – to partner with us in programme of learning for the National office as well as for our local volunteers and members.  Not only will our lead experts deliver much-needed CPD, but also we want them to help us devise the infrastructure to make sure our members get access to the best possible value from the IHBC’s CPD support.’

‘This pilot, and its ambitions, emphatically reaffirms our place as the professional body that cares first about built and historic environment conservation outcomes.’

‘Any queries can be directed to me at director@ihbc.org.uk and the closing date for notes of interest is 6 January 2020.’

PILOT: INDICATIVE PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS AND CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST: CLOSING 6 January 2020

1. Strategy: IHBC’s ‘Local delivery (Branch) CPD training pilot’
The proposed strategy for the IHBC’s ‘Local delivery (Branch) CPD training pilot’ will help determine how the institute can best deliver local, accessible, low-cost CPD to national standards in priority areas of conservation practice.  It will help the IHBC help our local Branches access a range of model training days in specialist practice areas, sourced from a pool of quality-assured, nationally expert consultant-partners.

The event infrastructure – and learning support – will be developed specifically to work within the organisational capacity and needs of local volunteers, Branches and delegates.

The pilot includes:

  • Accessible training in priority practice areas: Offering local practitioners – both IHBC members and non-members as Branches determine – a one day seminar (c.5 hours, including networking) of CPD from a lead national expert in an aspect of conservation practice recognised for its CPD priorities and needs.  For the pilot these are:
    • Retrofit of traditional buildings
    • Law and curtilage, and
    • Engineering practice.
  • IHBC-compliant, CPD-focussed learning: Events will be organised and promoted as local IHBC Branch events and will include as standard:
    • Introductions to IHBC services and practice support
    • Digital CPD certificates to register compliance with IHBC standards, and
    • Feedback forms, to determine success in different CPD approaches.
  • Format: Learning will focus on expert-led, practice-based sessions that offer insights, learning and solutions based on:
    • First-hand knowledge of practical, real-life case studies and experience
    • Substantial and open opportunities for ‘questions and answers’ and similar interaction between delegates and lead
    • Networking, including informal networking over refreshments.

The primary learning experience will include the chance for delegates to explore practical issues under and alongside direct and expert guidance.

  • Learning Outcomes: Seminars will be designed and developed to ensure delegates can achieve at least an ‘understanding’ of the practice content, that is an ‘Aware’ level of practice as defined by the IHBC.  However the interactive and authoritative nature of the event may allow more experienced practitioners secure a ‘Capable’ level of practice in the specific topic.
  • Priority CPD content: Practice areas specified in the pilot reflect a range of currently recognised IHBC priorities.  Feedback forms will be used to gather structured survey data on event benefits and future priorities for new content, in which ‘design’ and ‘finance’ are already noted as leading issues.  NB: Suggestions for further developments of and from the pilot also may be directed towards the Education Committee (Andrew Shepherd, Chair: education@ihbc.org.uk), which will lead on the developing the initiative.

2. Content: Call for Expressions of Interest
As a pilot, the IHBC is calling for expressions of interest from IHBC Members who are nationally recognised authorities in specific, high-priority areas of conservation practice, to help develop, deliver and review training and training strategies covering, for this pilot:

  • Understanding issues in heritage law, including curtilage
    • To address locally relevant aspects of legislation related to heritage care for buildings areas and settings, such as the extent of listing, using case law examples as well as taking questions from the floor.
  • Understanding issues in conservation engineering
    • To offer an accessible, in-depth review of the structural aspects of building conservation, from philosophy and techniques to causes and prevention, with case studies and delegate-led discussion.
  • Understanding issues in building survey for retrofit
    • To cover understanding of buildings, their use and what we do to them, include inspections, surveys, building pathology, energy efficiency, retrofit and other areas, include heritage values in the context of technical issues and of issues raised by delegates.

See below for details on lodging Expressions of Interest.

3. Outline responsibilities: Lead experts, Branches and the IHBC
Lead experts

  • Lead experts will be appointed as consultants and offered an negotiated honorarium to cover areas such as earnings loss and intellectual copyright etc., depending on needs and circumstances.
  • Consultants should be:
  • Consultants should be prepared to:
    • Take responsibility for planning and delivering content in the professional development, training and learning aspects of an event that offers a minimum of 5 hours of IHBC-compliant CPD (including any formal and informal networking) on the agreed topic.
    • Advise the host Branch on the event and programme needs  and arrangements, in line with the Branch obligations below, to ensure the event is customised to delegate profiles and needs as well as learning priorities, supported by IHBC National Office as required.
    • Deliver a flexible and responsive programme for the day that offers:
      • An accessible introduction to the content and any linked practice issues, including on professional standards and practices.
      • Authoritative, practical, real life case studies and demonstrations on complex and critical practice issues, typically based on first hand knowledge.
      • Structured dialogue, to encourage interrogation of and learning from the cases.
      • Substantial question and answer opportunities.
      • Any other agreed support or arrangements to address the pilot programme’s learning objectives.
    • Agree personal and professional terms and arrangements, including fee, travel and accommodation costs direct with the IHBC National Office.

Terms: Host Branches

  • In agreement with, and with the assistance of, the National Office, the hosting Branch or local lead should:
    • Ensure the event responds to local needs and circumstances, arranging in communication with the consultant and to their satisfaction:
      • Location and date
      • Venue, including as applicable delegate charges (to be retained by the Branch) and facilities, including projection etc
      • Event promotion and partnerships (e.g. with relevant network partner organisations), local and regional
      • Booking, including confirmation and dietary issues etc
      • Delegate costs and all venue and delegate-related charges (including food/refreshments etc)
      • Access, compliance and related issues etc
      • Materials as appropriate
    • Liaise with National Office on
      • Presentation on the IHBC’s support and services
      • Event promotion
      • CPD Certificates
      • Feedback

Terms: IHBC
The IHBC’s National Office will:

  • Liaise and agree with the consultant on
    • Travel and accommodation
    • Fees
    • Expenses etc
  • Liaise with Branch Committee on venue, promotion, etc
  • Lead on national promotion; CPD Certificates; Feedback; Social Media and exceptional issues.

4. Expressions of Interest
Consultants seeking consideration for any of the roles noted above should submit to IHBC’s Administrator, Lydia, at admin@ihbc.org.uk:

  • Cover note with IHBC Membership details outlining the proposal and personal terms
  • Outline sample (c.50-100 words) of a proposed model seminar
  • Headline note on experience specific to the topic and role
  • Relevant CV.

For an informal discussion on any role, or on the pilot, contact IHBC Director Dr Seán O’Reilly at director@ihbc.org.uk.

5. Decisions

  • All decisions on appointments to the IHBC Pilot programme are based on needs and priorities agreed by IHBC trustees and committees, and failure to secure an appointment on the Pilot or a Pilot event is not a reflection on competence.
  • The IHBC reserves the absolute right to select and de-select consultants to address the priorities of the pilot.  Any de-selection is not a reflection on quality of service.
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