Episodios

  • Past Proofs, Present Impact
    Aug 8 2025

    Episode Description:


    In this episode of Accreditation Made Easy, we explore the hidden value in looking back at your agency’s accreditation history. From archived assessments to the history tab of a standard, to comparing manuals without waiting for that “new version available” button—these tools can give you powerful insight into your agency’s journey toward compliance. Whether you’re brand new to accreditation or a seasoned assessor, these features can help you save time, build consistency, and deepen your understanding of the standards.


    Timestamps:


    00:00 – Introduction & why history matters in accreditation

    00:40 – Archived assessments: what they are and how to access them

    02:10 – Why toggling between active and archived assessments is so valuable

    02:45 – History of a standard: how it works and why it’s useful

    04:10 – Examples of when to use the history tab

    04:45 – Compare manuals feature: how to view and compare any version

    05:55 – Why looking back can improve your current compliance

    06:25 – Companion documents overview & closing thoughts


    Companion Documents:


    • Archived Assessments
    • History of Each Standard
    • Compare Manuals Feature

    Connect with Areaka

    🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    💼 LinkedIn

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram
    🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?

    Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague

    Más Menos
    8 m
  • What I Wish I Had When I Started Accreditation
    Jul 29 2025

    Episode Description:


    In this episode of the Accreditation Made Easy podcast, Areaka Jewell walks listeners through the major updates to the Accreditation Academy Content Hub. From a new improved folder organization to training videos, templates, and the ever-expanding proof bank, she details how the Hub has evolved into a powerful, practical tool for accreditation professionals at any stage. Whether you're brand new or in your fifth cycle, this episode is packed with updates and guidance on how to get the most from the Hub—plus a reminder to share the free version with others in your network.


    Timestamps


    00:00 – Introduction and purpose of the episode

    00:45 – Background: Why the Hub was created

    01:18 – Helpful Tips folder now organized into six subfolders

    02:24 – Value of organization and how it helps

    03:15 – Addressing the two most common questions

    04:15 – Expanded templates and forms section

    04:47 – Proof bank growth and how to use it

    06:00 – Accreditation Manager training course overview

    07:45 – Podcast episodes now embedded in the Hub

    08:03 – Try the full version of the Hub free for 30 days

    08:57 – Encouraging listeners to share the free version

    09:22 – Final thoughts and subscription reminder


    Companion Content

    Referral Post – Pay It Forward

    Connect with Areaka

    🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    💼 LinkedIn

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram
    🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?

    Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague

    Más Menos
    11 m
  • Built to Last: Accreditation Leadership with Areaka Jewell
    Jul 22 2025
    Episode Description:In this special crossover episode of Accreditation Made Easy, host Areaka Jewell shares her recent appearance on the Beyond the Checklist podcast by the National Association for Accreditation Leadership. From her start in Key West PD to founding the Accreditation Academy, Areaka talks with Kevin Rhea about real-life experiences that shape successful accreditation. Learn how to build sustainable systems, train your team, and create momentum that lasts.🕐 Timestamps & Topics Covered:01:43 – Welcome and guest intro02:30 – Areaka shares how she fell into accreditation and turned it into a calling04:29 – The value of strong policies and sustainable systems05:28 – Gaining buy-in from command staff despite rank differences06:38 – Common challenges faced by accreditation managers08:08 – Moving beyond checkbox compliance09:54 – Getting support from leadership11:45 – Keeping policies current and realistic15:19 – What a high-functioning accredited agency feels like on-site17:54 – Real-world red flags from assessments20:34 – The importance of professional certifications in accreditation21:56 – Making accreditation a formal leadership track23:34 – The future of accreditation in public safety25:15 – Advice for new accreditation professionals27:11 – Resources to build confidence and community29:30 – Lightning Round:Favorite assessment site?Most underrated standard?Report writing marathon song?Coffee or energy drink?33:45 – Closing thoughts: It's not about the checklist—it's about the peopleFree Download: Accreditation Manager Starter Kit🔗 Connect with Areaka🌐Website🙋‍♀️Digital Business Card💼 LinkedIn📘 Facebook📸 Instagram🔗 Connect with Kevin💼 LinkedIn🌐National Association for Accreditation Leadership (NAAL)🎧Beyond the Checklist podcastConnect with Areaka🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card🌐 Website💼 LinkedIn📘 Facebook📸 Instagram🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague
    Más Menos
    36 m
  • Power Move: Switch Roles, Don’t Delete Proof
    Jul 15 2025

    Episode Description:


    In this episode of the Accreditation Made Easy podcast, Areaka Jewell explains how changing roles in PowerDMS assessments can save time, reduce frustration, and preserve your work—especially when feedback from mock assessors and formal assessors conflicts. This practical technique ensures no work is wasted and offers flexibility for shifting interpretations. Areaka walks you through exactly how to set up a team member role, change attachment visibility, and return to previous versions of a file with ease.


    📌Timestamps:

    0:43 – The real question: What do you do when one assessor says "too much" and another says "not enough"?

    1:10 – Don't delete anything—just change the role. Here's why.

    1:40 – Meet your new favorite tip: Changing attachments to a role like Team Member to temporarily hide them.

    2:30 – Step-by-step walkthrough on how to create the Team Member role and update attachment visibility.

    4:15 – Real-life story: A recent assessment where this saved an entire file from being deleted due to a “Not Applicable” recommendation.

    5:15 – Final tip: Always preserve your work. You can always bring it back later.

    5:45 – Free download link and encouragement to share this with a fellow Accreditation Manager.


    📥 Free Download: Access Here
    🔗 Connect with Areaka
    • 🌐 Digital Business Card
    • 💼 LinkedIn
    • 📘 Facebook
    • 📸 Instagram

    Connect with Areaka

    🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    💼 LinkedIn

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram
    🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?

    Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague

    Más Menos
    5 m
  • Think Like Assessors: The Consistency Playbook
    Jul 8 2025
    Episode Description:


    In this episode of the Accreditation Made Easy podcast, Areaka Jewell discusses the importance of building accreditation files from the perspective of assessors. She shares practical habits and strategies to enhance the efficiency of the review process, emphasizing consistency, clarity, and organization in documentation. Areaka provides insights on how to label documents, arrange attachments, and provide context to facilitate a smoother assessment experience. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to adopt these habits to improve their accreditation processes.


    📌 Timestamps:
    • (0:43) Why thinking like an assessor accelerates every review
    • (1:40) Rhythm breakers: inconsistent labels & formats
    • (2:55) Consistency = Speed— why one clear label style matters
    • (3:40) Use comparable proofs across Years 1‑3
    • (4:30) Follow the standard’s sequence for attachments & highlights
    • (5:25) Limit clicks: combine PDFs and keep highlight labels brief
    • (6:10) Capture requirements in the standard statement, not just the bullets
    • (6:55) Readability check—no zooming required
    • (7:40) Hyperlink vs. upload: how to decide without slowing assessors
    • (8:20) Provide context notes when an attachment isn’t obvious
    • (8:55) Document N/A, waiver, exemption—keep assessors in the Attachments tab
    • (9:35) Point assessors to interviews & observables (who, where)
    • (10:15) Create an “Assessors” user group to avoid inbox clutter
    • (11:05) Consistency above all—note any necessary deviations
    • (11:50) Free checklist link & call to action

    📥 Companion Guide Download

    Get the one‑page checklist of all 12 habits—ready to print or share.

    Companion Guide Download


    Stay Connected with Areaka
    • Digital Business Card
    • Accreditation Academy Website
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn

    Connect with Areaka

    🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    💼 LinkedIn

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram
    🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?

    Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague

    Más Menos
    14 m
  • PowerDMS Analytics: 3 Steps to Cleaner, Easier Proofs
    Jul 1 2025
    Episode Description:If you’ve ever opened an Analytics report in PowerDMS and thought, “This doesn’t look assessor-ready,” you’re not alone. In this episode, Areaka walks you through three simple but powerful steps to make your reports clean, clear, and proof-ready. From how to filter and print them correctly to the secret sauce—scheduling reports just to save your filters and formatting—this is one of those small changes that makes a big difference. Whether you're prepping signature summaries, training logs, or review records, this episode will help you save time and show consistency across your assessment.📌 Timestamps:0:43 – Welcome back! A quick but impactful episode about how to make Analytics reports assessment-ready.1:22 – The challenge: Analytics reports often don’t look clean enough to use as proofs.2:00 – Step 1: Run and filter your report. Pick the right data, apply your filters, then refresh.2:40 – Step 2: Print to PDF using HTML and the browser’s print feature for clean formatting.4:12 – Why Microsoft Print to PDF creates better results than screenshots or downloads.5:15 – Step 3: The secret sauce—schedule your report (even if you don’t want it emailed).5:55 – Walkthrough: How to access Schedule Delivery and save your settings for reuse.6:50 – Tip: Select “Specific Months” and give your report a smart name to stay organized.7:32 – Consistency is key! Scheduling saves your filters so you’re not starting over each time.8:10 – Download your free Companion Guide for the step-by-step visuals.8:25 – Thanks for listening and don’t forget to share, subscribe, and leave a review.📥 Free Resource:Download your Companion Guide with a full feature breakdown: 👉 Download the Companion Guide🔗 Stay Connected:📇 Digital Business Card🌐 Website📘 Facebook📸 Instagram💼 LinkedIn⭐️ If this episode helped you:Please take a moment to rate, review, and follow Accreditation Made Easy wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback helps others discover helpful content and keeps this community growing strong. See you next time!Connect with Areaka🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card🌐 Website💼 LinkedIn📘 Facebook📸 Instagram🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague
    Más Menos
    8 m
  • Mentorship in Accreditation: You Don’t Need to Go It Alone
    Jun 17 2025

    Episode Description:

    In this episode of Accreditation Made Easy, Areaka Jewell dives into a powerful mindset shift around mentorship. We often imagine mentors as seasoned professionals offering long-term advice—but that’s only part of the story. Areaka explores how mentors can come from unexpected places, including peers, younger professionals, and even people you’ve never met.

    Whether you’re new to accreditation or navigating a new phase in the process, this episode will inspire you to build a stronger, more diverse support system. You’ll also hear why “more guidance means more growth” and how to take the first step—even if you’re not sure where to begin.


    Timestamps:

    00:45 – Reflecting on how many of us had different mentors growing up: teachers, coaches, counselors

    01:20 – Why we need more tailored support as adults, especially in accreditation roles

    02:00 – Broadening the definition of mentorship beyond the traditional view

    03:00 – Real-world example: how different people can help with policy writing, on-site prep, or tech tasks

    04:30 – Mentors don’t have to be older or long-term—what short-term, situational guidance looks like

    05:40 – Why even informal mentorship matters, and how others become invested in your success

    06:25 – Learning from people you’ve never met: social media, conferences, books, and blogs

    07:30 – Questions to ask yourself about where you need support and who might guide you

    08:10 – Encouragement to keep asking, observing, and learning as you build your mentor network

    08:45 – Areaka shares an idea for a mentorship resource she’s building for listeners


    Download today's discussion: https://public.powerdms.com/theacademy/documents/2337383


    🔗 Stay Connected:

    📇 Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram

    💼 LinkedIn


    ⭐️ If this episode helped you:

    Please take a moment to rate, review, and follow Accreditation Made Easy wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback helps others discover helpful content and keeps this community growing strong. See you next time!

    Connect with Areaka

    🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    💼 LinkedIn

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram
    🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?

    Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague

    Más Menos
    7 m
  • Top Tool Every Accreditation Manager Should Use
    Jun 10 2025

    📌 Episode Description:


    In this short but powerful episode, Areaka walks you through why Adobe Acrobat Pro isn’t just a luxury—it’s a must-have tool for anyone managing accreditation. From merging multi-year proofs to converting forms and policies, Acrobat Pro gives you the power to edit, bundle, and manage PDFs like a pro (literally). This isn’t just theory—these are tools Areaka uses every single day.


    Timestamps:

    0:44 – Areaka opens the episode with excitement about one of her favorite accreditation tools: Adobe Acrobat Pro.

    1:10 – Overview of Acrobat Reader vs. Acrobat Pro.

    1:35 – Edit PDF Tools: Add or revise text, insert images, create internal/external links, and more.

    2:00 – Prepare Forms Tools: Build fillable forms with digital signature options—something Reader doesn’t offer.

    2:30 – Organize Pages Tools: Rearrange pages, insert files, or split documents with ease.

    2:50 – Create PDF Tool: Turn Word, Excel, PowerPoint, web pages, and scanned images into PDFs.

    3:10 – Export PDF Tool: Convert PDFs back into editable formats like Word or Excel—perfect for updating shared resources.

    3:40 – Real-world accreditation examples: combining multi-year proofs, editing other agencies’ forms, and building pre-read packets with hyperlinks.

    5:50 – Final encouragement: Acrobat Pro is a powerful way to streamline and simplify accreditation tasks.


    📥 Free Resource:

    Download your Companion Guide with a full feature breakdown: 👉 Download the Companion Guide


    🔗 Stay Connected:

    📇 Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram

    💼 LinkedIn


    ⭐️ If this episode helped you:

    Please take a moment to rate, review, and follow Accreditation Made Easy wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback helps others discover helpful content and keeps this community growing strong. See you next time!

    Connect with Areaka

    🙋‍♀️ Digital Business Card

    🌐 Website

    💼 LinkedIn

    📘 Facebook

    📸 Instagram
    🎧 Want to Be a Guest on the Show?

    Know someone doing great things in the accreditation world—or want to share your own insights? We’re always looking for experienced Accreditation Managers, assessors, and change-makers to join us on the podcast. Sign up to be a guest or share with a colleague

    Más Menos
    7 m