To be awarded the certificate, students must:
- attend a 1 day briefing session at the beginning of this seven month programme where a personal learning plan will be agreed
- hold five telephone coach-mentoring sessions with your coach-mentor, each lasting 75 minutes
- work with two learners to practise and develop your own coach-mentoring expertise through five coaching sessions
- attend a key issues and peer mentoring day
- submit a 180-degree online benchmarking exercise from yourselves and your learners, used to evaluate your progress against required standards
- participate in five out of six internet-based discussion groups
- complete four online self-asssessment exercises
- complete five prescribed online and knowledge reading modules
- 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 mixture of face-to-face, distance and online coaching methods. The flexible structure means you can apply theory to practice at a time and pace that suits you.
Peer group sessions
- an initial briefing day prepares you for the whole programme
- half way through the programme a key issues and peer mentoring day explores ideas and issues arising from the practical learning experiences.
Monthly coaching sessions
- you hold five 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 candidate for the duration of the programme.
Feedback
After the fourth coach-mentoring session, students and 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 five prescribed online and knowledge reading modules – information covering current best practise and theory in coaching and mentoring.
Discussion groups
You are required to participate in five out of six 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 also included in the programme.
Presenting evidence for the award
Assessment for the Certificate via a Submission File which includes records, references and logos 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 the 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 including a briefing and orientation day at the beginning of the programme and a 'key issues and peer mentoring' day after three months to share ideas and experiences, whilst focusing on specific coaching skills and knowledge issues.