Case Study: Training and Development - Ministry of Justice

In 2006 the Department for Constitutional Affairs (now the Ministry of Justice) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) set up a pilot co-coaching initiative for women poised to enter senior management jobs. A group of 10 women from each organisation co-coached over 12 months. The group split into 5 pairs: 1 each from PWC and the Ministry.

Each organisation provided a trainer to facilitate a course for all participants, where they discussed coaching models, and participants could meet, introduce themselves and select a partner. Pairs self-managed their meetings and coaching arrangements but each participant had to be prepared to give and receive coaching. Coaching could be at regular meetings or over the phone, but each pair was expected to make contact on average once a month.

A breakfast get together was arranged mid-way through the pilot and a graduation dinner held in early summer to get feedback and encourage group cohesion.

This is a rare example of cross-sector coaching and proved such a success that it has now been extended to other organisations. The second stage includes the Department for International Development (DFID), Serco, BT and the Ministry of Defence, as well as PWC and the Ministry of Justice. As the group is now so large, 4 introductory seminars were held rather than just one.

Feedback from participants has been encouraging, particularly on the benefits of a new perspective from someone from a different background and also that the fact that the other person was seen as ‘independent’, which offered a safe and positive space in which to explore challenging issues.

A more detailed evaluation process has now been introduced where all participants complete a pre questionnaire as well as an evaluation form at the end. The data will be compared and a report produced at the end of this stage

The DFID groups have been inspired to set up their own informal network as a direct result of this initiative. It has also been reported that one participant has accepted a scholarship at Yale as a result of the encouragement she received during the project.