The International Association of ESD Professionals was formed, in part, to promote a common, well-recognized, global standard of what constitutes professionalism and competence for ESD instructors, curricula development specialists, researchers, advocates, and other ESD Professionals. We believe that the Association credential (ESDP) will achieve this.

Through our credentialing program and many other features, the Association hopes to show the world the value of ESD and make it more broadly appreciated as a legitimate and effective way to combat and dramatically reduce interpersonal violence through empowerment. The Association aims to educate members of the public about empowerment self-defense.

One of the reasons we established the Association was to provide an objective, standardized measure of competency. We believe this will build trust between the profession and the general public. Policymakers, future ESD students, and institutions (such as schools, universities, NGOs, governments, and corporations) considering sponsoring ESD trainings will see that the ESD professional has been tested by an independent body (independent because the Association has no stake in the outcome of any one credential exam—exam results do not reflect on the Association’s ESD instruction because the Association does not teach ESD). In this way, neither policymakers nor the general public need to sort out which certificate indicates competence in ESD – they can simply look to a universal credential.

In addition, the existence of the Association and its credentialing program and code of ethics will give politicians the cover they need to make important changes in law, policy, and funding affecting ESD specifically, not just violence-prevention generally. Similarly, it will give institutions the cover they need to justify sponsoring ESD courses. Credentialing will protect the reputation of ESD and the reputations of ESD instructors and organizations by issuing credentials only to those who understand and practice the principles of ESD.

The Credentialing Program was developed through research, consultation, and engagement with the global ESD community following best practices. The Association has established an international standard that crosses borders, aligns with a diversity of cultures, and will effectively serve organizations of all types and sizes. Achieving the recognized ESDP credential from the Association signals that a candidate’s practice is in alignment with the principles of ESD and that they have demonstrated professional competence, a strong commitment to violence prevention and social change, and high standards of ethical practice.