Coaching World Issue 10: May 2014 | Page 28

Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com as a way to make a difference in your community or be better prepared for a localized emergency response, there’s a wealth of advice from chapters that have already taken these steps. Abby Tripp Heverin As ICF’s Communications Coordinator, Abby oversees content development for Coaching World and helps implement the organization’s public relations strategy. If you’re interested in submitting to a future issue of CW, email her at abby.heverin@ coachfederation.org. Caring for Your Community with Pro Bono Coaching At some point in your coaching journey, you’ve no doubt provided pro bono coaching services to a client, either as a way to add to your bank of coaching experience hours or to support an individual who you know will benefit from your services but can’t afford your standard rate. However, a growing number of coaches and ICF Chapters are institutionalizing these efforts in service of humanity flourishing by offering pro bono coaching to individuals or organizations with a demonstrated need. Often, these initiatives respond to an urgent situation, such as a natural disaster. Other programs are designed to provide sustained support to nonprofits that would like to offer coaching to members of their staff or the constituencies they serve, but can’t find room in an already-tight budget to do so. If you or the members of your ICF Chapter are considering pro bono coaching 28 Coaching World Under the leadership of then-Chapter President Fabrizia Ingenito, PCC, the members of ICF Italy rapidly organized a pro bono initiative to provide Business and Executive Coaching to individuals impacted by a deadly earthquake that struck northern Italy in 2012. For its efforts, the chapter was honored with a 2012 ICF I Care For Chapter Award, given to ICF Chapters and Charter Chapters that establish a significant coaching presence in their communities by providing coaching for free to those who would not have access to it otherwise. In 2012, under the leadership of Community Outreach Director (and current Chapter President-elect) Freddi Donner, ACC, ICF Metro DC constructed a pro bono coaching initiative that connected 50 coaches with five Washington, D.C., USA-based nonprofits: Share Our Strength, the International Monetary Fund Family Association, Homeward Deployed, Leadership Arlington and Leadership Fairfax. The following year, the chapter extended its pro bono offerings to include education around coaching and free laser coaching at nonprofit associations’ events. Last year, ICF Metro DC was honored with the 2013 ICF I Care For Award. Here, courtesy of Fabrizia, Freddi and their colleagues, are five suggested practices for building a pro bono coaching program capable of transforming lives and, in turn, communities: 1. Identify a target beneficiary. When you’re launching a pro bono coaching program, it’s easy to get carried away by your passion for the project and try to create a program that is all things to all people. However, it’s advisable— particularly at the onset of your program—to limit your scope. This may mean following the lead of ICF Metro DC’s