WfH's improved accreditation scheme Walking for Health's improved accreditation scheme is open to all health walks schemes. Simple and straightforward to apply for, there is no fee involved and it bestows a range of benefits.
The number of schemes accredited is growing month by month and is currently 342 (April'10).
Update April 09
January 2009 marked the first anniversary of the new accreditation scheme. WfH is delighted that - in addition to a steady stream of new applications - virtually all schemes that gained accreditation in the first year are choosing to renew.
Applying for accreditation All WfH schemes are sent an accreditation pack by their regional WfH team and can discuss the application form in detail with the team. The completed form - together with documents such as a health walk questionnaire, a walk programme, a risk assessment and a register - must then be sent back to the regional team who will reply within 28 days from the date the completed form is received.
Aims The aims of the accreditation programme are to set and maintain high standards for health walk schemes; to give potential users confidence about what to expect; to give participants, partners and funders added confidence; and to reassure users that the walks in their area are of good quality.
Benefits include:
The credibility associated with being part of a nationally and robustly evaluated scheme;
Recognition by health professionals;
Use of the accreditation logo (shown above);
A dedicated page on the WfH website - with the accreditation logo displayed;
A WfH-accredited certificate.
Accreditation lasts for a year and there is a simple renewal procedure.
Criteria All schemes fulfilling 3 main criteria are eligible for accreditation:
Offering led health walks for beginners (these need to be reasonably flat walks with no stiles that last under one hour)
Meeting WfH safety and insurance standards for all walks
Collecting basic monitoring information.
Stella Goddard, WfH Programme Manager, says:
This is a way for all health walk schemes to badge themselves up as belonging to the Walking for Health family. It will demonstrate that they are following our simple model and will be simple to join. The new accreditation will inform supporters, participants, partners and funders alike that the individual scheme is worth being involved with and is part of a bigger whole that is properly and robustly evaluated.
