REPs Ireland Working Groups
Call for expressions of interest
REPs Ireland is inviting individuals to put themselves forward to sit on upcoming working groups, to
advise and direct the future development of the register.
REPs Ireland operates the professional occupational register on behalf of the fitness industry in Ireland.
REPs Ireland is recognised by the European Health & Fitness Association (EHFA) and the International
Confederation of Registers of Exercise Professionals (ICREPs) as the competent authority in Ireland.
REPs Ireland is not for profit, and independent of all training and education providers.
REPs Ireland is supported by Ireland Active, the industry representative organisation.
In the absence of statutory registration & licensing, REPs Ireland operates as a voluntary register that
provides registered exercise professionals a public facing platform, identifying them to the public and
allied health professionals, as having appropriate levels of knowledge, competency and skills for given
categories.
As the industry develops & matures, the role of exercise professionals now extends out with the
‘traditional roles’ of gym instructor, personal trainer and group exercise instructor.
To ensure that the register reflects the occupations and roles that employers, exercise professionals and
the public seek, it is important that regular reviews of the REPs Ireland framework and standards take
place.
Representation from all key stakeholders is necessary to ensure that the register adopts appropriate
standards that meet the industry needs.
Key stakeholders include, but are not limited to the following:
Academics, Education Providers, Employers, Exercise Professionals, Public, Trade suppliers, Statutory
body representation (Coaching Ireland, Irish Sports Council, Irish Institute of Sport, HSE, Department of
Health, Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport) Allied healthcare professionals (ISCP, INDI etc),
Quality assurance and standards body (QQI, Solas, ETB’s).
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There are 2 working groups to be established.
It is anticipated they will meet up to 3 occasions. Location, duration and timing to be agreed by
the group when formed.
No more that 3hrs per meeting, with the location central to those on the group, and days &
dates as agreed by the group.
Some light preparation work may be required between meetings, with a commitment to
ongoing communication amongst the group for the duration of the review.
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Each meeting will be focused on delivering a specific outcome, to ensure
efficient use of time is made.
Final recommendations from each working group will be put to wider industry consultation
before adoption.
This process will be designed to be completed in good time, initial meetings will take place in
April/May, with REPs Ireland looking to be in a position to publish reviews and adopt
recommendations by the end of July 2014.
Please read the following overview of the two working groups.
If you feel that you have relevant knowledge and experience that can contribute positively to the
review, please express an interest in being represented.
To express interest, email registrar@repsireland.ie with your name and contact details, highlighting
which working group you would like to sit on.
All expressions of interest must be received by April 30th 2014
Final selection will be made ensuring equal and fair representation from a range of stakeholders.
Selection will also seek to give equal representation to new entrants and existing stakeholders in the
industry.
Working Group 1:
REPs Ireland Framework Review & Standards
The current REPs Ireland Framework currently recognises 4 categories of occupational standards:
Gym Instructor, Group Exercise Instructor, Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor.
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Exercise Professionals now operate in a wide range of roles that are outside of these listed
scopes of practice.
Exercise Professionals have knowledge, competency, and skill sets that are currently not
recognised by the current standards and categories available on REPs Ireland.
REPs Ireland currently adopt the EHFA standards, that were developed at a European wide level,
involving broad consultation with all stakeholders.
New EHFA standards have recently been published that recognise higher levels of knowledge,
competency and skills.
In advance of REPs Ireland adopting these new standards and categories, a review to ensure that they
are in line with the expectations of all stakeholders in Ireland needs to take place.
This will then allow the industry to understand and adopt the new categories, with support from all
stakeholders.
Consideration of similar standards and categories already in operation by other national registers, such
as the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will also inform the review.
A proposed framework that would recognise the broad roles of exercise professionals across Fitness
(Recreational & Competitive), Health (Risk reduction & health enhancing) & Sports (Injury prevention &
enhanced performance), will also be reviewed.
*Development of new standards will not be required by this working group. It is a review of existing and
proposed standards. Any new standards that would be required as a result of the review will be
performed by a separate technical expert group.
If you feel that you have relevant knowledge and experience that can contribute positively to the review,
please express an interest in being represented.
To express interest, email registrar@repsireland.ie with your name and contact details.
All expressions of interest must be received by April 30th 2014
Working Group 2:
REPs Ireland Quality Assurance Process for Primary Qualifications and CPD
The current quality assurance process that is used by REPs Ireland for both primary qualification and
CPD providers, involves the use of a 3rd party.
The audit is external & independent of all education providers in Ireland. The auditors have expertise in
the education of exercise professionals and occupational practice.
The benchmarking of providers in Ireland through this process is of great importance to ensure
consistent and appropriate entry to REPs Ireland categories.
The 3rd party conducts the audits on behalf of REPs Ireland, using best practice standards in quality
assurance and quality improvement.
To ensure that this quality assurance process is robust, and reflects the standards that the industry in
Ireland wishes exercise professionals to be provided with, a review of the current quality assurance
criteria is recommended at regular intervals.
This working group shall review the existing quality assurance criteria for education providers delivering
primary qualifications & CPD.
The review will look at the actual criteria and standards used, and also the mechanism and overall
quality assurance process adopted by REPs Ireland.
The review will be conducted within the constraints of international requirements of quality assurance,
as a result of our alignment with EHFA & ICREPs.
If you feel that you have relevant knowledge and experience that can contribute positively to the review,
please express an interest in being represented.
To express interest, email registrar@repsireland.ie with your name and contact details.
All expressions of interest must be received by April 30th 2014