Accreditation
Only Professional Bodies should be awarding ‘accreditations’, which defines the competence of the coach by understanding their qualifications (as issued by a training company) as well as their experience.
Accreditation Versus Certification
- Certification is verification related to products, processes, systems or persons
- Accreditation is verification related to demonstration of competence to carry out specific tasks
Assessing Capability not Competency
As a professional accreditation body, the IAPC&M have adopted a capability approach to accreditation. This is a more effective method of accrediting what is often a complex system.
This is different from the customary competency method and provides a more accurate process for determining success factors. In essence it answers the key question: can you deliver what you say you can deliver?
Everyone who is awarded accreditation with the IAPC&M can be confident that they have demonstrated, through a holistic and comprehensive process, that they meet our exacting standards of excellence.
Our Capability Assessment Model
Our capability assessment model is adapted from the Oxford Brookes model for assessment of coaching capabilities and used with their permission and guidance. The International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies exists to expand the knowledge base of coaching and mentoring by promoting cutting-edge research and teaching.
The inner-four circles represent the core of the capability assessment process. They are inter-connected as they rely on one another for sustained development and growth as a coach, mentor or training provider. Each one is important to the other, though greater weight is given to skills and behaviours in the assessment process.
By focusing on these areas, we provide a much more expansive assessment process to enable you to demonstrate your true capability.
Uniqueness Not Sameness
What differentiates you from a non-accredited coach, mentor or training provider is not just being accredited, though that is a critical component. It is about being capable and being able to sustain and grow your level of capability.
Our capability assessment model recognises that you are unique. It enables you to comprehensively demonstrate your ability through a tried and tested model that evaluates meaning and explores your tacit knowledge as well as how you apply this in action.
Our model recognises you, all the internal factors that you bring, and how you apply these within recognised complex situations. There is also an appreciation of diversity and discovery of how you see yourself and your ongoing development.
Simply put, this is a much more effective method of demonstrating what you are capable of. Your clients deserve the very highest level of capability from you. This is how you demonstrate it, by becoming IAPC&M accredited.
The Capability Assessment Process
Everyone who applies for accreditation will be assessed on several criteria. This is designed to ensure consistency of standards. Criteria vary depending upon whether you have been trained through one of our accredited training providers or not, and according to which level of accreditation you are applying for.
In all cases, the accreditation process falls into three areas:
- Qualifying criteria – what you need to have to apply for accreditation
- Evidence collection – what you need to provide to show underlying capability
- Assessment – what you need to do to demonstrate capability
Through a capability-based interview, live assessments, personal reflections and validation of evidence, our model effectively appraises your capability, for whichever level of accreditation you have applied for.
It is this effective approach at determining your level of professional capability that makes this process such a meaningful industry benchmark. It is also much more important to the clients that you work with because it gives them confidence that they are in safe and capable hands.
Verification Process
Accreditation is valid for three years provided your annual renewal fee is maintained.
Every three years all our accredited coaches, mentors and training providers complete our verification process to ensure that they continue to uphold the standards required by the IAPC&M (International Authority for Professional Coaching and Mentoring).
Full Support
We recognise that any accreditation process can be daunting for even the most seasoned of professionals. However, our accreditation team have already been through the process, so they are best placed to provide you with the necessary guidance and support. Because they know what it is like they have also created a series of short videos to help you.
Many practitioners have said that the process provided them with a great opportunity to test themselves.
The experience also enabled them to demonstrate their professionalism as well as generate significant experiential learning.