New FL CPD Process 2025

OCC Field Leaders: New Continuing Professional Development Process for 2025

April 2025

Hello OCC Field Leader,

At the Outdoor Council of Canada (OCC), we want to acknowledge your commitment to providing safe, meaningful, and quality outdoor experiences. 

How do we know this about you? 

Simply put, your decision to complete a Field Leader course in the past demonstrates your motivation to learn accepted practices and provide meaningful experiences for your participants. In your Field Leader course, you explored the important responsibilities outdoor leaders have in ensuring participants have a safe and enjoyable experience. Part of this responsibility includes regularly updating your skills and staying current.

In many cases, keeping your skills up-to-date means re-taking certification courses every few years. At the OCC, we believe there are simpler, less expensive, and more practical ways to achieve this. That’s why we’re introducing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements for Field Leaders, which build naturally on activities you’re likely already doing as an outdoor leader.

How CPD Works:

Each year, Field Leaders will track their professional development using a straightforward points-based system. Our CPD is designed to easily integrate with activities you’re likely engaged in, such as:

• Leading outdoor groups
• Mentoring colleagues
• Participating in relevant training and workshops

Review the summary of requirements here.

2025 is a Pilot Year – Your Feedback is Essential:

Since the CPD requirements are new to maintain your certification, 2025 will serve as a pilot year. This period is specifically designed for you to provide feedback and help ensure the system meets your real-world needs. It’s the ideal time to ask questions, suggest changes, or voice any concerns.

The closing date for the pilot is not set yet as we need your feedback to guide our timeline. We expect to announce the closing date in late 2025 and will provide at least one months’ notice.

Next Steps:
Please log into your OCC account and complete the new CPD Form within the next few months.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact Amy, our Program Coordinator, directly—she wants to hear from you, she is here to help.

Thank you again for your ongoing commitment and valuable contributions to the OCC community.