The Benefits of RTPI Membership for Planning Professionals

Slide1Royal  Town Planning Institute Dr Holly McLaren Education Officer

Slide2•How can the RTPI help you as a member of the planning profession? • Chartered membership

Slide3•What are the characteristics of a profession? • Why do we need professional institutes?

Slide4Characteristics of a profession• Extensive period of education • Specialist body of knowledge • Testing of competence • Code of professional conduct or ethics • Exclusion, monopoly and legal recognition • Work autonomy (independent thinking and judgement) • Status • Mobility • Public service and altruism

Slide5•What are the characteristics of a profession? • Why do we need professional institutes?

Slide6Professional Institutes• Set and maintain standards of training and ethics – Develop and monitor professional education programmes – Provide CPD and lifelong learning – Operate a Code of Professional Conduct • Provide support for individuals engaged in that profession – Member services – Member engagement – Collective voice • Act as learned societies for the advancement of the profession • Public benefit

Slide7The RTPI’s work includes…• Promoting good planning • Developing and shaping policy affecting the built environment • Developing and maintaining professional standards in planning • Education and training for planners • Supporting our membership

Slide8Supporting your Career• MRPTI • Networking • Planners in the Workplace • Learning Partners

Slide9RTPI West of Scotland EventSchedule 2012 Month Event March 2012 Failing High Streets - Reviving Town Centres April 2012 Being a Planner: Getting a job, loving your job, leaving your job! May 2012 Knockroon – A Successful New Community? June 2012 Joint event with Scottish Young Planners Network July 2012 <Summer Break> Aug   2012 Sport and Regeneration Sept 2012 Urban Design Week Event Public Outreach Event – Glasgow Doors Open Day Oct   2012 Policy Event Nov 2012 WoS Quiz and Networking Event  

Slide10Supporting your Career• MRPTI • Networking • Planners in the Workplace • Learning Partners

Slide11Skills and knowledge• Accredited university courses • Professional levels of membership • Training events • CPD and the Code of Professional Conduct • Partners

Slide12Shaping the profession• Leading on policy debates • Lobbying • Consultations • Networks

Slide13How do I become a member?

Slide14The path to membershipStudent Member ( FREE  student membership in final year of accredited pathway) Licentiate Member MANDATORY Chartered Member (MRTPI)

Slide15To apply for charteredmembership… • You need 24 months (440 full days) spatial planning experience  minimum • You must be a licentiate member for at least one year • You must complete your  Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)

Slide16The Assessment ofProfessional Competence [APC] The APC asks you to demonstrate that you work at a suitable  professional  level to justify election to Chartered status. It is designed to build on the skills, knowledge and understanding that you have developed during your qualification and to test your ability to apply these in practice.

Slide17APC Composition• Log book – a reflective record of work undertaken • Written submission of 5000 words • Practical experience statement (1000 words) • Professional Competence statement (2500 words) • Professional development plan (1500 words)

Slide18The purpose of the Log book• Charts how you’ve developed over time • Supports your final submission for assessors • Supports job applications/appraisals Date Nature of professional work/task undertaken What skills/competencies has this work developed? What knowledge and/or understanding has been gained/developed  as a result of this work? What skills/knowledge do you feel you need to  develop?

Slide19Eligible experience for the APC• You need to evidence 24 months minimum spatial planning experience •   • At least 12 months of this must be after Licentiate election • Experience gained whilst  studying part-time does count, as does experience gained on a sandwich year. • Experience gained whilst studying on a full-time, one year Masters doesn’t count. • Nor does experience of less than three months • Quality of work experience is important – ability to exercise independent professional judgement • It’s not a race! 24 months is the  minimum

Slide20DateNature of professional work/task undertaken What skills/competencies has this work developed? What knowledge and/or understanding has been gained/developed  as a result of this work? What skills/knowledge do you feel you need to  develop? May 09 July  10 Oct 10 Processing planning applications Site visits Contacted  consultant with regard to listed building regulations. Research, delivering – making it happen, communication Data-communication, investigation and research,  quantitative and qualitative analysis and appraisal Research – finding a consultant Planning  Law That it is useful to have first hand knowledge of a site involved in an application The limits of my own responsibility for specialist applications Further knowledge of planning law None – successfully achieved all elements of visit More knowledge of listed building regulations

Slide21DateNature of professional work/task undertaken What skills/competencies has this work developed? What knowledge and/or understanding has been gained/developed  as a result of this work? What skills/knowledge do you feel you need to  develop? May  09 Case officer  for application for change of use of A1 use shop to mortgage advisor within the protected retail frontage area of the town centre.  This application was contentious as there had apparently  been pre- app discussions from the LPA advising that the application was acceptable, however the percentage of frontage allowed to be non-A1 was already over the threshold allowed at 25% so I recommended that application be refused.  It was called into Committee and was refused as per officer recommendation. This application furthered my  report writing skills and both diplomatic discussion and also diplomatic writing in the presentation of the case. It also improved my skills at identifying areas for engaging with other departments and multi- disciplinary working.  In this case I spoke with economic regeneration to establish whether the property had been for long enough to consider re- visiting the wording of the policy or whether and A1 use could be easily found and we should continue with such rigid protection of the shops in this particular location. I gained  a deeper understanding of the town centre retail policies, including government guidance, and a much better understanding of the overarching rationale behind these. I was also reminded once more of the importance of the pre- application advice; this was an instance where the LPA had possibly given misleading and inconsistent advice, leading to an awkward path for the application and a difficult situation for me as the final case officer. I would like to further develop my skills at identifying situations in which other departments within the council or other external bodies can add information to consider in making a recommendation, for example, the economic and regeneration dept here. I would like to be able to further draw on these outside skills and pools of further information. I feel I handled the possible misinformation situation here well through negotiation, discussion etc. however the management of misinformation is a skill I would like to further. I recommended that the application be refused.  It was called into committee and was refused as per officer recommendation. I recommended that the application be refused.  It was called into committee and was refused as per officer recommendation. I feel I handled the possible mis- information situation here well through negotiation, discussion etc. however the management of mis-information is a skill I would like to further. I feel I handled the possible mis- information situation here well through negotiation, discussion etc. however the management of mis-information is a skill I would like to further.

Slide22Written submission• Practical experience statement (1000 words) • Professional Competence statement (2500 words) • Professional development plan (1500 words)

Slide23Assessment criteria1 An understanding of context 2 An ability to identify and analyse issues 3 Competence in gathering appropriate information 4 Competence in identifying and evaluating strategies 5 Competence in initiating action to implement strategies or dissemination and application of knowledge (research experience) 6 Engagement in a process of monitoring and review 7 An awareness of the legal framework political and ethical challenges RTPI Code of Professional Conduct

Slide24Written submission• Practical experience statement (1000 words) • Professional Competence statement (2500 words) • Professional development plan (1500 words)

Slide25What could I be doing now?• Become a student member and get involved with the RPTI! • Start recording your work in a log book • Find a mentor • Look at the assessment criteria • Read the RTPI Code of Professional conduct • Start drafting a professional development plan

Slide26Finally…As soon as you have written confirmation that you’ve passed your course…apply for licentiate membership!

Slide27For further informationThe Membership Team membership@rtpi.org.uk Tel: 0207 929 9464 www.rtpi.org.uk