Leading UK authorities on coaching and mentoring to hold open workshop on professional standards and ethics

Recent research indicates that over 80% of UK companies use external coaches. Positive pressures from clients and providers alike are encouraging the fast growing profession of coaching and mentoring to adopt a common set of professional standards. In a self regulated market, such standards and ethics would ensure consistent quality in service delivery service and avoid cases of misrepresentation and malpractice. Coach training programmes are proliferating and placing an increasing number of coaches in the market with qualifications ranging from a 2 day workshop to an MA/MSc in coaching and mentoring.
A highly interactive workshop will be led by Professor David Lane, Chief Executive, Professional Development Foundation. The speakers, experts actively involved in the development of the profession, will include:
Peter Bluckert, Chairman of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council Standards Special Interest Group;
Gladena MacMahon, Vice-President, Association for Coaching and Co-Director, Centre for Coaching;

Mike Hurley, Development Director, College of Executive Coaching and UK College of Life Coaching; and

Sarah Newton, secretary of the UK International Coach Federation (ICF) and member of the International ICF Ethics committee.

Pauline Willis, co-founder of the Coaching and Mentoring Network, describes the workshop as an important step for the profession: 'Representatives from leading bodies in the coaching and mentoring field have come together to work collaboratively towards setting standards for coaching and mentoring practitioners. This is an extremely positive step in what has, historically, been a very fragmented professional community. I encourage corporate HR, academic institutions and practitioners to join this inclusive effort and support the development of standards for the professional practice of coaching and mentoring'.
The workshop will take place at The Oxford Hotel, Wolvercote Roundabout, Oxford on 2 July. Registration, which includes a fee of £75, commences at 13:00. For registration, please contact [email protected].

The 5th Conference on Practical Perspectives of Coaching and Mentoring sponsored by the Oxford School of Coaching and Mentoring will begin proceedings after the workshop at the same venue.