What is youth coaching?
Youth coaching is way for teens and young people to get support with their personal growth, goal setting and future thinking. Youth coaches work with young people in all these areas and more to help them identify and fulfil their full potential.
Sometimes, young people can feel like they're stuck on a never-ending rollercoaster. Their expectations for themselves, as well as the pressures of fitting in, growing up, and planning a future, can make it hard for them to cope.
As a parent, you probably worry about your teenage child. You may wonder if they're happy and hope they do well at school. It can be difficult as, sometimes, despite your best efforts, your child doesn't open up to you.
If you want your child to get extra support, youth coaching could help.
In this video youth coach Mark Anderson explores how youth coaching can help young people navigate starting their careers and making plans for their future.
Youth coaches do not aim to stand in as parents, teachers or friends. They are there to offer impartial, trustworthy support without any judgment.
Working with a coach can help young people develop life skills and learn how to manage some of the stresses that come along the way. This can include:
- building confidence
- setting and achieving goals
- managing stress
- discussing difficult issues
Why hire a youth coach?
Working with a coach can help teens prioritise their goals and hopes for themselves. In this relationship, clients gain accountability and support, helping them grow as people and uncover their potential.
Growing up can be a wonderful and exciting time, but it isn't without its challenges. The teenage years can be a strange and difficult time for everyone involved. During this time, the family dynamic can change dramatically. Teenagers may fight for their independence while parents fight to maintain control.
Support from a youth coach at this time can provide a space to process these changes and develop strategies to both cope and thrive.
Signs your child may benefit from youth coaching
Every young person can respond differently to the challenges of growing up. One child may express their thoughts and feelings, another may act out.
Some signs you might notice in your teen's behaviour include:
- Difficulty in managing stress. This may look like turning to unhelpful behaviours to cope, shutting others out, and/or struggling to pick themselves up after a negative event.
- Anxiety around change. This could include changes at school, moving house or other changes happening within the family.
- Difficulty communicating with friends and/or family. This may mean they talk openly with you less or are isolating themselves from their friends.
- Decline in academic performance. This can happen for several reasons, but if it feels unusual for your child and they aren't open to discussing it with you, a youth coach could help.
- Behavioural changes. This could include more outbursts, a change in sleeping/eating habits or a general lack of interest in day-to-day activities.
When going through these changes, it is important to let your child know you are there for support. However, if they don't seem able to discuss their issues with you, this is where a youth coach can help. Coaches are impartial sources of support who can listen and understand the challenges your child is facing.
It's worth noting that a teen doesn't need to have a particular issue to benefit from youth coaching. This approach offers a safe and secure environment to explore personal growth away from other, often result-driven, environments. Within the coaching process, young people are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and their progress, which can boost confidence and self-esteem.
A youth coach can be hired to:
- support personal development
- discover potential and set goals to reach it
- help young people deal with issues they may be experiencing
- encourage a good work ethic
- help improve the family dynamic
- help troubled teenagers get back on track
Does my child need counselling?
When your child's behaviour changes, it can indicate a deeper problem. If you suspect they are struggling with their mental health and need professional support, it can help to visit your GP for advice. They may recommend counselling to help your child understand what they're struggling with and find techniques to cope better, day-to-day.
A youth coach can be a brilliant next step after counselling, helping your child move forward in the right direction for them.
Youth coaching benefits
Coaching for young people and teens can be a helpful approach, whether they are experiencing difficulties or simply want to explore their potential. It is normal for both parent and child to feel overwhelmed during this time of growth and learning. There are a lot of changes happening and many “big decisions” that need to be made.
Benefits for teenagers
During any transitional point in our lives, it can be easy to lose a sense of who we are, what we are worth and where we are heading.
The transition between childhood and adulthood is fuelled by hormone imbalances, mood swings, heartbreak and bewildering bodily changes. All of these make everyday problems all the more scary and taxing.
For young people feeling overwhelmed, a youth coach can give them the chance to recognise and voice their worries. With a youth coach, teenagers can discover what is most important to them, what they really want to do, and where they want to be.
There are many things a young person feels they need to know and achieve by the time they are leaving school. You may hear your child say, “Everyone expects me to...” or “I should do this...” rather than “I want to...”. This stage of life can be a balancing act, young people are learning who they are, as well as trying to make friends, family and teachers happy.
Working with a youth coach can help a young person say, “I want to do this” confidently, proudly and without guilt.
Young people who visit a youth coach can also experience the following:
- Space and time to talk about difficult subjects, such as bullying and relationships.
- The chance to see the world from a fresh perspective.
- Goal-setting support for self-improvement.
- Guidance on how to handle and manage emotions.
- The support of an objective and non-judgemental mentor.
- Support in building confidence and social skills.
- A new sense of motivation and a boost of inspiration.
A youth coach will work with them to identify their needs and discuss their concerns. They will act as the support beside them while they jump the hurdles toward a stable future.
Benefits for parents
Youth coaching can also have many benefits from the perspective of a parent. While you’ll always want to be there for your children, sometimes, the best thing you can do is accept that in some situations, it can’t be done. The fact is that some teenagers believe certain parts of their lives need to be secret and cannot be shared with their parents.
We know this can be difficult to accept. Time goes quickly and suddenly your small, innocent child is grown up and wants to discover the world. You can’t control the things they may encounter and you may know that part of your role as a parent is to stand back and let them learn on their own.
What you can do as a parent is to ensure there are enough measures put in place to give them the best chance possible.
How can your teenager enrolling in coaching sessions benefit you as a parent?
- A youth coach can approach any subjects your child feels unable to talk about with you. Even though you may not be able to help them personally, you can rest easy knowing they have someone to talk to.
- A youth coach will help your child develop healthy ways to deal with conflict, stress and anger, which could potentially make family life easier.
- Coaching can help your child to better understand the emotions they are experiencing and how to manage them. When a child appears to lash out or react aggressively, they may be battling feelings of worry or fear. Youth coaching helps young people understand and control their confused emotions, encouraging an easier parent-child relationship.
What to expect in a youth coaching session
It is important to first discuss with your child their options and find out if they would like to consider working with a youth coach. If your child agrees, the next step is to find a youth coach that both you and your teenager trust and feel confident with.
The coach is there to help and it's important that your child builds a good rapport with the professional.
After attending an initial meeting, your teenager will be invited to attend a series of sessions. During the sessions, the youth coach will ask a selection of questions to get an idea of where any problems lie, establish what kind of attitudes and values your child holds and work out what actions are needed for them to move forward.
Child safety and protection
As a parent, you will want to be sure that the youth coach you and your teenager choose has relevant experience, training, and insurance. All youth coaches should be DBS checked (previously known as CRB) to ensure they do not have a criminal record.
Youth coaching methods
Every youth coach will have a specialised way of working. However, some common youth coaching methods include:
Journaling
Sometimes writing things down helps people express the feelings they find difficult to put into words. A youth coach might encourage clients to get into the habit of journaling their thoughts, feelings and worries instead of holding them in. The coach may also suggest other creative methods like sketching or making music if these appeal to them.
Interviewing
It sounds scary but, actually, it is just an opportunity for the young person to talk and the coach to get as much information as possible. Many youth coaches will ask carefully phrased questions designed to get the client talking. The coach will consider the young person’s responses and body language to build a strong relationship and develop a better understanding of the problem.
Games and activities
Youth coaches may use light-hearted activities and exercises to build a trusting relationship with the client. This method is often used to allow the teenager to express their concerns about subjects they find too difficult to discuss during the interview method.
Youth coaches may offer face-to-face sessions, telephone coaching or online coaching.
The main purpose of a youth coach is to give the young person the confidence to realise their potential. Through achieving this, the two will work together to devise strategies to achieve their ambitions.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about youth coaching
What does a youth coach do?
Youth coaching aims to encourage personal development in young people (usually teens or young adults, but also children) while providing guidance for their future.
With the help of a youth coach, young people can work towards developing life skills, increasing confidence, learning how to set, manage and achieve goals, as well as how to talk about difficulties or issues.
What is the role of a youth coach?
A youth coach provides guidance and mentorship to young people. Rather than giving them a set answer or ‘correct’ way of doing things, part of their role is to guide young people towards figuring out their own solutions. This helps them learn how to tackle life challenges and set their own goals and milestones.
What is adolescent coaching?
Adolescent coaching or teen coaching are two other names often used interchangeably with youth coaching or youth mentoring.
Aiming to challenge and inspire young people to discover their potential, an adolescent coach can help adolescents learn how to build their self-esteem, improve their communication skills and work on goal setting.
Where can I find a youth coach?
You can use our website to search for youth coaches that are right for you and your child. Get a short list together and look through the coaches' profiles to learn more about their work and to decide who to contact. You can then reach out directly using our website and discuss your needs.
Further resources
- Coaching for family issues
- Parent coaching
- The Mix (support for under 25s)
- Young Minds (mental health charity for children and young people)
