Have I been conned ?

RE: Have I been conned ?

Hello and welcome to HealthyPages and the Life Coaching forum 🙂

I'm sorry to learn of your disappointment with this course, and wonder if you know whether or not it's externally recognised/accredited by any of the major coaching organisations, such as the ICF (International Coaching Federation) or the ECI (European Coaching Institute)?

Holistic

RE: Have I been conned ?

If you find the course is not recognised by a major governing body, what about contacting the local Trading Standards office? My husbandcontacted TSafter he signed up fora computer course a couple of years ago - payment was up front and in full, but then the coursework turned out to be stuff copied off a different company website, and the practical work was never completed as the tutor didn't have an office!My husband didn't fork out as much as you have done, buthe did get it all back - after about 4 months of endless phone calls and letters!

RE: Have I been conned ?

Hi there,

I went with this training provideras they were advertising themselves as being founder members of the Association for coaching. I thought this would mean it was a reputable company.
I wrote to the assocation for coaching and applied to make a formal complaint. However thay have advised me that the coaching company in Bournemouth is no longer a member of the association. Since thenI have seen that the company in question has removed the statements regarding the Association for coaching membershipfrom her website.
I was wondering if there is anything elseI can do to get any money back ?I dont know what else to do...

Thanks

RE: Have I been conned ?

Thank you Jabba the hut, this inspires me to give it a go. I will investigate with Trading standards.
I have also noticed that the company in Bournemouth has taken this course offher website and replaced it with another of a similar name.
By the looks of things and I may be wrong, but thiscompany is a one man band posing as a large international company. Are there any laws against this ?
I feel so ripped off, and dont know whether to continue coach training because right nowI feel so disillusioned by it.
Is ther more to coaching than asking a client six questions ? whatother skills are required ?

RE: Have I been conned ?

I have sent you a PM.

Holistic

RE: Have I been conned ?

ORIGINAL: SSTD99

I feel so ripped off, and dont know whether to continue coach training because right nowI feel so disillusioned by it.

It's perfectly understandable that you're feeling this way, and I hope you manage a successful outcome to the present difficulty. Good advice there from Jabba, and you could also perhaps contact your local CAB.

I'd say don't give up just yet, give yourself a bit of time and do some more research. RightLife Coach posted very recently on this subject:

[link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/fb.asp?m=395357 ]http://www.healthypages.net/forum/fb.asp?m=395357[/link]

You might find it of interest to go back to the top of that thread and read it all.

He has also startedone here:

[link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/fb.asp?m=395106 ]http://www.healthypages.net/forum/fb.asp?m=395106[/link]

I'm happy to come back and answer your further question about skills etc but for now must dash off.

Best wishes

Holistic

RE: Have I been conned ?

Thanks
I have now written to the Trading standards and will see what they say.
butI am doubtful ifI will get any money back.
However I do feel that it is my dutyto do something to stop others getting ripped off in this way, and the stop the profession of coaching getting a bad name by anyone justbeing able to train coaches. Does anyone feel the same ?
Has anyoneelse had a similarexperience ?

Many Thanks

RE: Have I been conned ?

Hope you get some joy from Trading Standards. 🙂

However I do feel that it is my dutyto do something to stop others getting ripped off in this way, and the stop the profession of coaching getting a bad name by anyone justbeing able to train coaches. Does anyone feel the same ?

May I ask what you had in mind? Within the laws of slander, that is - or should that be libel? 😀

One thing that's constantly advocated, and not just for coaching either, is regulation and all that goes with it, not always a plus 😮 Although it's not immediately apparent from the first few posts, this earlier thread developed into a good discussion about regulation for coaching, with arguments for and against:

[link= http://www.healthypages.net/forum/fb.asp?m=304878 ]http://www.healthypages.net/forum/fb.asp?m=304878[/link]

I gave a load of links in one post ... some of which may now be out of date, but I haven't checked them all.

A little while ago, the Reiki forum herewas absolutely bursting at the seams with threads on the subject of proposed regulation and again, diversity of opinions as to the advantages/disadvantages.

Holistic

RE: Have I been conned ?

I'm not sure how you stand, however, if you have the documents explaining they are affiliated with the Association of Coaching and you signed up because of accreditation but this has been withdrawn, I would expect these are the grounds you need to work on. If handouts and support is poor - I 'd use this as evidence that this course does not meet the required needs. Good luck, keep us posted!

RE: Have I been conned ?

This is true,I did sign up with them because shewas alledgedlya founder member of the Association for coaching, howeversince my complaint she has removed this from her website, and the association for coaching no longer list her in their list of training providers. So nowI have no evidence.. If onlyI had takena copy of the pages from her website....
I really don't know how much further to take this, or what else I can dobut Ireally dont want anyone else to throw money down the drain likeI did. I cant believe people are are allowed to get away with this.

RE: Have I been conned ?

Have you thought of contacting the Association to see what records they have about this "company" i.e. when they were a member of the association and when that membership expired? It may be blatently shown in their records that, at the time you booked your course, the company was a member and has since ceased membership, in which case you will have better evidence.

RE: Have I been conned ?

Thanks. As yetI am waiting for a responsefrom the Association for coaching and will see what they come up with.
This whole thing is a shame reallyas it shows how a few bad apples can ruin peoples opinion of a whole profession. I was chatting to some one the other daywho had nothing to do with coaching, whenI told them of my situation they said " YeahI have heard there there are so many dodgy characters in coachingI would not even bother" This upsets me as I'm sure 99% of coaches are extremely good at what they do and make a big impact on peoples lives. Its just annoying that the good guys are being tarred with the same brush as the charlatans.

RE: Have I been conned ?

ORIGINAL: Holistic

May I ask what you had in mind? Within the laws of slander, that is - or should that be libel? 😀

Holistic

Just for clarity H, I remember which is which by 'libel is literature and slander is said'

SSTD99, if you paid for any of your course by credit card you may be able to make a claim from them, or consider an action in the small claims court, basing both on the grounds that the goods/service wasn't as described, nor fit for purpose (i.e. wouldn't have given adequate professional training to enable you to obtain practitioner's insurance)

dc

RE: Have I been conned ?

derekw

Just for clarity H, I remember which is which by 'libel is literature and slander is said'

Thanks for that, much appreciated. I shall never again forget the difference! 😉

SSTD99

Please keep us posted of any progress you are able to make.

Holistic

RE: Have I been conned ?

I don't seem to be getting very far. I havn't got a response from the Association for Coaching, and now their website seems to be down,butI am still following other avenues.
I contacted the lady from the Coach company in Bournemouth to seeif I could explain to her why the course was unsatisfactory. However she appeared to lie so many times during the conversation thatI got very frustrated.

Anyway,I am wondering if anyone can tell meor has a copy of the criteria for a diploma in life coaching please ?

Thanks

RE: Have I been conned ?

I just tried the Association of Coaching via Google, and it seems to be working OK again now:

[link= http://www.associationforcoaching.com/home/index.htm ]http://www.associationforcoaching.com/home/index.htm[/link]

There was a pop up about Java, but I ignored it.

Holistic