I wondered if anyone else out there who has trained through an accredited Association of Reflexologists Centre is as dissapointed as I am that the AoR have effectively "Dumped" all their carefully controlled and high quality accredited training providers.
Their reason is to do with Government funding?? I think it is more to do with the swelling of their coffers by inviting huge numers of reflexologists with much less training than these magnificent centres of excellence provide to have the letters "MAR" after their name.
I run a delightfully busy, thoroughly successful practice so these changes do not really affect me directly.
However, I feel so sorry for three groups of people:
1) those dedicated individuals who are making sure that they get decent quality training to differentiate themselves from the "pamper" type of reflexology.
2) the general public who looked to the AoR as a measure of excellent standards, which they have chosen to drop
3) the trainers within the accredited centres who have dedicated their lives to providing training second to none!
It is not a big surprise to me that the AoR has closed its Member pages at the present thereby preventing an open debate on the matter.
Maybe its just me. Let me know your thoughts.
Hi Jenny
I was an AoR member for many years, but I don't do that much reflex anymore so didn't bother renewing 12 months ago.
I have looked at the latest news of the AoR site http://www.aor.org.uk/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=47&cntnt01returnid=22 and I don't think it's their problem. There is many changes to qualifications and there is going to be a greater level of standardisation throughout. It's just life. I may increase the average standard of the reflexology graduate and this is for everyones benefit.
Whenever I hear the term "centre of excellence" I reach for the sick bucket. Courses are only as good as the tutor who teaches it, and the student who studies hard. For example I training with a AoR accredited centre, a colleague training with a ITEC accredited centre with the same tutor and learned the same stuff. A former student of the same AoR accredited centre teaches at a VTCT accredited centre and uses the same techniques. But one thing I will say I have noticed how a lot of VTCT reflexology graduates I have met over the years seem to be very vague about the subject and lack confidence unless they take their studies further. So upping the overall standard in reflexology has got to be a good thing.
As for AoR "swelling of their coffers", I couldn't possibly say not being a member. When I was a member I wasn't too happy at the commerical direction they heading in.
Best Wishes
RP
Hi Jenny
It is a shame that the AoR isn't accrediting centres anymore - but it wasn't the AoR's decision - and they haven't "dumped" the schools.
The AoR ceased to be a training organisation years ago, but still accredited schools - it seems to me that Skills for Health (a government organisation) has forced the AoR to cease accrediting schools, being as it wasn't responsible for training anymore.
The new training standards coming out in 2011 are going to be quite an upheaval, as the standards are going to be massively increased – training going from 100 contact hours to 360 guided learning hours…. And this is for ALL the awarding bodies – ITEC, City & Guilds and ABC Awards. Even VTCT is having to up it’s level of training to comply with new minimum standards in Reflexology training. This is a good thing!
How do I know this? It’s because I run one of the training schools, soon not to be AoR accredited.
Just one other thing – the website is a huge problem for the AoR at the moment – I know that Carolyn Storey is ‘spitting feathers’ about the company that is upgrading the members area – and is well aware of the rumors that the website has been ‘taken down’. Unfortunately, it’s all an unfortunate co-incidence – even if it does look like a great conspiracy theory.
The new training standards coming out in 2011 are going to be quite an upheaval, as the standards are going to be massively increased – training going from 100 contact hours to 360 guided learning hours…. And this is for ALL the awarding bodies – ITEC, City & Guilds and ABC Awards. Even VTCT is having to up it’s level of training to comply with new minimum standards in Reflexology training. This is a good thing!
Sorry for hijacking your thread with a question. Do you know if this will apply to other modalities... or just Reflexology? If your 'training school' teaches other modalities then you might know if the standards are changing for those, as well as for Reflexology?
Ava x
i totally agree with reki pixie it depends on your tudor and how committed you are as a student to the quality of your work. unfortunatley not everyone can afford some of the prices of courses or timings arent right but they feel passinote about the subject and will go out there way to learn as much as they can.
Ps can i ask what does MAR stand for
x