If they're using Strategic Doing, certified Workshop Leaders (CWLs) are already well on their way to getting re-certified - re-certification, like the original certification process, emphasizes use of Strategic Doing in "real life." If you're coming up on two years as a CWL, you'll want to start thinking about putting together a re-certification submission.
(Note: if your original certification was based on attending training before December 2016, you'll need and want some additional information, found at the bottom of this page)
There are two parts to re-certification:
First, submit documentation of having used Strategic Doing in a workshop in the past six months. The workshop should be one that you led (particularly if it's a large workshop, you might have collaborators - but for this purpose you need to have taken the lead). The documentation should include a few packs from the workshop (or preferably, especially in the case of a virtual workshop, a full strategic action plan - check the library for examples if needed), a 30/30 form or other report of what happened after the original workshop, and feedback from at least three of the participants in the workshop (we have an online survey to direct participants to: https://bit.ly/SDFeedbackCert). Please note: if you're going to use a different feedback form, that's fine - but you need to include the questions on ours as well.
To submit your materials, go to: https://bit.ly/SD_Recertification. If you have any trouble, please let us know. Please don't email your re-certification materials.
Second, be involved in the SD community in the six months before your re-certification is due. This could include:
- Re-taking the 2.5 day training (Strategic Doing 301: Leading Complex Collaborations) or an online equivalent
- Attending the annual Strategic Doing practitioners’ conference
- Attending at least three Third Thursdays (we have records, just let us know to check)
- Participating in a new training offering - if online, it needs to be of more than one week's duration
- Author/publish research or a detailed case study on the use of Strategic Doing
You can also propose some other avenue of involvement - the point is that you're part of the community.
The recertification fee (if not done as part of the 2.5 day training) is $125 and is good for two years. You have a "grace period" of three months after your original certification expires to submit your re-certification materials (but you need to let us know it's coming). If you choose not to get re-certified, you'll no longer be listed in our online directory; you'll also lose access to CWL-only materials like the online Table Guide training.
To pay the fee: wait until you hear your materials have been approved. Then, go to the SD Store to "purchase" and pay for the re-certification. Let us know if you need an actual paper certificate.
For "legacy" CWLs:
If you attended your original 2.5 day training before December 2016 and this the first time you are re-certifying, the process is slightly different (if you're not sure when you attended, email us).
Over the years we've been teaching Strategic Doing, the people attending training (and who encounter it in workshops) have become much more diverse – not just economic development, but also nonprofits, higher education, corporate, consultants, government, and more. That, as well as lots of teaching and practice experience, informed a major overhaul of the way we teach Strategic Doing, and a new Field Guide to go with it. Both of these changes were implemented starting in December 2016. Because the way we teach and practice Strategic Doing has changed so significantly, we felt it was important that the “older” CWL’s be up-to-date with those changes and be members of the community on the same basis as newer CWL’s. You have two options: attend the new 2.5 day training, or the online version (at least during the pandemic). The shorter "second half" of the UNA online version has also been approved for this purpose - email Liz Nilsen (enilsen@una.edu) to learn more.
Rev. 12/6/2022
