Why coaching?
Coaching is a creative process, which provokes thought, inspires people to increase their personal and professional potential, focused on setting goals and achieving real results. It is a method, aiding in self-analysis and finding the answers from ourselves within ourselves. The “coach” is a “navigator”, helping us orientate and choose a direction to go in and an idea to follow for ourselves and our lives.
This is what turns coaching into a successful method for supporting personal growth, as a prevention of exclusion and aiding the career development of young people. Its concept is largely based on the realization that our own life depends on us, on our actions and vision of ourselves, and our interaction with the world. Coaching works at a base value level, thereby creating sustainable attitudes, motivation and orientation.
The “Coaching to unleash potential” project was devoted to implementing coaching methods and practices in the toolkit of youth workers from civic organizations, to increase the effectiveness of their work with youths, facing various challenges. The professional application of the method requires knowledge, practical skills and abiding ethical norms, according to the standards of the International coach federation, which was provided by engaging certified coaches in the training team.
The project not only provided a toolkit and practical guidelines for coaching, it also created the space to practice the coaching process, to build trust between the coach and the “client”, so the participants can start using the coaching approach in their youth work, to be confident and secure in what they do.
Why coaching?
Coaching is a creative process, which provokes thought, inspires people to increase their personal and professional potential, focused on setting goals and achieving real results. It is a method, aiding in self-analysis and finding the answers from ourselves within ourselves. The “coach” is a “navigator”, helping us orientate and choose a direction to go in and an idea to follow for ourselves and our lives.
This is what turns coaching into a successful method for supporting personal growth, as a prevention of exclusion and aiding the career development of young people. Its concept is largely based on the realization that our own life depends on us, on our actions and vision of ourselves, and our interaction with the world. Coaching works at a base value level, thereby creating sustainable attitudes, motivation and orientation.
The “Coaching to unleash potential” project was devoted to implementing coaching methods and practices in the toolkit of youth workers from civic organizations, to increase the effectiveness of their work with youths, facing various challenges. The professional application of the method requires knowledge, practical skills and abiding ethical norms, according to the standards of the International coach federation, which was provided by engaging certified coaches in the training team.
The project not only provided a toolkit and practical guidelines for coaching, it also created the space to practice the coaching process, to build trust between the coach and the “client”, so the participants can start using the coaching approach in their youth work, to be confident and secure in what they do.
Coaching training and practice
Within the framework of the project, from 9th to 15th of July 2018, a seven-day training course was held in the town of Dobrinishte, Bulgaria. The training team is international, including professional coaching trainers from Romania and Poland, certified by the International coaching federation.
The training was realized via an intense training program, going through the entire coaching process, marking its main moments.The participants’ communication skills were improved in sessions, focusing on active listening, understanding and extrapolating the problem (through models like SWOT, SMART and T-Grow, which are specific to the coaching practice).
Key coaching competences were actively exercised and developed, per the formulations of the International coaching federation, such as the skill to ask questions, use, ask for and provide feedback (types of feedback and effectiveness), etc.
Learning from other people’s experience and implementing non formal methods as tools for developing these competences, were the main approaches in the TC. The accent was on identifying and understanding the needs of youths from risk groups. The participants increased their awareness of and sensitivity toward youths in a NEET situation, through role playing games, a sharing forum and an educational visitation.
Knowledge, practical exercises and examples, in the context of youth employment, and discussions, aiding the participants in building an idea of the coaching process as a whole – how to start and how to finish the process adequately and consistently – were included in the training.
Coaching training and practice
Within the framework of the project, from 9th to 15th of July 2018, a seven-day training course was held in the town of Dobrinishte, Bulgaria. The training team is international, including professional coaching trainers from Romania and Poland, certified by the International coaching federation.
The training was realized via an intense training program, going through the entire coaching process, marking its main moments.The participants’ communication skills were improved in sessions, focusing on active listening, understanding and extrapolating the problem (through models like SWOT, SMART and T-Grow, which are specific to the coaching practice).
Key coaching competences were actively exercised and developed, per the formulations of the International coaching federation, such as the skill to ask questions, use, ask for and provide feedback (types of feedback and effectiveness), etc.
Learning from other people’s experience and implementing non formal methods as tools for developing these competences, were the main approaches in the TC. The accent was on identifying and understanding the needs of youths from risk groups. The participants increased their awareness of and sensitivity toward youths in a NEET situation, through role playing games, a sharing forum and an educational visitation.
Knowledge, practical exercises and examples, in the context of youth employment, and discussions, aiding the participants in building an idea of the coaching process as a whole – how to start and how to finish the process adequately and consistently – were included in the training.
Some accents from the training
A main rule, implemented at the start of the “coaching path” was “I’m fine, you’re fine”, which was complemented by “Don’t judge”, “Give constructive feedback”, “Respect yourself, the others, the environment”. After that, who the coaching specialist is and what the differences between different professions like psychotherapist, teacher and mentor are, was clarified.
One of the most impactful and valuable moments in the training was the coaching demonstration, giving a real example of what a coaching session looks like. The process was structured in the GROW-model (goal, reality, options, will). A context of the demo was presented: a young person in a NEET situation, who needs to find his way in life. The trainers acted the situation out for the participants, some of whom had never seen a coaching session and only then realized how the process occurs, what the coach’s behavior should be like, how it should be structured, etc.
The training placed an accent on practicing an important skill – asking appropriate questions. The trainers presented the different types of questions, gave guidance on formulating them, consistency and logic of asking questions in a way that makes them most effective for the process.
The practical part occurred through different roles the participants played – a coach, a person, undergoing coaching, and an observer.
The “Disney” method was presented. In it, the participants review their dreams through three perspectives – the dreamer, the critic and the realist. They learned to use it in situations, wherein people feel blocked and certain barriers hinder their thinking.
An important part of the coaching training was determining the main values. Every coach should have strong values, connected to his practice, such as: dignity, respect, the will to help others, justice, benevolence, ethics, etc. The participants received scenarios, taken from coaching practice, which tested how they would react to challenges in their relationships with the people they coach. This brought up a number of questions, regarding ethics.
A good coach is a rational and positive person, who knows how to react in any situation, therefore a session regarding empowering and limiting beliefs was held. For the purposes of this session, we presented the gremlin metaphor – it presents all kinds of internal dialogues, which stop us from taking action and achieving our goals.
Tre training provided space for exchanging experience, methods, practices, etc., between the participants, which enriched the content of the program.
The team of VIA CIVIC Association, coordinator of the “Coaching to unleash potential” project, Contract 2016-1-BG01-KA105-023097, bears full responsibility for the information, published on the organization’s webpage.
Some accents from the training
A main rule, implemented at the start of the “coaching path” was “I’m fine, you’re fine”, which was complemented by “Don’t judge”, “Give constructive feedback”, “Respect yourself, the others, the environment”. After that, who the coaching specialist is and what the differences between different professions like psychotherapist, teacher and mentor are, was clarified.
One of the most impactful and valuable moments in the training was the coaching demonstration, giving a real example of what a coaching session looks like. The process was structured in the GROW-model (goal, reality, options, will). A context of the demo was presented: a young person in a NEET situation, who needs to find his way in life. The trainers acted the situation out for the participants, some of whom had never seen a coaching session and only then realized how the process occurs, what the coach’s behavior should be like, how it should be structured, etc.
The training placed an accent on practicing an important skill – asking appropriate questions. The trainers presented the different types of questions, gave guidance on formulating them, consistency and logic of asking questions in a way that makes them most effective for the process.
The practical part occurred through different roles the participants played – a coach, a person, undergoing coaching, and an observer.
The “Disney” method was presented. In it, the participants review their dreams through three perspectives – the dreamer, the critic and the realist. They learned to use it in situations, wherein people feel blocked and certain barriers hinder their thinking.
An important part of the coaching training was determining the main values. Every coach should have strong values, connected to his practice, such as: dignity, respect, the will to help others, justice, benevolence, ethics, etc. The participants received scenarios, taken from coaching practice, which tested how they would react to challenges in their relationships with the people they coach. This brought up a number of questions, regarding ethics.
A good coach is a rational and positive person, who knows how to react in any situation, therefore a session regarding empowering and limiting beliefs was held. For the purposes of this session, we presented the gremlin metaphor – it presents all kinds of internal dialogues, which stop us from taking action and achieving our goals.
Tre training provided space for exchanging experience, methods, practices, etc., between the participants, which enriched the content of the program.
The team of VIA CIVIC Association, coordinator of the “Coaching to unleash potential” project, Contract 2016-1-BG01-KA105-023097, bears full responsibility for the information, published on the organization’s webpage.
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