Guidance to help you to pass accreditation first time

Before starting your application form:

In order to pass:

1. Check your walks meet the definition of a health walk. All walks need to meet the official definition of a Walking for Health walk, including at least one walk between 10-30 minutes per month, which can be a standalone walk or part of a longer walk. For a reminder of what the definition of a health walk is see page 5 of our Accreditation Guidance, click here.

2. Have a copy of your walker registration form or Outdoor Health Questionnaire (OHQ) to hand. You can use our OHQ for ease, or as a guide, which you can find by clicking here.

You need to show that you collect the following walker demographics and contact details as a minimum: age; gender; walker postcode or town; number of walkers referred by a health professional and you can identify which are new walkers. Your form (if not the standard OHQ) also needs to carry our logo and have an appropriate data protection statement. You will need to attach any adapted OHQ's or walker registration forms with your application. We recommend strongly that you use our standard OHQ, and if you do, you don’t need to upload a copy.

3. Have a recent and completed risk assessment. An example of a risk assessment sheet can be found on our website by clicking here.

Your risk assessment has to be less than six months old. It’s important to review your risk assessments regularly as risks can change or new ones may appear over time. It’s important to fill in each section of this form to show that you have thought through and managed each risk, and given consideration to the differing abilities of your walkers, weather and seasons.

4. Upload your latest data in the database or if you don’t use the database, be ready to supply us with some equivalent data from July 2014.PLEASE REMEMBER – all your data will be transferred to the new database later in the year when that is ready to launch. It’s best to keep using the existing database – which transferred from Natural England to us – in the meantime.

If you’re supplying equivalent data, a full list of the data you will need to supply is on the FAQ's which you can find by clicking here. If you currently have 'limited data' and do not collect the full list you will still pass, and we will contact you to discuss the data you do collect. We will work with you to support you to develop your data collection, with one on one guidance for those who need it.

5. Have a copy of your latest walk programme ready, along with another example of how you use the Walking for Health brand.

You must use the new Walking for Health logo correctly in all materials and, if you have one, on your own website. This ensures that potential walkers can see that you are part of this trusted, nationwide programme. The old logo is no longer to be used, as this is out of date and could very much confuse walkers. You can find the brand guidelines and logo here. Don’t forget that free, pre-designed programme templates are available on the Walking for Health website here .These can be edited with your walk information, and are designed to be very easy to use.

The vision for Walking for Health:

That everyone will have access to a short, free and friendly walk within easy reach of where they live, to help them become and stay active.

A reminder of the accreditation criteria:1. All walks meet the definition of a Walking for Health walk, including at least one walk between 10-30 minutes per month, which

can be a standalone walk or part of a longer walk.2. The walker registration form (Outdoor Health Questionnaire) or an approved version of a form is used and completed by all

new walkers or walkers who have experienced changes to their health.3. Schemes have up to date risk assessments in place which are reviewed on a regular basis and are updated as and when new

risks appear. Ideally, they should be no more than six months old.4. Schemes use the Walking for Health database or supply the information needed by the Walking for Health team to demonstrate

impact and progress on a quarterly basis from July 2014.5. Schemes are recognisably part of Walking for Health, using the brand in materials in accordance with our guidelines. 6. Schemes keep their pages on the Walking for Health website up to date. 7. Schemes take part in the annual scheme audit 8. Schemes use a volunteering policy that ensures good standards of volunteer management.

6. Ensure your scheme page on the website is up to date.

Your scheme website page on www.walkingforhealth.org.uk must show the correct contact details, all necessary joining information for new walkers on your Walking for Health walks, and a current walk timetable or link to your own website where this information is displayed. Although some schemes won’t need to update the contents of their page all that often, you still need to have checked the page within the last three months to make sure. Schemes can by all means mention your progression or Nordic walks but ideally signpost to another website for more details or to your walk programme so that the focus of the Walking for Health website remains the shorter walks. You must advertise that you offer at least one 30 minute walk per month. Find guidance on how to update your page here.

7. Ensure you’ve completed the annual audit, which is live until 23rd May.

You must have completed this BEFORE applying for accreditation. The audit ensures we have an accurate picture of the programme nationwide so that we can demonstrate the scale and impact of all our wonderful schemes. This helps us to secure wider support and recognition from national decision makers, which in turn helps our schemes secure support locally. It also allows us to see what further support schemes may need from the national centre. You can find the audit form by clicking here.

8. Ensure you've a copy of your volunteer policy to hand. If you don't have one at the moment then you can find template policies on the website. If you don’t use a policy please provide examples of how you manage and support your volunteers effectively.

You must be able to show that you manage and support your volunteers. A template volunteer policy that you can amend and personalise for your scheme can be found on our website by clicking here. It is essential to share this document with your volunteers as part of their welcome to your team so that they know what to expect.

If you are creating your own, or already use a funders existing policy, we recommend that it covers the following areas:a) Role descriptions for your volunteers or an outline of your recruitment procedure which includes some clarification about mutual expectations and roles such as a Do-it.org or local Community Volunteer Bureau listing.b) A list of the equipment and resources for your volunteers, be they from Walking for Health or the scheme direct e.g. high visibility vest for walk leaders.c) Some indication of the support, supervision and on-going guidance you offer e.g. quarterly leaders meetings, weekly 1:2:1s.d) Indication of health and safety awareness and procedures e.g. training, equipment, procedures (e.g. risk assessment), insurance, safeguarding, data protection.e) Explanation or evidence of how you thank and recognise the achievements and contributions of their volunteers e.g. an annual event.f) Detail how you deal with issues, such as an explanation or example.

The national team is here to support you through accreditation. If you have any questions, contact us on 0207 339 8541 or walkingforhealth@ramblers.org.uk before applying.