Whydev and Development Crossroads, are launching a peer coaching matching service. The idea is that young professionals, graduate students, and others starting out in international development could benefit from peer coaching. So the two organizations are collaborating to develop a matching service.
Why peer coaching? According to whydev, “If you have worked in international development, you have probably experienced isolation. It seems to be a fact of life in this industry. Field-based expat staff may be the only person at their level in their local office, or the only expat on the team (or one of very few), separated from their local staff counterparts by cultural, language, and organisational barriers. Even people working in the home office may feel isolated. Perhaps they don’t feel comfortable sharing their struggles with their boss. Or maybe the boss him/herself is the problem.”
When you’re having work issues, you tend to unload them on those closest to you, and this can cause additional stress. Peer coaching offers a way to discuss and vent about these issues, taking some strain off of your close relationships.
“While not trained as a coach, [a peer coach] is willing to coach you according to a simple (yet effective) peer coaching model. This involves actively listening without judgment, reflecting back what he/she is hearing, asking probing questions, and helping you generate concrete action steps to move you forward.”
In order to design a peer coaching service that meets people’s needs, whydev and Development Crossroads are looking for some input.
“Would you want a peer coach? What would you like to get out of such a relationship? How often would you keep in touch? How much input and oversight would you want from us? These are the type of questions we would love to get your thoughts on.”
Head on over to whydev’s site to learn more about peer coaching and give your input through a quick survey!
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