07 March 05

Mentors

32 RFU Mentors were first trained in July 2002 and with one or two exceptions, worked through an agreed 2 year mentoring partnership with their mentee coach. Following the generally acknowledged success of the programme, (mentee and mentor letters, verbal feedback and questionnaires, all provided first hand evidence), we have embarked on the second phase of the programme. In doing so we have retained 19 of the initial 32 Mentors and they have been paired up with new mentees, (talented L2/L3 coaches), identified through nominations from RRDMs, RDOs and others. Of these 19, 2 have already been deemed competent and are now accredited RFU Mentors; the remaining 17 are working towards this fully competent status.

Following in the wake of our 1st generation Mentors we needed, in Autumn 04, to  identify, recruit and train new Mentors as we built to the proposed target of 60, (perhaps not achievable owing to a lack of suitable and available personnel), referred to in the Training Process document. Our 2nd generation Mentors, 16 in number, were identified and their training, (2 days led by an expert consultant), took place in November 2004; this done we soon paired most of them up with suitable mentees.

So we presently have 35 trained Mentors working 1 to 1 with their mentees to provide a quality experience which encourages self reflection and enhances the coach’s ability to problem solve. Mentors also “buy in” to a “Mentor Agreement”, where they sign up to a minimum operating standard. They are not paid but qualify for an honorarium on fulfilment of the requirements in the agreement. They receive some corporate clothing, priority selection for the staffing of coaching courses and a complimentary invite to the annual conference.

Coach Developers

How do RFU Coach Developers differ? Details can again be found if you look at page 9 of the Training Process document. Coach Developers, (as well as Mentees), may be Mentors in waiting. Although the proposal states a target figure of 45, it could be more dependent on regional needs. We intend to design and provide a 3 hour training course to equip them with some basic tools so that they will be more effective in the work place. It is expected that they will work on a ratio of 1 to 5 with selected coaches who are perhaps working through Level 2 or Level 3. The CD’s responsibility will be for the group and often the meetings will be of these 5; however occasionally they will link to another or all of the other groups for more general workshops.

It is estimated they will meet, as with Mentors, about 5/6 times pa. A RFU Coach Developer competence sheet and agreement form will be designed and developed in the near future and will include a commitment to CPD for each Coach Developer. We need to achieve a consistency of approach to training and work expectations – this is our objective and this will bring credibility and quality assurance to the programme, as well as producing accredited Coach Developers along the same lines as our Mentors. Many CB/Regional schemes are already running – this is excellent news and credit to those that are under way.

If it is the wish of a CB we can take those in place as your nominations and empower them, through training, to deliver this service under the banner of RFU, (CB?), Coach Developer. In an ideal world we would have a 1 to 1 ratio throughout our coach support structures but the human resource imbalance prevents this. Unfortunately we are saddled with that, we cannot Mentor or develop everyone, but it may be possible to work 1 to 5 and still deliver meaningful, quality programmes. With 3/4 Mentors and 4/5 Coach Developers in each Region we can support nigh on 30 coaches in any one year – a solid achievement, and that remains our goal.

Buddy Coaches

Realising the human resource imbalance referred to above, the 3rd part of this coach support strategy is to encourage all coaches on courses at Levels 1, 2 or even 3, to seek and “buddy up” with someone else on the course and gain from ongoing interaction with that person. Everyone can be a “Buddy “ coach, and if we want universal support for every coach out there, then this action, taken on our courses, will be a major first step.  

Summary

Whilst acknowledging the great strides made possible with these programmes, the RFU cannot possibly expect to make realistic payments to such “volunteers”. The rewards for Mentoring have already been explained; a similar situation is envisaged for the Coach Developers. The hidden value in all this is the kudos, profile, personal development, and investment in their training they receive in return for their contributions and participation. If, in its wisdom, a CB decides to assist in funding their Mentors and Coach Developers it would certainly give the programme added momentum, but we do need to be vigilant and maintain a degree of equity across the country.

The RFU are committed to improving coach education; the task now is to assimilate what is in existence, mould actions around the plans outlined above and establish a co-ordinated, trained, qualified and well managed group of effective Mentors and Coach Developers. From the outset, monitoring and evaluation protocols, which are the responsibility of the RFU, have been put in place; these have been assisted by the agreement form which details the requirements of this work force. If we can make this programme operate, even to 50% of its potential, we will be doing a great job for our coaches.  

Executive Summary

Mentors

• 32 RFU Mentors were first trained, (2 days), in July 2002
• We have retained 19 of the initial 32, now paired up with new mentees,
• Programme now beginning second phase
• 16 2nd generation Mentors have been identified, recruited and trained (max.60?)
• Mostly all paired up with suitable mentees.
• Mentors work 1 to 1, they also “buy in” to a “Mentor Agreement”, where they sign up to a minimum operating standard.

Coach  Developers

• How do RFU Coach Developers differ?
• The proposal states a target figure of 45, likely to be more if successful.
• We intend to design and provide a 3 hour training course to equip them with some basic tools so that they will be more effective in the work place.
• Working with a ratio of 1 to 5 
• They will meet, as with Mentors, about 5/6 times pa.
• A Coach Developer competence sheet and agreement form will be designed and developed – to include commitment to CPD for each Coach Developer.

Buddy Coaches

• 3rd part of this coach support strategy encourages all coaches on courses at Levels 1, 2 or even 3, to seek and “buddy up” with someone else on the course.
• Everyone can be a “Buddy “ coach, and if we want universal support for every coach out there, then this action, taken on our courses, will be a major first step.

Summary

• Whilst acknowledging the great strides made possible with such programmes the RFU cannot possibly expect to make realistic payments to such “volunteers”.
• The reward for Mentoring has already been explained; it will be a similar situation for the Coach Developers – but it must not be forgotten the kudos, profile, personal development, and investment in their training that they receive in return for their contributions and participation.
• If, in its wisdom, a CB decides to assist in funding their Mentors and Coach Developers it would certainly give the programme added momentum, but we do need to be vigilant and maintain a degree of equity across the country. 
• The RFU are committed to improving coach education; the task now is to assimilate what is in existence, mould actions around the plans outlined above and establish a co-ordinated, trained, qualified and well managed group of quality Mentors and Coach Developers.
• This will produce monitoring and evaluation requirements which will be the responsibility of the RFU; and will be assisted by the agreement form which details the requirements of this work force.
• If we can make this work, even at 50% of its potential, we will be doing a great job for our coaches.