The SGD warmly encourages submissions projects from our cohort of pre-registered members to begin the pathway to attain MSGD accreditation.
To encourage and support submissions for Accreditation, the Society is holding the Structured Pathway again starting in September 2024 for your first project submission.
The Structured Pathway is separate to the standard Accreditation Pathway.
The Structured Pathway will include 6 CORE CPDs, which are aligned to the 12 elements of Accreditation and form the basis of assessing your project showing best practice in each of these areas. Each CPD session is about 2-3 hours, and there will be a clearly defined timetable to help you manage your input. You can join live on ZOOM or follow the recordings available for some of the sessions.
Pre-registered members with built projects are invited to enroll onto the Structured Pathway in September. Following each Core CPD session you will be encouraged to upload that element of your project.
This will give you a manageable timeframe to assemble and submit elements of your project. As a cohort working together, you will benefit from a supportive environment rather than working on an ad hoc/individual basis.
You are not alone!
This year we will be holding an Accreditation Advice Session before the programme begins, taking you through the Registration Starts Here document. This will help you decide which project is suitable to submit.
It is important that you read the Accreditation Process and follow the Accreditation Checklist making sure that you understand what is required before you submit your project.
Enrollment
Please submit your Presentation Plan together with before and after photos to info@sgd.org.uk by 19th September 2024. Please ensure you highlight which area of the plan your project is focused on if required and that the scope of the project is sufficient to demonstrate the design skills required to assess the work adequately. These plans will be reviewed to check that they are suitable for the Structured Pathway submission.
In some cases the panel may feel that an alternative project may be more suitable and will guide you if needed. We cannot guarantee that your project will be successful at the formal Accreditation Panel submission on completion of the pathway as the initial review will only be seeing a snapshot of your project at this stage.
Your whole project will be assessed by an Accreditation Panel in January 2026. If the project meets the SGD required standard, the project will pass, but on many occasions with a first project, some elements may be referred, to be reworked to the required standard with the opportunity to resubmit. The society regards this as a normal learning process in your development as a professional garden designer.
The planned timescale is as follows:
We strongly recommend that you submit the documents relating to each Core CPD one month after the CPD has taken place.
Most CPDs will be recorded for those who cannot attend any of the sessions.
The Society very much hopes this initiative will get many more of you on board each year towards attaining your MSGD.
The cost for this process, to include the 6 CORE CPDs and the office administration to set up & monitor your monthly downloads, is £150. For those who have already done 2 or more CORE CPDs in 2023 or 2024 please speak to the office and we will offer a small rebate. Invoices will be raised upon registration and will be due for payment upon confirmation of your enrollment.
The assessment of your project for Accreditation is already included in your SGD membership.