Certifying Assessors and Judges in Floristry
Leonardo partnership project Judges Certification project: conclusive meeting
After two years of intense preparatory meetings and 5 successive pilots in 5 different countries the last and conclusive meeting of the Judges Certification project took place on 5, 6 and 7 June in Birmingham (UK). It took 3 demanding meeting days, with intensive but constructive discussions and resulted in a successful rounding off of the project. The conclusion can be drawn that the project’s goals have been reached and a thorough basis has been created for the implementation of a sound and sophisticated system for judges / assessors accreditation throughout Europe and beyond, which will bring judging in competitions as well as in schools/colleges, on a higher level, create more transparency regarding judging competences and will give a huge stimulus to the exchange of knowledge and information with regards the craft of judging throughout Europe and even other parts of the world.
The project partners are all fully aware of the fact that they have just started on a path that will take quite some time possibly a few more years, in order to achieve the implementation of the accreditation system in not only their own (5) countries but also the other FLORNET and FLORINT member countries and many others that already have shown an interest. This was felt, by all, as an important mission, which will need the involvement of all partner delegates of the actual project. The development process of this system concludes that at this time, this will be the group of experts which have a full understanding of how this system works and how it should be implemented. Without their assistance other countries will not be able to carry out this system. It became clear that all those involved were very positive and expressed their commitment to fulfil a role in the execution and success of this project!!
During the coming months a ‘signing off’ needs to take place with regards to all sorts of documents, like the blueprints, formats, guidelines, regulations, forms and so on. Also the final reporting to the Leonardo da Vinci agency, which supplied the subvention for this project, needs to be finalised. When all these reports and documents are finalised they will be published on the European website as well as FLORNET’s and FLORINT’s and other partners’ websites. A communication and information process will start with a presentation of the projects results at several events. Therefore the preparations will start for the first real assessments in the 5 countries involved, which are going to take place from 2013 onwards. Preparations will take place with regards to the development of targeted training courses involving key-elements of judging as well as the training of assessment competences. It is furthermore concluded that all this will necessitate the need and creation for an in depth follow-up project, which together with FLORNET and FLORINT will start drafting an outline of, during our future meetings.
The Judges Certification project was made possible by funding of the Leonardo da Vinci fund.
Project partners are: FLORINT, FLORNET, Stoas University, the British Florist Association BFA, the Dutch Florist Association VBW, the Finnish Florist Association SKKL ry, the German Florist Federation FDF, the Norwegian Florist Association NBF.
FLORNET was represented by the Staatliche Fachschule für Blumenkunst Weihenstephan and AOC de Groene Welle