1) Who is the ACCM aimed at?

It is aimed at coaches, mentors, consultants, HR professionals and others who already have some knowledge and experience of coaching and mentoring, but who want to develop their ability to provide coach-mentoring services in a wider range of contexts and at higher levels. It is especially suitable for those looking for an opportunity to study the subject in more depth and to critically consider current issues. It also provides you with an opportunity to examine the important and emerging area of coaching supervision in greater depth as well as choosing a further in depth sudy option on senior managment coaching.

2) What qualifications do I need to be considered eligible for this programme?

Normally entrants should posses the following:

• English as first language or GCSE (A-C), or O level English language, or IELTS 6.0, TOEFL at 600 or equivalent
  PLUS
• a degree or professional qualification and 4 years professional experience (or reasonable equivalent)

3) What is Blended Learning?

Blended learning is a mix of different learning methods, such as telephone, online (website), face-to-face, and distance learning.

4) Will this Certificate count towards CIPD membership?

The Certificate will not count towards membership of the CIPD but is accredited by The OCM (formerly the Oxford School of Coaching and Mentoring-OSCM)/Oxford Brookes University (OBU) at 40 CATS at Post-graduate Master’s level. It also carries the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) Quality Award kite mark at Practitioner level. You can also be assessed for entry to the Masters Programme at Oxford Brookes University.

In addition, the programme complies with the national occupational standards issued by the Employment National Training Organisation (ENTO), and with the professional code of ethics and standards developed by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). For more information on the EMCC or the EMCC Quality Awards kite mark framework, please see website www.emccouncil.org

5) What are CATS points?

The Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme, or CATS, is a system of credit transfer recognised by many higher education institutions nationwide. Participating institutions are able to measure their awards in terms of the amount of credit, or CATS points, required to pass.

6) How much is the course in 2008?

For CIPD Members: £4,670.00 + £817.25 VAT and for Non CIPD members: £5,190.00 + £908.25 VAT. Fees valid for bookings received before 31 December 2008.

7) How long does it take to complete the Certificate?

The Certificate is a 12 month programme – you will be in a learning set, with a structured timetable for the 12 months. You will have a maximum of 15 months to complete all the requirements of the certificate and to submit your submission file to The OCM / OBU for assessment of the award.

8) Is it possible to continue with the Certificate and the start date I have signed up for if I miss the Initial briefing day (start date for the Certificate)?

You will not be allowed to commence the certificate on a particular start date if you are not able to attend the initial briefing day.

9) Is it possible to defer or transfer to another certificate programme (cohort) once I have commenced the programme?

Once you have attended the initial briefing day you have deemed to have started the programme and there is no option to defer to another programme (cohort)-see CIPD Certificate booking terms and conditions.

10) How many hours will I have to study per week?

According to the study guidelines attached to the assessment framework for this programme, the Certificate is a minimum of 400 notional hours over the course of the 12 months. As such you will be expected to put aside 7 - 8.5 hours per week.

11) How is the Certificate studied?

You choose 3 learners (coachees) to coach throughout the duration of the Certificate, and also have a Faculty Coach-Mentor (similar to a tutor) assigned to you to offer them guidance and coaching support and supervision. You attend an initial briefing day where you are assigned your Faculty Coach-Mentor and begin your programme of self directed learning over the 12 months via a mix of learning methods.

12) What is self-directed learning?

Self directed learning is learning that requires you to assume personal responsibility for your learning and where you spend a considerable time learning at your own initiative. Although this programme provides a formalised structure and breakdown of what needs to be completed on a month by month basis – this is only a suggested timetable to allow you the best chance to complete all elements in the allotted timeframe for the programme. Although the Faculty Coach-Mentors will encourage you to adhere to this timeframe their role is not to continually remind you of what needs to be completed by when. You will need to essentially manage your own learning throughout the programme.

13) What must I do to gain the Certificate?

You must:

• attend a one-day briefing (based in central London) at the beginning of the programme where a personal learning plan for the programme will be agreed
• hold 6 telephone coach-mentoring sessions with your Faculty Coach Mentor each lasting for 75 minutes (you usually pay for the cost of these calls)
• work with 3 volunteer learners to practice your own coaching and mentoring expertise through five coaching sessions with each of the learners
• attend 2 further key issues and peer mentoring days (based in Central London; Key issue 1 – Coaching in the context of change, and Key issue 2 – Team coaching)
• complete 4 online self-assessment exercises – topics are:
  
  • Foundational Level Coaching and Mentoring competencies
  • Practitioner Level Coaching and Mentoring competencies
  • Values and ethics
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Revisit Practitioner Level competencies
• complete a 180-degree online benchmarking exercise from yourselves and your learners, used to evaluate your progress against required standards
• participate in 6 out of 7 internet based discussion groups (with other students). The discussion topics are as follows:
  
  • Establishing relationships
  • Coaching in the context of change
  • Psychology and neurology of learning
  • Coaching, mentoring or therapy?
  • Maximising leadership potential
  • Coaching teams
  • Optional topic chosen by students
• participate in a self-managed learning set via telephone and the Internet
• complete 6 prescribed online and knowledge reading modules – The subjects for these are:
  
  • Professional Coach and Mentor (Eric Parsloe - an online toolkit and learning resource for application throughout the programme) and The Coaching Manual (Julie Starr)
  • Peter Honey’s Internet-based learning series and Power up your Mind (Bill Lucas)
  • Coaching for Performance (John Whitmore) and Excellence in Coaching: The Indsutry guide (Jonathon Passmore)
  • Everyone needs a Mentor (David Clutterbuck) and Leadership Coaching (Graham Lee) 
  • The New Leaders (Goleman et al) and SQ: Spiritual Intelligence-The Ultimate Intelligence (Danah, Zohar and Dr Ian Marshall)
  • Supervision Module-The Supervisor's pack, Reflective Practice and Supervision for Coaches (Julie Hay)
• complete 1 additional knowledge reading module of your choice or choose the optional Senior Executive Coaching module
• complete a series of reflection notes
• complete an on-line Submission File which includes evidence for the award and reflections from coaching sessions and experiences that occurred throughout the programme.

There is NO EXAMINATION for this Certificate. The Advanced Certificate handbook, given to candidates on the initial briefing day, details all of the course work, with monthly advice on completion dates for all these components.

14) What is the suggested month to month breakdown for completion of all the elements of the Certificate?

See ‘overview of certificate’ table in study calendar section.

15) What learning models, coaching tools and techniques will be used?

Although the Certificate has been designed to be as free, holistic and open as possible, the following coaching models, tools and techniques will be covered as a minimum:

• Progress Reviews
• Reflection Notes
• Personal Learning Plans
• SMART goals
• Learning Styles Preferences
• GROW (by Whitmore, probably one of the best known coaching models in the UK – stands for Goals, Reality, Options and Will.)
• Appreciative Inquiry
• Using diagnostics
• WhereRU
• 3-D Analysis
• Practice Spiral
• Skills Framework.

16) What is the Online toolkit?

This is an online toolkit and learning resource called the Programme Support System (PSS) and is designed and developed by The OCM (formerly the Oxford School of Coaching and Mentoring-OSCM) in collaboration with CIPD training to provide you with a wealth of online learning and resources to underpin the knowledge on the Certificate programme and provides you with essential coaching and mentoring tools and techniques. In addition, the PSS hosts the online discussion forums, has the facility for you to store and track your submission file online as well as the ability to share work and exchanges directly with faculty coach-mentors. The OCM Programme Support has been set up to help, guide and support you with any difficulties you may have accessing or navigating the PSS.

17) What is 180 degree Feedback?

After you have had at least 4 sessions (coaching sessions) with your learners, the learners then feedback, via an online questionnaire, on you. The results (feedback) is then discussed between you and your faculty coach-mentor. You then complete a reflection note on your 180-degree benchmarking exercise. All reports generated from this feedback exercise will be sent to you via The OCM Programme Support.

18) How many learners do I need and do the CIPD provide the learners?

Each student works with 3 volunteer learners. All students are provided with a ‘guidelines for choosing learners’ document that will outline the requirements and general considerations for choosing learners. CIPD Training doesn’t provide the learners.

19) What should I be looking for when choosing learners?

• not recommended to choose partners, spouses, close friends or family
• helpful if at least one of your learners is a member of your staff or team
• helpful if one is someone from a different working environment
• also helpful if they are from your organisation but a different department
• they should be interested in receiving your help and support.

20) Can I take a holiday during the year long period?

The booking conditions of this course state that you cannot take a long (more than a month) holiday during the course. You can take up to 2 weeks, although you must be prepared to catch up on missed work.

21) How do I apply to study the Certificate?