Which Route to Accreditation?

Providers of adventure activities may decide that they need some form of external accreditation for the services they offer.  This may be because a particular client group demands it, it might help with marketing and promotion or it may be even be required by law.

There are several different routes that a provider of adventure activities might follow:

With the exception of statutory Licensing, all of these routes to accreditation are voluntary and so providers may decide that they don't need any form of accreditation at all.

Adventure Activity Associates have been appointed to manage the accreditation process for Adventuremark and for LOtC Quality Badges in Adventurous Activities and Overseas Expeditioning.

How do I decide which accreditation route is appropriate for my organisation?

Adventuremark

Adventuremark is a non-statutory safety accreditation scheme devised by the Adventure Activity Industry Advisory Committee (AAIAC) for providers of adventurous activities that are outside the scope of the Adventure Activity Licensing regulations.  Adventuremark confirms that providers have been inspected against nationally agreed and recognised standards. It covers the provision of adventure activities to all age ranges.

Suitable for providers who:
  • Provide adventure activities not covered by licensing e.g. climbing walls, ropes courses, mountain biking etc.
  • Provide adventure activities to client groups not covered by licensing e.g. adults, families etc.
  • Are schools offering activities for their own pupils

Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge

The Department for Education (DfE) has worked in partnership with the Learning Outside the Classroom National Advisory Group to bring together existing safety and quality badges into one easily recognisable non-statutory Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge for provider organisations.

LOTC Quality Badge - Adventurous Activities

AAIAC has been appointed as the awarding body for Adventurous Activities.

Suitable for providers who:

  • Provide adventure activities to the statutory education sector (schools or youth service)
  • Only applies to provision to under 19s
  • Want to demonstrate that they provide 'good' quality learning in the field of Adventurous Activities

Find out more about the LOTC badge here.

LOTC Quality Badge - Overseas Expeditioning

The Expedition Providers Association has been appointed as the awarding body for overseas expeditions.

Suitable for providers providing overseas travel that involves a deliberate element of risk, challenge or adventure, requiring specialist skills for safe management.

  • Provide overseas expeditioning to the statutory education sector (schools or youth service)
  • Only applies to provision to under 19s
  • Want to demonstrate that they provide 'good' quality learning in the field of overseas expeditioning.