Those individuals and organisations providing coaching services range from large management and human resources consultancies that offer coaching as part of their overall services to specialist companies that take a particular focus or approach and occupy a certain ‘niche’ market. Within the creative and cultural industries, some organisations have already adopted coaching or are in the process of developing coaching programmes as a form of professional development (see External Links for more information).
It is also worth noting that, as coaching has increased in popularity, so has the number of coaches focusing on niche areas and tailoring their services to specific audiences. Some of these will be of particular interest to those working in the creative and cultural sector. One area that has seen a growth in recent years, for example, is the field of ‘creativity’ coaching, which focuses specifically on developing people’s creative skills in areas such as writing, music and the arts. As well as working with individual clients, creativity coaches are often hired to help promote creative thinking within organisations. (See the Creativity Coaching Association for more information.)
The number of individual coaches is also increasing rapidly, and the quality of these can vary greatly. This has led to a growth of informal networks through which coaches can share best practice methods.
The Coaching & Mentoring Network is one such network. As well as providing a discussion forum for coaches, it also offers a comprehensive guide to professional training organisations, qualifications, accrediting bodies and providers.
How much does coaching cost?
In the same way that there are many coaching styles and methods, the costs of coaching can also vary widely. Fees charged by coaches are subject to the nature of the coaching, the specialism offered and the level of experience of the coach. For example, while a trainee personal life coach may charge his/her clients anything from around £20 to £35 an hour, an experienced business coach can command fees ranging from £350 to £700.
In the cultural sector, the potentially prohibitive costs of coaching are being addressed through the development of formal coaching and mentoring programmes within organisations (see External Links for more information).
The Coaching & Mentoring Network provides a referral service for coaching clients, which includes a guide to fees. The major accrediting bodies also offer general information on coaching providers and their prices (see Finding a coach).
