Questions and Answers

Questions training organisations asked most often while working towards accreditation, with the answers the association gave. The figures are the ones it published; the price list in the Terms and Conditions governed them, and allowed a discount by country.

How did a training organisation become accredited? It applied through the EHFA website to register interest, and EHFA sent out the accreditation pack, listed on the documents page. The organisation then mapped its qualifications against the standards, returned the process document (EAD 01) with a programme overview translated into English, and paid the initial fee. The visit sampled practical assessment and the evidence of delivery and assessment, and the evaluator's report went to the EHFA Audit Committee before the outcome was given. The route is set out as the fifteen steps.

What could a provider map against? The Fitness Room, Group Fitness and Aqua Fitness Instructor standards at EQF level 3; the Personal Trainer standard; and a bolt-on unit in Sales and Marketing for Personal Training. That unit was not required for personal trainer accreditation - it was written for countries where personal trainers generally work self-employed and need the selling skills that go with it. Three further qualifications were in preparation: Kids Fitness, Pilates and Exercise Referral.

What were the fees? The initial accreditation fee was 900 Euro, payable on submission of the documentation. The accreditation visit was charged at 900 Euro per day for each evaluator and was carried out by two evaluators over two days, making 3,600 Euro, with travel and accommodation met by the organisation. The annual monitoring visit was charged at the same daily rate and carried out by one evaluator over two days, making 1,800 Euro, again plus travel and accommodation. The published summary was 4,500 Euro of initial outlay plus expenses, then 1,800 Euro a year plus expenses. The price list carried an economic zoning breakdown, so every figure could be discounted by country.

Why were the fees at that level? To cover what the work cost: the verification and technical expertise, and the judgement each country's arrangements called for. The initial fee covered issuing and recording the information, reviewing the evidence, requesting and reviewing further evidence, judging sufficiency, identifying what would be evidenced at the visit, and arranging the visit. The visit and monitoring fees covered sampling practical and theory assessment, curriculum, quality assurance and administration, the evaluators' judgements, report writing and action planning, follow-up on actions, and - for monitoring - logo audits and the possibility of suspension or withdrawal. Accreditation was carried out by CYQ, appointed as the EHFA accreditation unit after an open tender.

Why was a visit necessary if the organisation had already been audited? Existing audits covered systems, processes and quality assurance, not the delivery and assessment of exercise and fitness with occupational experts. The results of earlier audits were taken into account, and the evaluators then focused on the gaps that remained.

Why were there annual monitoring visits? To confirm that the organisation still met the standards, competencies and requirements for accredited training organisations, and to audit the records of which learners had been issued with the logo.

Were the evaluators from the UK? At the time, yes. A two-year programme was under way to train evaluators from outside the UK, for both initial accreditation and ongoing monitoring.

What had to be translated? Programme overviews and syllabuses, theory papers, practical assessment documentation, and case studies and other assessment documentation. Manuals, handouts and presentations did not.

Could e-learning and e-assessment be used? Yes, mapped to the standards in the same way as programmes delivered directly, provided enough direct contact was still given for learners to demonstrate practical skills.

Did the assessment strategy and the quality assurance paperwork have to be used? The Assessment Strategy (EAD 03) did: it was the minimum requirement, set to keep assessment consistent and comparable between organisations and countries. The paperwork was optional - a provider could use its own, provided it aligned to the standards.

Why were the mapping documents so long? Because they were the standards and competencies themselves. Shortening them would have lost essential knowledge and practical skill requirements.

Were the standards available in other languages, and could centres outside Europe apply? The standards were produced in English and French, and non-European centres could apply.

How were the logos obtained, and was there a charge? The logos were released to the organisation when it was notified of accreditation. There was no fee for their use, but records of which learners had been issued with the logo on their certificates were audited on each visit. UK awarding bodies obtained the logos from SkillsActive under the memorandum of understanding.

How long did the process take? It depended most on how long the organisation took to map its qualifications against the standards. Once the documentation was received it was reviewed within three weeks; because the visit had to coincide with scheduled practical assessments, that could hold the timetable up. A realistic average from application to accreditation was three to four months, and the alignment check on its own was estimated at seven to forty hours.

Which UK qualifications aligned to the standards? The Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing aligned to the Fitness Room, Group Exercise and Aqua Fitness Instructor standards; NVQ and VRQ units covering planning, instructing, motivation, nutrition and personal training aligned to the Personal Trainer standard, with a related unit on planning, marketing and selling services aligned to the optional sales and marketing unit; and the Level 3 Certificate in Advanced Fitness Instructing mapped to Personal Trainer if fitness testing and nutrition were covered too.

What were the benefits? Chiefly the mobility of learners: a qualification carrying EHFA recognition travelled between European employers, and learner achievement with it. Accredited status also gave employers and learners across Europe a clear statement of what a fitness instructor, advanced fitness instructor or personal trainer was expected to know and do, and it opened the route for successful learners to register with EREPS.