Coaching Squared is a pioneering public and private-sector partnership programme initially designed to boost the confidence and career prospects of women managers through a self-help programme.

The nine month programme was developed for candidates of the same level to meet and select a coaching partner within another organisation to offer guidance and support for the advancement of their careers.

The main benfits are to:

• Raise your career prospects by discussing personal development with someone completely outside of your own organisation
• Learn about the working environment of another organisation and different business sector
• Focus on your own development and aspirations and how to achieve them
• Develop your own coaching skills and set your own agenda
• Build relationships which will enable you to seek and offer guidance on improved ways of working
• Develop a broader network which may be beneficial now and in the future

Launched by the PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ministry of Justice in 2006, it continues to develop and expand through SceneChange. So far over 200 women have taken part from 22 major organisations including Rolls Royce, Vodafone, Credit Suisse, GCHQ, MoD, Housing Corporation, Met Police, BT and SERCO to name a few.

We are now taking bookings for programme 6 due to launch in June 2008 and we are also about to launch the programme specially aimed at Black, Minority and Ethnic Groups in June 2008.

How co-coaching works:

Each nine month programme involves candidates from up to six organisations. We aim to balance these between the public and private sectors and each organisation is required to submit up to 12 candidates per programme. Candidates choose to attend one of four matching up workshops where they will learn how to co-coach and decide on the kind of coaching relationship from which they would most benefit.

With guidance and tools learned on the day, they are encouraged to set their own agenda and self manage their coaching relationship.  SceneChange will also provide light-touch support throughout the nine month period with regular email and web contact with participants.

Some decide to shadow each other for a day; others have face to face or telephone meetings. It is an opportunity to exchange views and talk about job pressures in a safe environment without the fear of exposing personal issues within their own company.

It is about encouragement, unleashing talent and fulfilling future potential.

The cost involved in Coaching Squared is modest and the active informal approach has produced benefits that elude passive coaching. Initial success stories have included one civil servant earning Harvard Business School exposure from the pilot programme and a PwC participant was nominated for a business award.

Read the Daily Telegraph interview with founders Mary Shaw, (Ministry of Justice) and Tina Hallett, (PwC)

To get involved: Please email us on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or give us a call on 020 7060 2067