To be awarded the Advanced Certificate, you must:

• attend a 1-day briefing session at the beginning of this 12 month programme where a personal learning plan will be agreed
• hold six telephone coach-mentoring sessions with your coach-mentor, each lasting 75 minutes
• hold five coach-mentoring sessions with three learners to practise and develop your own coach-mentoring expertise
• attend two further 1-day key issues and peer mentoring days
• submit a 180-degree online benchmarking exercise from yourselves and your learners, used to evaluate your progress against required standards
• participate in six out of seven Internet-based discussion groups
• participate in a self managed learning set via telephone and the internet
• complete four online self-assessment exercises
• complete six prescribed  online and knowlege reading modules, and one additional knowlege reading module of your choice
• complete a series of reflection notes
• complete an online Submission File which includes evidence for the award and reflections from coaching sessions and experiences that occurred throughout the programme

This practical programme is designed to give you a thorough understanding of all aspects of coaching and mentoring, using a blend of face-to-face, distance and online coaching methods. This flexible structure means you can apply theory to practice at a time and pace that suits you.

Peer Group Sessions

• a 1-day initial briefing prepares you for the whole programme
• in month three and month seven of the programme, you will attend a key issues and peer mentoring day exploring the topics of 'coaching in the context of change' and 'team coaching' as well as ideas and issues arising from the practical learning experiences

Monthly Coaching Sessions

• you hold six telephone coach-mentoring sessions with your faculty coach-mentor, each lasting 1.25 hours
• you also work with two learners to practise and develop your own coach-mentoring expertise. Learners are volunteers who have agreed to work with the you for the duration of the programme.

Feedback

After the fourth coach-mentoring session, you and your learners complete a 180-degree benchmarking exercise, producing quantitative evidence used to evaluate your progress in meeting standards required for the award.

Knowledge evidence

you complete seven online and knowledge reading modules – information covering current best practice and theory in coaching and mentoring.

Discussion groups

You are required to participate in six out of seven internet based discussion groups.

Self-assessment tools

Self-assessment is integral to raising awareness of your own performance and development and the Peter Honey Internet-based Learning Series, as well as self-assessment exercises using national occupational and professional standards are included in the programme.

Presenting evidence for the award

Assesment for the Certificate via a Submission File which includes records, references and logs from coaching sessions and experiences that occurred throughout the programme. After your final coach-mentoring session with your personal faculty coach-mentor you are required to submit your file containing evidence for the award for assessment.

What support will I get?

A key feature of the programme is the high level of personal support you receive throughout from your own coach-mentor and peers. You have regular individual telephone sessions with your faculty coach-mentor and use e-mail to support the process between sessions.  There are also two days of face-to-face contact for the whole 'learning set' and faculty coach-mentors, which comprises a briefing and orientation day at the beginning of the programme and a further two 1-day 'key issues and peer mentoring' days in months three and seven to share and explore ideas and experiences, whilst focusing on specifc coaching skills and knowlege issues.