Revalidation revealed

Joanna Ball
University of Cambridge

Revalidation, one of the new elements of CILIP’s Framework of Qualifications, is open to all Chartered Members wishing to gain evidence and recognition of their commitment to personal professional development.

The handbook is clear about the benefits of the scheme: individual members are able to demonstrate a commitment to enhancing their knowledge and skills to existing and potential employers; employers have a workforce which demonstrates explicitly its commitment to continuous improvement and so brings dividends in increased effectiveness and efficiency at work; and the information profession as a whole demonstrates its commitment to continuing professional development, raising the status of the professional body to one which views its validation as a current dynamic activity.

Why do it?
I decided to put myself forward for the pilot Revalidation Scheme in April 2005 for several reasons. I gained my Chartership way back in 1998. That seemed like a long time ago, and I didn’t feel that it said much about me as a professional 7 years on. I’d been incredibly busy and had changed jobs twice during that time, but what had I really achieved? I’d also been involved professionally, both within local organisations and within a Special Interest Group of CILIP, but exactly what skills had I developed? Submitting an application for Revalidation was an opportunity for me to stand back from my day-to-day routine, reflect on how I’d developed over that period and analyse where I wanted to go next. I also saw it as a stepping stone to Fellowship, which I still thought of as something intended for very worthy people towards the end of long and illustrious careers. Finally, I’d been committed in principle (sometimes rather vocally) to a formal CPD scheme for the library and information sector for some time, and when CILIP announced its Revalidation Scheme, I felt obliged to put myself forward as a guinea pig.

Putting the application together
In an ideal world, a CILIP member will register for the Revalidation Scheme immediately upon Chartering, systematically keeping records of their CPD and accompanying evidence, and submitting an interim CPD log at the end of each year. Three years later, putting together the final submission should be relatively straightforward and not onerous. After two successful cycles of Revalidation, the candidate will be eligible to apply for Fellowship.

However, for those of us who Chartered several years ago and who perhaps have not been quite so systematic in their filing and record keeping, the revalidation process is a little more challenging.

The assessment criteria for the scheme are as follows:
• Critical evaluation of personal learning outcomes from a range of training and development activities.
• Increased competence in a range of professional and management skills developed through professional practice.
• Evidence of continuous professional development through reading, participation in professional affairs, and contribution to or attendance at courses/conference etc.

The application should consist of a CV, a CPD log and Personal Statement (templates are available from the CILIP website), a supporting letter and a portfolio of evidence.

CV 
There are no particular guidelines about how the CV should be formatted, but the general rules (no more than two sides, etc.) apply. I found the CV a good place to include significant elements of CPD that I had undertaken more than three years previously, and which I had therefore not included in my CPD log. The Personal Statement element of the application is quite short, and the CV provides a good opportunity to set the scene for yourself as an information professional and to give the assessors a context into which all the other documents fit. 

CPD Log
At the time of writing, there are no hard and fast rules about exactly what period the CPD log should cover for people who have more than three years experience since Chartership. I made the decision to cover the last three years, as this is the standard period for the scheme as a whole. However, I know others that have covered the entire period since Chartership (not a realistic option for me) or just one year (which I felt didn’t allow me to demonstrate the full range of my recent professional activities).

I found the form rather unhelpful for including items like committee work and professional involvement that are so central to the new Framework. I made a number of minor changes to the form to allow me to include this information, and added an extra column at the end so that I could cross-reference to items in the portfolio. Having been less than systematic in keeping records of my professional activities and training over the past few years, I had to resort to trawling through old diaries to work out what I had done and when.

Personal Statement
The Personal Statement template consists of two parts: the first a reflection and evaluation of learning outcomes from a number of professional activities, and the second a summary of what has been learned and how that learning has been applied.

For the first section, I selected three or four courses or activities from my CPD log which I felt had been key to my development and reflected on what I had learned. The summary has a maximum of only 500 words. This really focused my mind and was the hardest part of the whole application process. In summing up my professional development over the last three years, I chose just three or four areas in which I felt I had made most progress and tried to show how I had used these new skills and learning in the workplace.

Portfolio 
The list of possible items to include in the portfolio is endless: certificates, conference papers, contributions to the professional press, project reports, personal reports of meetings and events, staff development reviews, evidence of work-based learning such as publicity, enquiries, letters and memos, web pages and other media. It’s also possible to include relevant out-of-work experiences and qualifications. Basically anything can be included as evidence for Revalidation as long as you feel it demonstrates that you have met the criteria. 

One temptation is to include absolutely everything just to be safe. However, the assessment panel expect an information professional to be discriminating about what is selected. It’s important to keep in mind the criteria for assessment and evaluate each potential item for inclusion against the list.

My finished portfolio consisted of about 20 pieces of evidence. I tried to include as wide a range as possible: powerpoint slides, published articles, reports and email correspondence with users. I also put together a personal professional development plan for the coming year, as I felt that identifying areas for future development was an important part of the process. 

Supporting letter 
The supporting letter needs to be written by your line manager or a Chartered Member of CILIP who knows your work well. The letter should confirm that the evidence presented is accurate, and comment on how you have met the assessment criteria.

Help and support
I was very fortunate to have the informal help and support of a number of colleagues who read through various parts of my application and gave me their advice.

CILIP is making anonymised examples of successful applications available through its website for applicants to consult. The Career Development Group’s Registration Liaison Officer (RLO) network also has a wealth of experience in providing advice and guidance for portfolios for Chartership, and it is certainly worth asking your local RLO to read through your application.

The Framework of Qualifications includes a mentoring scheme. Although having a mentor is not compulsory for applicants for Revalidation, it would certainly be an advantage, both in terms of guidance and planning, and also in putting the application together. A jiscmail discussion list, LIS-CILIP-REVAL (http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/lis-cilip-reval.html) has also been set up for those going through the process.

Benefits
Looking back, what do I feel the benefits of Revalidation have been?

I found the whole process of putting the application together a really worthwhile experience in terms of assessing where I was both professionally and personally, and making some decisions on areas to concentrate on in future. 

I don’t always get a great deal of feedback in my current post, so it was very reassuring to have my work analysed (and passed!) by the assessment panel, which consists of professionals from all sectors in your geographic area. The assessors also recommended that rather than go for another round of Revalidation, I should go ahead and apply for Fellowship straight away. This has motivated me to get on and do just that. Thanks to Revalidation, I already have an up-to-date CV and a whole wealth of evidence of my CPD over the past few years, so I’m hoping that’ll make my Fellowship application a little more straightforward.

Applying for Revalidation does not need to be a headache, particularly if you have kept good records of your CPD and evidence. In many ways, it merely formalises what we’re already doing: keeping our skills up-to-date and being professionally involved. Over the space of two or three weeks I probably spent between 10 and 15 hours thinking about the application, gathering information, and putting together the CPD log, the Personal Statement and the portfolio.

Not only do I have an up-to-date CV ready if I see a particularly attractive post advertised in CILIP Gazette, I also feel clearer in my mind about what I’ve achieved in my career so far and what I want from any future role. I’m able to demonstrate to my current employer and to a potential future employer that I am committed to my own professional development.

Joanna Ball
Past President, Career Development Group