A volunteer coach plays an important role in the development of our coachees, and acts as a key figure in their support team. Please ensure you read the below role description before you submit your application.
Role
The coach is an experienced professional who provides a teacher in the Teach First community with a chance to discuss personal leadership challenges and how best to overcome them. Coaching is focused on supporting teachers and school leaders to overcome leadership challenges. As opposed to a mentor, a coach helps the teacher to reach their own decisions about what their goals are and how they can best achieve.
I understand that I am expected to:
- establish a contract with the coachee for the ways in which you will work together
- know and understand the coachee’s personal goals
- engage in a series of coaching conversations in which you supports the coachee to work towards those personal goals
- develop the leadership of a coachee through a coaching relationship
- help a coachee to gain a more objective perspective on their own career and circumstances so that they can assess their next steps more effectively
- maintain contact with Teach First in the instance where a learner’s wellbeing or professionalism is at risk
- submit feedback via surveys throughout the programme to help Teach First monitor progress, celebrate successes and make any improvements
- inform Teach First of the number of coach meetings and the types of topics discussed
In return for your commitment to this role, you will receive:
- two virtual professional coaching training sessions from experts in the field (for new coaches)
- access to a new online refresher training module (for returning coaches)
- follow-up support, resources and communications from coach trainers
- access to learning opportunities and online content
- regular newsletters from Teach First with news, updates and stories from the community
- access to a network of professional coaches from a wide range of Teach First supporter organisations
Application
Before beginning a Teach First coaching relationship, all volunteer coaches will be required to submit an application form. New coaches will be required to attend two virtual coach training events. Returning coaches will be required to complete the online refresher module or attend the training events. This is to ensure that you are suitable for the role and have been trained in order to provide the best possible support to your coachees. It will also give you greater knowledge of Teach First and the coachee you are supporting.
In applying for the Coaching Programme I confirm that I have:
- over three years’ experience working in a professional environment
- the ability to support individuals
- a willingness to learn and to develop the use of coaching techniques to support coachees
- a commitment to the Teach First vision that no child’s educational success is limited by their background
Time Commitment
As a Coach I commit to:
- attending two virtual training sessions (new coaches only). Please check the coach flyer for event options
- as a returning coach, completing the online refresher module (if trained with Teach First in the last two years) or attend the training events
- after being matched with a coachee, agree how to work together
- have a minimum of six coaching sessions throughout the year
- take part in our surveys and give honest feedback to help us to continuously improve the programme
Key Coaching Skills & Attributes Required
As a Coach I will endeavour to:
- build a professional relationship based on trust and respect
- provide a space, process and sufficient challenge to enable coachees to discover their own solutions, strategies and answers
- notice and respond appropriately to responses in others, providing feedback where appropriate
- build rapport and demonstrate empathy
- be an active listener
- use effective and appropriate questioning techniques
- resist the desire to provide answers or solutions as you would when mentoring
- be non-judgemental