Pastoral - Youth Coaching
The Ridgeway's Youth Coaching Service is fast
becoming an established part of school life. Our five lead coaches, together
with their teams, are providing one-to-one coaching opportunities for students
from across the school to talk through and resolve issues on a range of
subjects.
The coaches have been putting their training into practice and helping students
to, for instance, build self esteem and confidence, mange study time more
effectively and identify goals for future self improvement. The feedback from
students has been hugely positive. However, it's not only students who have been
taken by the school's coaching service. Ofsted have been equally impressed and
during the recent visit inspectors described the service as unique and commented
very favourably on the notable leadership qualities of our coaches.
Young people working for the benefit of young people is something the school is
keen to encourage and the Youth Coaching Service is doing just that. It's worth
noting that our five lead coaches are working hard for additional coaching
qualifications and, all being well, will gain OCN Level 2 coaching certification
at the end of the year. Students who would like to be coached can pick up an
application form from either one of the key stage offices. Alternatively they
can speak with Mr Piper.
What is Coaching?
So, what is coaching?
Coaching is all about helping people to get the best out of themselves. Another
way of looking at coaching is that it unlocks potential. Coaching helps people
move on. Coaching helps people to look at the world differently.
But how does coaching work?
Coaching involves two people - a coach and a client - talking, but not in a
random way. The coach will ask the client what it is that he or she would like
to talk about: it may be the case that something or other is a problem for the
client and is stopping him or her from getting on with his or her life;
alternatively, a client may want to improve on something which he or she already
does well. Once the issue or focus is clear, the coach will simply ask the
client some questions in a structured way. The client's answers will often
provide the solutions that are needed. There are lots of 'penny dropping'
moments during coaching meetings! Indeed, the whole basis of coaching is that
clients often already know the solutions and the coach simply helps them to see
the solutions by asking the right questions.
The coach will also work with a client to talk about how he or she will achieve
desired outcomes. Put simply, the client, having come up with the answers, will
then work with the coach to set personal goals and say how and when they will be
achieved.
These goals are what are known as well formed outcomes. So, in summary, coaching
is a process which involves asking and answering questions and recognising that
people frequently already have the answers to their own issues.
Who can have a coach?
Anyone can have a coach. People from all walks of life have a coach. Quite
often, though, people have to pay a lot of money to have a coach. However, the
young people at The Ridgeway School have a unique opportunity to be coached
because the school has trained about 50 or so students how to coach. The
coaching service at The Ridgeway School is completely free!
How do you get a coach at The Ridgeway?
Simple! Pick up an application form from either the Key Stage 3 or Key Stage 4
Office. Fill it out and then return to the appropriate Key Stage Office. Once
returned, the lead coaches will contact you to tell you where, when and with
whom the coaching will take place. Normally a coaching relationship would last
for six meetings. After that time, the coach and client will decide the value of
continuing.
Why is there a coaching service at The Ridgeway School?
The school believes that young people should play a major part in the running of
their school; moreover, it is broadly held that young people should help in the
development of their peers and have an opportunity to contribute to the
development and well being of their community. Service to the community is at
the heart of The Ridgeway School Community Coaching Service. All young people
deserve to have the opportunity to become the best possible person they can be
and the school is committed to finding as many possible ways for this to happen.
Coaching, though, is recognised as a proven and tested way of enabling young
people to become that best possible person.
Coaching Community Service
The Ridgeway School is one of the first schools in the country to provide a
community coaching service organised and run by young people for young people.
The service is offered by young people who have been coach trained by Harry
Singha from the Youth Coaching Academy. All of the youth coaches have had two
days' coaching training; five of the youth coaches, however, have had a further
three days' training. Together these young people, with the help of a coach
trained member of staff, provide learners at The Ridgeway School with the
opportunity to work through issues using a tried and tested coaching model.
The coaching service works in the following way. Learners at the school are made
aware of the coaching service through notices around the school and in the
regularly published Ridgeway News. Learners are also made aware of the service
through assemblies and through recommendations by the Learning Co-ordinators.
Learners can then request to be coached using an application form which is
parentally signed. The applications are then reviewed by the five lead youth
coaches, together with the consultative member of staff. Coaches are then
allocated and a schedule is established, normally a sequence of six meetings in
the first instance. Because of the nature and timing of the school day, meetings
usually take place at lunchtimes in what would be mentoring or enrichment time.
The youth coaches are organised into five groups, each led by a lead coach, that
is, by one of the young people who had the additional three days' training.
Review and training meetings are held regularly so that all coaches can share
their experiences, without breaching confidentiality, and have the benefit of
further in-house training from the consultative member of staff and other
speakers when appropriate.
Youth Coaches
For a full list of The Ridgeway School’s First Cohort of Students to Undertake
The Essential Youth Coaching Skills, please use the link below. (You will need
Adobe Reader to view files)
The Essential Youth Coaching Skills Programme:
First Cohort
Take Part
Complete an application form to take part in the Coaching Service. (You will
need Adobe Reader to view files) Application Form Coaching Leaflet
Sponsor Us
If you would like to help sponsor The Ridgeway School’s Youth Coaching initiative
simply click on the link... and donate!
www.justgiving.com/ridgewayycs
Archived Updates!
March
2008