Why this year’s changes raise the bar for coaches and coaching

Earlier this year, the ICF announced some significant changes to mentor coaching and coaching supervision. In short, from 1 January 2027, mentor coaching and coaching supervision used for relevant ICF credential applications and renewals will need to be delivered by appropriately qualified practitioners, including those holding the new Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) and Coaching Supervision Specialization (CSS), respectively.

As many newly qualified MCSs will attest, attaining the MCS or CSS designation is no small undertaking. Even the most experienced mentor coaches and coaching supervisors are required to complete specific mentor coach or coaching supervision education, and many coaches have had to squeeze more than 40 hours of training into their already busy schedules simply to continue doing work they’ve been doing for years.

For many, it’s felt like a chore. But at the same time, there is definite cause to celebrate.

Mentor coaching is an important part of how coaches develop their capability, and coaching supervision is essential to expanding coaches’ capacity. For the first time at the ICF, the people providing that development are being required to undertake specific education in how to do it effectively. This is a positive move for the coaching profession: more professional mentor coaches and coaching supervisors means more professional coaches who are better equipped to coach their clients.

Here at ReciproCoach, we’ve been delivering mentor coach training for more than a decade, but until now, it has been offered in a self-paced, asynchronous format suitable for the MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway. However, as that pathway is only available to experienced mentor coaches who meet specific mentoring experience requirements, many new and aspiring mentor coaches need live, synchronous training to attain their MCS via the Standard Pathway.

And so, after catching our breath following the tidal wave created when previously voluntary mentor coach training suddenly became compulsory, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve now opened registration for the first two live modules in our broader Mentor Coach Training program, designed to support coaches pursuing the MCS via the Standard Pathway.

LIVE ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training

Our live training begins with Foundations in Individual Mentor Coaching, a 10-hour interactive program covering the essential knowledge and skills involved in effective one-to-one mentor coaching. The program is already approved for 10 ICF CCE hours in Core Competencies. Find out more and register here.

Once you understand the foundations of individual mentor coaching, you may then continue into Foundations in Group Mentor Coaching, a further 10 hours of live, group-based training focused on the additional knowledge and skills involved in creating meaningful developmental learning within a group. Find out more or register here.

Places are limited, and there is unlikely to be another opportunity to participate in live MCS training with ReciproCoach until next year.

These first two modules form part of a broader ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training pathway incorporating advanced development, practical experience and ongoing learning. We’ll roll out the rest of the program over the coming months to support mentor coaches at every stage of their development.

But for now, this is your opportunity to begin the live training you’ll need if you want to have your MCS in place and be ready to mentor coach in 2027.

About the author Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC, is the founder and Global Coordinator of ReciproCoach. Kerryn has been coaching since 2002 and her PhD explored the learning processes underpinning coaching. Since 2005, she has been dedicated to making ongoing professional and personal development through coaching, mentoring and supervision more accessible to coaches around the world. Drawing on both educational and coaching expertise, Kerryn creates collaborative, practice-based learning opportunities that support reflective practice, meaningful development and high-quality coaching.