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Achieve or renew your ICF credentials

Achieve International Coach Federation Credentials (ICF) with the Forton Group 

The Forton Group has been an ICF accredited programme since 2002,  and we have always met its standards. 

This page covers: 

  1. Achieving the ACC Credential
  2. Achieving the PCC Credential
  3. Renewing your existing Credential

Forton offers a range of coach-training modules at different levels:

  • Certified Leadership Coach* - to ACC level
  • Professional Leadership Coach* - to PCC level
  • Manager as Coach
  • Team Coach
  • Transformational Coaching: the hero’s journey
  • Mastery in Leadership Coaching
  • Coach Mentoring & Supervision

Our core training is the 'Professional Leadership Coach' training programme* to the ACC and PCC levels.  We also offer elective modules, depending on your career direction and your previous training and experience level.

Our commitment to students is that, whenever you decide you want to achieve, upgrade or renew your ICF credentials, we will support your application, now and in the future. 

Get in touch to find out more.

Explore your coach-training needs: Take this self-assessment

Up to date Credential Details

Because the ICF standards change, as the profession emerges, we recommend that you keep up to date on their website. 

https://coachfederation.org/icf-credential

ICF membership gives access to a range of resources and reduced price on exam fees, etc. 

To achieve your ACC Credential

You require 60 hours’ training plus 10 hours’ mentor coaching

This is equivalent to the Forton ‘Certified Leadership Coach’  programme which includes the above elements.

Additionally - 

  • You complete 100 hours coaching experience (can be part paid*, part pro bono)
  • You submit, and successfully complete - 
    1. The online ethics course provided by the ICF (no charge to members)
    2. An example of your coaching, plus transcript, which is assessed by the ICF to ACC standard
    3. The ICF ‘Coach Knowledge Assessment’ (CKA): an online, multiple choice exam covering coaching competences and ethics.

ICF Membership reduces the cost of the ICF-administered elements 2 and 3, above.

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To achieve your PCC Credential

You require 125 hours’ training plus 10 hours’ mentor coaching

  • This is equivalent to the Forton ‘Professional Leadership Coach’  programme which includes the above elements.

  • 500 hours experience (can be part paid*, part pro bono)
  • Forton administers an exam to assess PCC standards
  • Successful completion of the ICF ‘Coach Knowledge Assessment’ (CKA) an online, multiple choice exam covering coaching competences and ethics (if not previously completed).
  • Online ethics course provided by the ICF (no charge to members)

Additionally - 

  • You complete 500 hours coaching experience (can be part paid*, part pro bono)
  • You submit, and successfully complete - 
    1. The online ethics course provided by the ICF (no charge to members)
    2. An example of your coaching, plus transcript, which is assessed by the ICF to PCC standard
    3. The ICF ‘Coach Knowledge Assessment’ (CKA): an online, multiple choice exam covering coaching competences and ethics (if not already previously taken).

This is equivalent to the Forton ‘Professional Leadership Coach’ programme which includes all the above elements, except ICF Membership.

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To renew your credential

You need:

10 hours of Mentor Coaching over a minimum of three months, completed in the three years since the initial award of your credential or since your last credential renewal.

AND at least 40 hours of Continuing Coach Education (CCE) completed in the three years since the initial award of your credential or since your last credential renewal. This is effectively 30 hours, because the 10 hours of mentor coaching can count as core competences

Renewal - of the 10 hours mentor coaching - 

  • At least 3 need to be 1-1 – which means
    • You bring a coaching client to a 3-way call with one of our trained mentor coaches
    • The live coaching is recorded;
    • You get live feedback and written feedback, plus a copy of the recording for you to reflect on your coaching practise.
    • ‘Reflection’ means listening to the recording and transcribing the questions you ask and reflecting on their (apparent) impact.
  • OR you can submit a recording of a coaching conversation (around 30 minutes) which we listen to in advance and discuss with you in the one-to-one session. (NB this has a higher cost because of the extra time for our mentor coach)
  • No more than 7 hours can be small group mentoring
    • We run these monthly – this is the ‘Coach and Horses’ masterclass series
    • Course Creator, Bob Hughes wanted these group sessions to be friendly and sociable, like a traditional English pub!

Our mentor coaches are all trained, qualified, and experienced in mentor coaching.  Our mentor coaching programme is part of our Accredited Coach Training Programme, for experienced coaches.

Renewal - of the 40 hours training –

  • At least 24 hours need to be live learning in ‘core competences’
    • 3 hours must be the online ethics course offered by the ICF itself (no charge to members)
    • The required 10 Mentor Coaching hours can be counted toward CCEs in Core Competencies
    • The remainder (at least 11 hours) must be live learning (tutor is present throughout the time, either in person or via web conference or equivalent). Depending on your existing training and qualifications, Forton offers a range of programmes at different levels:
      • Manager as Coach
      • Certified Leadership Coach
      • Professional Leadership Coach
      • Team Coaching
      • Transformational Coaching: the hero’s journey
      • Mastery in Leadership Coaching
      • Coach Mentoring & Supervision
    • No more than 16 can be ‘resource development’
      • This can be live, or can be remote, self-paced learning: we offer this in a number of streams on our Learning Management System
      • The streams are: coaching, mentoring, leadership, communication, reflective learning.
      • These are audio/visual presentations with short, multiple choice quizzes at the end of each block, to check for learning.

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