Mentor Coaching Education for Experienced Mentor Coaches

You've been doing this work for years. Now there's a qualification to match.

If you're an experienced mentor coach working independently, you already know what good mentor coaching looks like. You've supported coaches through their ACC, PCC, or MCC journeys. You've given feedback that shifted someone's practice. You've held the space for vulnerability, challenge, and growth.

The new ICF Mentor Coaching Qualification (MCQ) recognises that experience through the Credit for Prior Learning Pathway. To complete your application, you need 10 hours of mentor coaching specific education. This programme provides exactly that.

What this programme is (and isn't)

This isn't a beginner's course. It won't teach you what mentor coaching is. You already know.

What it will do is give you the space to reflect on your practice at a depth that the day-to-day work rarely allows. Through reading, video observation of live mentor coaching, and structured reflective writing, you'll examine how you create safety, how your feedback lands, and where your development edge is. Then you'll come together with other experienced mentor coaches for the kind of conversation that only happens when everyone in the room has real practice behind them.

How it works

The programme blends 7.5 hours of asynchronous (self-led) learning with two 1.5-hour facilitated sessions on Zoom. You work through the asynchronous modules in your own time, at your own pace. The synchronous (live/online) sessions are co-created with the group, so the agenda reflects what matters to the people in the room.

You'll receive a copy of Mentor Coaching: A Practical Guide (Clare Norman) as part of the programme, along with curated video content including live mentor coaching demonstrations and guided reflective prompts for each module.

Who it's for

This programme is for you if you hold an active ICF credential (ACC with at least one renewal, PCC, or MCC), you have prior mentor coaching experience, and you need 10+ hours of mentor coaching education to complete your MCQ application via the Credit for Prior Learning Pathway.

You'll be joining a small group of up to 12 experienced mentor coaches from different contexts and coaching schools. That mix of perspectives is one of the most valuable parts of the programme.

What else you'll need for your MCQ application

This programme covers your mentor coaching education hours. You'll also need to have completed the applicable evaluation training (ACC BARS, PCC Markers, or MCC BARS depending on the level you wish to mentor at), and you'll need to attest that you have mentored at least 5 clients who have received an ICF credential in the past 3 years. ICF verifies this after submission.

For full details on the MCQ application process, including the Credit for Prior Learning Pathway requirements, please see the ICF's published guidance.