With so much on offer through the ICF ecosystem, finding what you’re looking for can sometimes be challenging. Hopefully, the useful links below will help you find your way!
How to become a coach
Are you thinking of becoming a coach and not sure where to start? The ICF has created a website which outlines the roadmap for becoming a professional coach. The roadmap starts with helping you find high-quality coach education and then moves on to cover all the other steps in the process.
Visit the Becoming A Coach website here or download a PDF Flyer to share with others here.
ICF Membership
As an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Member, you’ll enjoy instant credibility by identifying yourself as part of the world’s largest community of professionally trained coaches. You’ll also have access to local and global networking opportunities, cutting-edge business development and marketing education, and a variety of research and resources to help you reach your coaching goals.
To join, you must have completed at least 60 hours of specific coach training or be currently undertaking such training.
If you’re ready to join, you can sign up here or download a PDF Flyer on ICF Membership here.
Gaining your ACC, PCC, MCC or ACTC credential
Over 50,000 coaches are now credentialed through the ICF. Are you ready to become one of them? If so, the ICF has produced handbooks for each level of credential which contains everything you need to know about gaining your credential.
- Associate Certified Coach (ACC): 60+ hours of education, 100+ of client experience. View the ACC Candidate Guide.
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC): 125+ hours of education, 500+ hours of client experience. View the PCC Candidate Guide.
- Master Certified Coach (MCC): 200+ hours of education, 2,500+ hours of client experience. View the MCC Candidate Guide.
- Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC): 60+ hours of team coaching education, 5+ team engagements, 5+ hours of supervision. Visit the ICF website here to learn more.
If you’re ready to apply, you can do so via the ICF website here
Coaching Supervision and Coach Mentoring
Coaching Supervision and Coach Mentoring are very different practices. And the differences can sometimes be confusing.
- Coaching Supervision is a form of reflective practice for coaches. It enables them to reflect on how they are doing and being a coach. It can cover a broad area of reflection. For example, it might tease out client challenges where psychological processes are interfering (such as transference, counter-transference or parallel process), ethical challenges or broader practice issues. This article on the ICF website, written by Tracy Sinclair, provides a more detailed explanation.
- Coach Mentoring is specific to the ICF Credentialing process. Credential applicants or those renewing an ACC credential must undertake 10 hours of coach mentoring. This is where a coach will work with an experienced coach mentor to gain a deeper understanding of the ICF Core competencies specific to the credential for which they are applying. Accredited Level 1, 2, and 3 training programmes (Or former ACTP programmes) will have already included the required 10 hours of coach mentoring. To learn more about Coach Mentoring for an ICF credential, visit the ICF website here.
Useful Links for ICF Members
ICF Events and Resource
The ICF Events platform lists many of the different events from across the globe, including ICF Chapters and training providers offering CCEs. It also lists podcasts, articles and books that ICF members have created.
Visit the ICF Events platform here
ICF Member Websites
In 2022, the ICF launched a member website initiative whereby ICF members can create a free website to promote their coaching practice. This is an invaluable resource that can serve as a cost-effective way for members to start building their coaching business.
Visit the ICF Members Website Platform here
ICF Learning Platform
The ICF has a vast library of learning materials and courses for coaches. Alongside this archive, the ICF has several communities of practices which run quarterly events that are available for free to ICF members. The learning platform is a great way to continue to develop yourself as a coach.
Visit the ICF Learning Platform here
ICF Research Portal
The International Coaching Federation is the leader in conducting and providing coaching industry research. With the Research Portal from ICF, the user can quickly see “streams” of research. These streams allow the researcher to view resources in their relation to one another, displaying who has cited this resource and what the resource references are. Whilst the portal is open to the public, some articles are only available to ICF members.
Visit the ICF Research Portal here