I’m really pleased to be able to share this.
I am now officially a CPD Accredited Speaker & Trainer with The CPD Standards Office.
CPD Standards Office Provider No. 70115
And I have to say, this one means quite a lot to me.
When I first started speaking out about my experiences, I never imagined that years later I would be using those experiences to educate professionals, challenge thinking, influence conversations and help people understand trauma and abuse differently.
I have always said that I don’t want to just stand on a stage and tell my story.
There has to be a purpose to it.
What can we learn from lived experience?
What are we missing?
What needs to change?
And, most importantly, what can people take away and actually DO differently afterwards?
That is why gaining this accreditation feels like another important step forward.
So what does being a CPD Accredited Speaker & Trainer actually mean?
The accreditation isn’t just a badge.
My learning activity has been independently assessed by The CPD Standards Office and approved for CPD accreditation.
What made me particularly proud was the feedback from my assessor:
“No changes are required to the learning activities submitted for assessment.”
It was approved as I submitted it.
I am now officially recognised as an Accredited Provider, I have my own provider number — 70115 — and I can issue formal CPD certificates to delegates who complete my accredited learning activities.
For professionals attending my accredited sessions, it means their time isn’t simply spent listening to another speaker.
There is learning.
There is reflection.
There are practical takeaways.
And there is an opportunity to evidence that learning as part of their continuing professional development.
The CPD certificate also includes a learning reflection tool, encouraging delegates to think about what they have learned and, importantly, how they are going to apply that learning in their professional role.
And THAT is the bit that matters to me.
I’ve spent many years trying to join the dots between lived experience, services, systems, professionals, policy and what actually happens to people on the ground.
Lived experience has to lead somewhere
Sometimes there is a huge gap between them.
I want to help close that gap.
I want professionals to leave one of my sessions not just saying:
“That was powerful.”
But asking:
“What am I going to do differently because of what I’ve just heard?”
Because awareness on its own isn’t enough.
We need to turn awareness into understanding.
Understanding into action.
And action into change.
That, for me, is where lived experience can become a powerful form of professional learning.
So, what next?
I want to do more speaking.
I want to work with more organisations.
And I particularly want to work with organisations that understand the value of bringing lived experience and professional learning together.
So, if you’re organising a conference, professional development day, staff training, leadership event or another learning opportunity, and you’re looking for a speaker who can bring lived experience and professional learning together, I’d love to have a conversation.
There is a lot more I want to do.
And this feels like another piece of the jigsaw falling into place.
Chris Tuck ACMA CGMA FMAAT
CPD Accredited Speaker & Trainer
CPD Standards Office Provider No. 70115
Connector • Communicator • Change Agent
You’re Worth Fighting For Speaker & Trainer