With my skills what training/job can I do? Mentor/coach etc?

[tishtashtoo]

In particular, I am wondering if anyone knows anything about "life coaching", if there is actually a serious, respected qualification or body for this? I'm concerned it's the sort of job title that anyone can assign themselves with no credibility or experience... not sure if that's true or just my perception.

Basically I'm looking to shift career but I don't know if there is a job out there to fit my skills. I also want a part time role to fit round childcare.

I'm well qualified - PGCE, trained art teacher with QTS, a high Masters, and experience in teaching, lecturing, youth work and supporting in a PRU. Recently been volunteering and working with vulnerable adults. I love it and now want a suitable qualification under my belt and to get my teeth into some training as a new challenge and to give me a slightly new string to my bow.

I've mulled over training in psychotherapy/ counselling / school counsellor etc but don't think that's what I want. I have had extensive therapy so I know about psychotherapeutic practice to a good extent and I'm not sure I really want to go that as a career.

Essentially I enjoy working with teenagers and young adults and helping them to move towards their goals and achieve. In doing so I am good at helping guide and advise them on different things such as:
Organisation skills
Managing wellbeing (making MH referrals when needed)
Goal setting
Day to day advice on mindfulness strategies, tools to help regular mental health, healthy living, positive steps (always referring to therapy / medical as appropriate)
Researching training options
Life management, finances, benefits etc
Setting up opportunities for professional mentors, work experience etc
Help with CV, job applications
Confidence work, self-esteem
Public speaking
Engaging them in positive activities
Personal development etc etc

I like the idea of mentoring but not sure if there's a qualification or body for that? Also, in schools the learning mentors are treated like dogs body's and the working conditions are bad (used to be a Head of Year so seen it happen). You never see part-time mentor roles which I would enjoy as it would allow some balance. Life coaching sounds about right but I have queries as outlined above.

Does anyone have any insights to help me refine this idea? Thank you!

May sound a bit out there, but would you consider the prison service?

Universities offer study mentors and skills mentors via the Disabled Student Allowance scheme - usually contracted out but could you contact a uni disability services team to find out which agency/qualifications are required?

Thanks for your suggestion. @PermanentTemporary it's not out there - I have worked with ex-offenders and done an art programme in a prison. However I don't want to work in one now. Definitely like the idea of young people / perhaps schools or other settings.

@PorkChopJohnson sounds of interest. I'll take a look. Thank you

Does anyone know of a body that oversees and accredits things like mentoring?

I don't think there’s a big overarching body for mentorship. What would you mentor people in? In my experience, people will want to be mentored by someone who has achieved what they are aiming for, if they’re paying for it. It tends to be very industry specific.

The skills you want to help people with don’t seem like they’d necessarily correlate with people able to pay for your skills themselves, so I’d second the young people/learning mentor/citizens advice type routes, although I suspect you are right that they’ll rarely be part time; and won’t be well paid.

I'm not too concerned about the pay, but I don't want to be locked into a 9-5 or long hours.

What would you mentor people in? In my experience, people will want to be mentored by someone who has achieved what they are aiming for, if they’re paying for it. It tends to be very industry specific.

I agree with this. If you were an experienced lawyer, for example, you could mentor trainees etc but otherwise it’s going to be more of a support/signposting role and often these are badly paid or even voluntary.

I think I do a lot of the things you recommend as a SENCo; though I wouldn’t recommend that as a role!) but there’s a lot of overlap with pastoral/LM jobs, which do pay very poorly.

How about an education mental health practitioner?

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/psychological-therapies/roles-psychological-therapies/education-mental-health-practitioner

If you don't mind working in a school, I'd look at school careers advisor roles and/or sixth form pastoral support.

Our sixth formers do 10hrs a week of self-study on site so pastoral are available then for study/mindfulness support, general life chats, helping with next steps (apprenticeships, uni applications, job/uni interviews).

In my school these roles are term time only and the careers advisor is 4 days a week.