Skills Survey for the Midlands Parks Forum

Client: The Midlands Parks Forum

Formed in 2019, the Midlands Parks Forum (MPF) is a charitable organisation which supports green space professionals by facilitating skills sharing through conferences, workshops and educational forums. CFP has been working with the MPF since 2014, when it was the West Midlands Parks Forum, and supported the development of the region-wide MPF. In 2022, CFP was asked to devise a survey to ascertain the current levels of understanding among MPF members and help inform future learning priorities.

Through our commission we:

Collaborated with the Partnership Manager to develop an MPF Skills and Competencies Framework based on the Landscape Institute and APSE Competency Frameworks
Devised a survey for MPF members, taking them through the framework and asking them to score their level of understanding for each skill
Conducted analysis of the responses to identify gaps in the current understanding and skills among members and where members would like to improve their skills the most
Identified trends in the data to inform areas where future training and skills-sharing events should focus

The skills survey work enabled MPF to not only plan its own learning opportunities but also to set out the case for investment from national and regional funding bodies and central government in its skills and training forward programme.

Client Testimonial:

“Through your expert knowledge and understanding of green space, you have helped Midlands Parks Forum to develop our business plan; to build a picture of Midlands green spaces, and understand how we can best support our members through identifying the skills and knowledge required for a 21st Century Parks Manager. With resources in the Parks sector so limited, your support has been invaluable.”

Alison Bate, Partnership Manager, Midlands Parks Forum

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