What is accreditation?
Accreditation is the process of officially recognising someone as having a particular status or being qualified to perform a particular activity.
Why does the Countryside Management Association (CMA) offer accredited membership?
The CMA strongly believes that those who work, or volunteer, in the countryside, parks and greenspace sector should have their professional competency assessed, confirmed, recognised and valued, both within and outside the industry. One of CMA’s principal ambitions is to raise the profile and recognition of the countryside and greenspace profession.
Members reaching the relevant standards will then be entitled to describe themselves as either an Associate Member, Practitioner Member, Principal Member or a Fellow of the CMA.
Why apply for Accredited membership?
CMA accredited membership can play an important role in your Curriculum Vitae. The sector is unique in its requirement for wide-ranging knowledge, multiple skill sets and the flexibility to adapt that expertise to different situations, sites and communities. The benefit of accredited membership is that it provides assurance to employers that an individual has been independently assessed to be competent at the level of membership held and will be proficient and fully capable of undertaking the work at that level of competence. Accredited members should become valued and sought after by employers, helping to raise the overall profile of the countryside and greenspace management profession.
Who can apply for Accredited membership?
Anyone working, or volunteering, in the countryside and greenspace management profession can apply for accredited membership.
Completed an Apprenticeship?
If you have successfully completed one of the apprenticeships, you qualify to join CMA in the relevant accredited member category, without needing to go through the application process.
Principles of CMA Accreditation
The CMA’s view is that qualifications (e.g. HND or university degree) and/or length of time in the profession do not, in themselves, evidence competency. Qualifications and experience in the job are of course incredibly important and valuable. They should be seen as additional to your CMA accreditation which is based entirely on demonstrated evidence of competency.
The CMA’s Competency Framework
The Competency Framework sets out the details of the competencies which have been identified as being relevant to CMA members. There are 22 competencies in total.
How do I choose which level of accreditation to apply for?
There remains a multitude of different job titles in the sector; however a job title does not determine the accredited membership category that can be applied for. That is a decision for the individual applicant dependent on the knowledge, skills and behaviours they believe they can provide evidence for. There are four levels of accredited membership to consider. Take a look at each and decide which level might be appropriate for you.
Assessing your application
All applications will be thoroughly checked by our independent assessors.
Introductory Offer
- the first ten Associate applicants will be charged £50 for the accreditation application process;
- the first 10 Practitioner applicants will be charged £100;
- the first 10 Principal applicants will be charged £150 for the accreditation application process.
If interested in this introductory offer, please email admin@countrysidemanagement.org.uk in the first instance to enable us to apply the discounted fee for you.
Application Forms
- Application for Accredited Membership at Associate Level
- Application for Accredited Membership at Practitioner or Principal Level
- Application for Accredited Membership at Fellow Level
Useful Documents
- Accredited Membership – Guidance Notes
- Competency Framework
- Compiling Your Competency Evidence
- CMA Code of Conduct & Ethics
The accreditation process was challenging but fun, as I am not generally very good at promoting myself, but are any of us in the profession?
Clear instructions were supplied to guide the process, thought provoking, but a worthwhile exercise to complete; surprising how much you know when you write it down and the assessor challenges you at the assessment stage.
A must do for anyone looking to add to their CV, also validates your knowledge to peers and managers alike.
Paul Aubrey PrCMA
Cydgysylltydd – Co-ordinator Gwasanaeth Hamdden Awyr Agored | Outdoor Recreation Service
I am happy to be one of the first to achieve PCMA accreditation and hope to see these credentials become more widely recognised within the industry as the scheme grows.
Matt Wilcoxon PCMA
Countryside and Greenspace Manager Shrewsbury Town Council
It did take a bit of effort, but I was amazed how much relevant experience I had accrued over the years and looking through my past experience was a surprisingly pleasant experience. Putting it into words was the difficult bit! Anyone working in the sector should have no problem finding the relevant stuff to meet the relevant criteria.
Colin Hart PrCMA
Broads Authority
Completing the accreditation application was a challenging but rewarding process. I’m sure it will help me in my career both by demonstrating my skills and competence to potential employers and through helping to identify areas for my own personal development.
Mark Baker PCMA
Country Park Manager, Devon County Council
