Applications are now open for our next cohorts of the ILM Level 5 Certificate in Effective Coaching and Mentoring!
Do you like helping others navigate through difficult situations? Do you enjoy listening to others? Are you passionate about developing yourself and others? Apply now to become a certified coach! Watch this video to learn more about how coaching can benefit you and others.
Following the overwhelming interest and success of our first two cohorts, we are pleased to announce that we will now be launching two further cohorts of the ILM 5 Certificate in Effective Coaching and Mentoring. Please indicate on your application form which of the two cohorts you would like to be considered for.
This programme is open to anyone who works in Health and Care across West Yorkshire, including local councils, VCSEs, Hospices, clinical and non-clinical staff. We have a limited number of spaces for this programme, which will be split between the different places and sectors which form our partnership.
The attached information pack outlines further details of the programme, including the commitment that is required for the programme. Please read this carefully before applying.
For further information about the programme:
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the coaching programme, you are invited to attend our lunchtime Q&A drop-in session on Tuesday 21st February, from 12.30-1.00pm via MS Teams. Please use this link to join the meeting, which will also be recorded for those that are unable to attend.
Due to the volume of interest we are receiving for this programme, it may not be possible to answer all queries that are emailed to our inbox. We have therefore attached a FAQs document to the end of this application pack to answer any queries.
Key dates:
Applications Open: 1st February 2023
Q&A Drop-In Session: 21st February 2023
Applications Close: 17th March 2023
Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application by 31st March
ILM 5 Certificate in Effective Coaching and Mentoring
What is ILM Level 5?
ILM Level 5 is the qualification in coaching from the Institute of Leadership and Management. This is an internationally recognised qualification which people can take with them from one workplace to another.
What is coaching?
Being coached is spending time talking with someone else about you, your challenges and goals in life. By discussing them with someone who is “on your side” you gain a much greater understanding of yourself, where you want to be and how you can start getting there. The coach acts as a “critical friend” who challenges your ideas and assumptions in a way which is friendly but firm.
What is mentoring?
A mentor is someone who has been in a similar situation as yourself (such as someone who has done a job that you’re new to for a long time), and is happy to share their experience of how they managed it so that you have some tips. You could say that a mentor is someone who “shows you the ropes”. There is no Trust wide Mentoring scheme although some departments do have a mentoring system in place and some individuals are offered mentoring on an ad-hoc basis.
Benefits for individuals
- Get a critical understanding of the role and responsibilities of the workplace coach and mentor
- Deepen your understanding of how coaching and mentoring can impact an organisation
- Be able to assess your own skills, behaviours and knowledge as a coach and mentor
- Provide evidence of your own development as a coach and mentor through the qualification
- Plan your further development
- Plan, deliver and review coaching and mentoring in your organisation
What commitment is required of me for the coaching programme?
There are three mandatory units in each qualification. ‘Understanding the skills, principles and practice of effective management coaching and mentoring’ aims to enable learners to understand the role and contribution of coaching and mentoring, and build a business case. ‘Reviewing own ability as a management coach or mentor’ aims to give learners the ability to critically review their own personal qualities, skills and competence.
You will be required to complete 12 hours of coaching and complete 3 assignments. You will receive support through tutorials to help you with your assignments and to find a coachee. You will be required to commit to coaching 2 coachees per year, from across the health and care partnership. You will also need to sign up for Virtual Coaching Platform; more details on this will follow.
Provisional Course Dates
April 2023 Cohort Dates
| Getting Started | Monday 5th April 10:00 -13:00 |
| Workshop 1 | Wednesday 10th May 13:30 – 16:30 |
| Workshop 2 | Thursday 8th June 13:30 – 16:30 |
| Workshop 3 | Thursday 6th July 10:00 – 13:00 |
| UNIT ONE ASSIGNMENT DEADLINE | Friday 14th July 2023 |
| Workshop 4 | Tuesday 8th August 14:00 – 17:00 |
| Group Supervision | Thursday 12th October 14:30 – 15:30 |
| 1:1 Supervision Meetings | Thursday 7th December 10:00 – 11:00 |
| UNIT 2 PORTFOLIO DEADLINE | Wednesday 3rd January 2024 |
| Workshop 5 | Wednesday 21st February 2024 14:00 – 17:00 |
| UNIT 3 REFLECTIVE JOURNAL DEADLINE | Monday 1st April 2024 |
September 2023 Cohort Dates
| Getting Started | Thursday 7th September 14:00 – 16:00 |
| Workshop 1 | Wednesday 4th October 13:30 – 16:30 |
| Workshop 2 | Monday 6th November 10:00 – 13:00 |
| Workshop 3 | Thursday 14th December 14:00 – 17:00 |
| UNIT ONE ASSIGNMENT DEADLINE | Friday 22nd December 2023 |
| Workshop 4 | Wednesday 10th January 10:00 – 13:00 |
| Group Supervision | Thursday 14th March 10:00 – 11:00 |
| 1:1 Supervision Meetings | Wednesday 17th April 10:00 – 11:00 |
| UNIT 2 PORTFOLIO DEADLINE | Tuesday 30th April ‘24 |
| Workshop 5 | Thursday 20th June 13:30 – 16:30 |
| UNIT 3 REFLECTIVE JOURNAL DEADLINE | Monday 1st July ‘24 |
For more information, please contact the WY HCP System Development Team, wakccg.sldteam@nhs.net
ILM 5 Coaching and Mentoring FAQs
Background: Our data indicates that we need to have more qualified coaches across the system to support organisations across the system. To meet the demand, the system is now funding a third cohort of ILM 5 coaches. The programme is delivered by an external company called WDR, with our System Development team also delivering three additional development sessions to help you on your coaching journey: Health and Wellbeing Conversations, Belonging, System Leadership and Development.
Q: Will there be any cost to me for this programme?
A: No, this course is fully funded by the NHS West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership.
Q: Is this a competitive application process?
A: We have a very limited number of spaces available (20 spaces per cohort), and always have more applications than we have the capacity for. As we need to divide the spaces across the different sectors and places in our partnership, there is a limited number of places we can allocate to each place. Applicants should therefore answer questions in as much detail as possible.
Q: I cannot make one of the dates, will this be a problem?
A: Since the programme heavily involves the use of breakout rooms, which cannot be recorded, it will not be possible to record any session besides the Introductory ‘Getting Started Workshop’. We would still encourage you to apply for the programme, even if you can’t make one of the dates. If your application is successful, we will speak to the programme provider who will decide whether you can complete the programme without attending a certain session.
Q: What is involved in coaching 2 coachees per year?
A: To remain registered as coach and help with skills, we ask that you coach 2 coachees. You and the coachee will decide how long your coaching relationship will last. You may be only seeing them twice or seeing them recurringly. Alternatively, you may only have 1 coachee and be involved in intense coaching sessions with them.
Q: How does this route differ to apprenticeship model? Would we get protected time at work?
A: The learning and qualifications would both be the same. The difference is that our programme is completed quicker, as there is a lot of self-directed learning. There is no protected time as you would get through other routes such as an apprenticeship, but you may choose to have a conversation with your line manager in regards to getting some time to work on assignments.
Q: I am a part-time worker, having 2 coachees may be more intense for me. How would this work?
A: It would be pro-rata according to many hours you work
Q: Is there an assessment process apart from self-directed learning?
A: There are 3 assignments that will need to be completed. The programme facilitators try to do assignments as bite sized chunks, and so each session will filter down into an assignment needed to be completed. The facilitator will also offer optional lunch and learn sessions, to drop in and get dedicated support on your assignments. The final assignment is reflective, based on the 12 hours of coaching you will complete as part of your qualification.
Q: Can the deadline be extended?
A: Individuals could be considered on an ad-hoc basis if anyone is struggling with getting applications in. Everyone is encouraged to apply, regardless of when they can send their application in.
Q: Will there be further opportunities for a Cohort 4?
A: There is no funding as of yet to run any further cohorts. We will look to deliver some more cohorts if we do manage to gain more funding.
Q: You mentioned that the programme was run by an external company. Who decides who we are going to coach?
A: The company we are using is called WDR, which we have used successfully for a number of ILM sessions. In terms of who you coach, you decide this. If you want someone outside of your organisation, our Virtual Coaching Platform may be of interest to you.
Q: If we are unsuccessful in our application, could we be coached by coaches on the programme?
A: If you are unsuccessful and want to be coached, we can connect you with someone that is going through the qualification
Q: Would there be scope to look at setting up groups for other protected characteristics, like there was for the first cohort and ethnic minorities?
A: The reason we focused on ethnic minorities for cohort 1 was because of the results of the independent review that showed an under-representation of coaches from ethnic minority backgrounds. We gained funding from the EDI budget to fund cohort 1 of the programme. As we don’t have the capacity to run the programme ourselves, this would very much depend on the funding we receive in the future.
Some additional guidance on what to do if you are passionate about coaching but are unsuccessful in applying to this programme:
There is also an apprenticeship route that you can go down to gain the same qualification, which you would have to discuss with your organisation. Similarly, there may be some coaching workshops happening at organisational level, which may give you an insight into the world of coaching.
It is important to remember that you do not have to have a formal qualification in order to coach others. Just having discussions with the people around you, building a rapport, and showing some active listening are some of the simple skills that you need to have effective coaching conversations.
Some further essential coaching skills to help you on your coaching journey can be found in the diagram below:
If you have any further questions about the ILM 5 Certificate in Effective Coaching and Mentoring, please direct these to wyicb-wak.sldteam@nhs.net
