Definition of supervision and coaching

• Supervision and coaching is a form of counselling serving the assurance and development of the quality of communication and cooperation in professional contexts.
• Supervisors and coaches work as freelance consultants and they implemented the concept of supervision as a stand-alone profession with standardised trainings, systems of quality assurance based on lively professional and scientific discussion and ethical codes all over Europe.
• Supervision primarily serves the development of individuals and organisations. It improves the professional lives of individuals regarding their roles in institutional contexts.

Supervision offers:

• Support in reflection and decision making processes concerning current professional issues
• Support in challenging and demanding professional situations and conflicts
• Clarification and processing of tasks, functions and roles
• Support in and handling of processes of change
• Innovative solutions for new challenges
• Prophylactic measures to avoid mobbing and burnout

Coaching offers:

• Counselling for people holding leading and management positions
• Impulses concerning the fulfilment of leading roles
• Development of personal performance
• Support in processes of change and problematic situations
• Support in personal career planning

Minimal standards for an educational program becoming a supervisor

Admission requirements

1. Bachelor degree EQF6 or Master Educational EQF7 level or equivalent. Preferably Social or Human Science. The NO can define exceptions or further requirements.
2. A minimum of 4 years of professional experience after graduation. Some NO demand a minimal age of 27 or 30.
3. A minimum of 60 academic hours of continuing education.
4. A minimum of 30 hours proven supervisee experience.

Requirements for the educational program

5. Duration of the program: a minimum of 2 years
6. ANSE standard for contact hours is 400 academic hours of 45 minutes or 300 astronomic hours of 60 minutes.
7. A minimum of 45 astronomic hours practice of supervision as a “Supervisor in Training”, both in individual as in group setting.
8. A minimum of 35 astronomic hours Meta-Supervision (Supervision on Supervision/ Teaching Supervision) both in individual as in group setting.
9. Presentation of a thesis or portfolio as a final assessment of the educational progress (including integration of the theory of supervision into the supervisor’s practice).
10. Final examination or colloquium (demonstrating supervisor competences regarding the own thesis).
11. Certificate approved by the national association for supervision.

Additional recommendations

12. Introduce ECTS as a standard for education
13. Half of the countries have an entry assessment procedure. NO decide if this is necessary as a part of the whole certification procedure.
14. In all educational programs it should be obligatory to put in theory about: Supervision and coaching; sociology of work and workspace plus theory of organisations.
15. A quality system for the ones who train and educate supervisors is recommended.
16. Educational program requirements should be defined for the different professions: Supervision, Coaching and Organizational Development.
17. Recognition and registration of Educational Programs by the NO.
18. Every NO is free to establish higher standards.
19. ANSE board should consider to adopt the EC Vision definition of Supervision as reference.

Stated October 19, 2024