Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirement statements

1. Coaching is a profession governed by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), where coaches are accountable and responsible for ensuring professional and ethical behaviour in all contexts. As such, students must demonstrate knowledge and engage in ethical behaviour in practice.
2. Students demonstrates: Knowledge of, and engages in ethical behaviour in practice.
3. Why is ethical behaviour an inherent requirement? Compliance with the codes, guidelines and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people they engage with. This ensures the physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing of the individual is not placed at risk.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the ethical behaviour requirement must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the ICF, and ensure students demonstrate effective ethical behaviour.
5. Examples of ways in which ethical behaviour applies to this course: Complying with ethical conduct is required to complete course requirements in preparation for ICF accreditation.Understanding and practising appropriate professional boundaries, including confidentiality and duty of care when working with coaching clients.Appropriately acknowledging sources in the preparation of written assignments.

Verbal

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe and effective delivery of coaching services, and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic, honest, and non-judgemental.
2. Student demonstrates:
   Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences. The ability to listen, understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately, empathically and in a timely manner. Consistent and appropriate awareness of own verbal communication style. The ability to provide clear instructions and guidelines in the context of the situation. Timely clear feedback and reporting.
3. Why is verbal communication an inherent requirement?
   Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy to others, facilitating the development of trusting relationships.
   Accuracy of communication is necessary for effective coaching practice.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the verbal communication requirement must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the ICF, and ensure students demonstrate effective verbal communication.
5. Examples of ways in which verbal communication applies to this course
   Participating and engaging in class and mentoring discussions.Demonstrate effective communication with a diverse range of clients, educators, and mentors.

Non-verbal

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to coaching services, and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathic, and non-judgemental.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The capacity to recognise, interpret and respond appropriately to behavioural cues.Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours.Sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences.
3. Why is non-verbal communication an inherent requirement?
   The ability to understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and gaining their trust and respect in academic and professional relationships.
   Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries and body movements and gestures promotes trust in academic and professional relationships.
   Being sensitive to individual and/or cultural differences displays respect and empathy to others, and develops trusting relationships.
   The ability to understand non-verbal cues is important for effective observation of coaching client’s reactions to provide effective coaching services.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the non verbal communication requirement must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the ICF, and ensure students demonstrate effective non verbal communication.
5. Examples of ways in which non-verbal communication applies to this course
   Recognising and responding to non-verbal cues indicating a change in the emotional state of a client during coaching practice.Recognising and responding to non-verbal cues in learning situations.Demonstrating an awareness of personal non-verbal behaviours and their impact on peers, academic teachers, colleagues and clients.

Written

Inherent requirement statements

1. Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental coaching responsibility with professional and legal ramifications.Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
2. Student demonstrates capacity to construct coherent written communication appropriate to the circumstances.
3. Why is written communication an inherent requirement?
   Construction of written text based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice.Accurate written communication for a range of purposes and audiences is vital to provide consistent coaching services.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the written communication requirement must ensure not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the ICF, and students demonstrate effective written communication.
5. Examples of ways in which written communication applies to this course
   Constructing written assignments to required academic standards including appropriate referencing of sources.Preparing coaching reports which are appropriate to the purpose and audience and completed in a timely manner.

This course requires knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition.

Knowledge and cognitive skills

Inherent requirement statements

1. Consistent knowledge and effective cognitive skills must be demonstrated to undertake competent coaching practice.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.The ability to process information relevant to practice.The ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice.
3. Why is knowledge and cognitive skills an inherent requirement?
   Effective coaching practice is based on identifying and understanding, information from a range of sources and applying this appropriately.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the knowledge and cognitive skills requirement must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the ICF, and ensure students demonstrate effective knowledge and cognitive skills.
5. Examples of ways in which knowledge and cognitive skills apply to this course
   Ability to conceptualise and use appropriate knowledge in coaching practice settings.Ability to develop and implement coaching interventions based on the research and coaching literature.

Inherent requirement statements

1. Coaching practice requires the ability to use highly developed interpersonal skills and establish and maintain strong relationships with people.
2. Student demonstrates:
   The ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients, academic staff, supervisors, and peers.The ability to engage in effective and empathic coaching work.The ability to engage and relate appropriately in supervision and experiential learning groups.
3. Why are relational skills an inherent requirement?
   Highly developed relational skills are a cornerstone of effective coaching relationships to support effective engagement, assessment and intervention.Highly developed relational skills are necessary to engage effectively in mentoring of client work and experiential training activities that support the establishment and maintenance of an effective and appropriate coaching relationship with clients.
4. Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the relational skills requirement must not compromise the codes, guidelines and policies of the ICF, and ensure students demonstrate effective relational skills.
5. Examples of ways in which relational skills apply to this course
   Building and maintaining rapport with a client in order to engage them in effective coaching.Effectively using relational and interpersonal skills to manage the coaching relationship with clients.Relating effectively, openly and sensitively to academic staff, supervisors and peers to facilitate an effective learning environment and manage one’s own academic progress.