Accepted and confirmed at the General assembly 12 in Temisoara, 18.-19.10.2008

Standards for becoming a supervisor

1. Introduction

In the various European countries training programs becoming a supervisor are as different as the profile of supervision in the national associations of supervision in Europe.

Although there are existing national standards for these training programs, training institutes give always their own imprint following their preferred concept and theoretical background.

So the context of the training programs, the guidelines for these training programs, the cultural elements, the national and the legal requirements for continued professional training in general, is influencing the development of standards in the respective associations.

Last but not least, the discussion about quality assurance and quality control in supervision and training programs on becoming a supervisor, is not the same in all the national associations. The phenomenon of postgraduate training in their countries is different as well.

The recent development establishing master studies on supervision (and coaching) will have also a great impact on the programs offered until now.

2. Unification of the content of standards and checking standards by ANSE is not possible

Therefore, a material unification of standards and a checking and control of the realised content of standards by ANSE is not realistic. This applies also to the development of a common structure for these training programs.

If we take multicultural phenomena and diversity seriously, we just need an agreement on minimal standards and on aspects of professional development, to have a certain orientation at our disposal. Above all we need a professional exchange of information, dialogue and discussion.

3. Framework for a training program

More or less common elements for a training becoming a supervisor, are:

1. A training to become a supervisor is a long term postgraduate training.

2. The method of training contains experiential learning (‘action learning’ and ‘concurrent learning’: training in combination with real practice) and is based on a concept of "teaching and learning". Therefore the curriculum is integrating the following elements:

   • learning experiences corresponding to individual supervision, group supervision, team supervision/ team development and supervision in/with organisations;

   • learning the new role of supervisor in applying different forms of supervision in practice (learning supervision);

   • reflection on and conceptualisation of the own practice by taking supervision-on-supervision

3. The training is based on a recognizable theoretical concept, which considers that supervision:

   • is a form of integrated personal and social learning focusing on realising the professional role in a more competent way.

   • integrates the dynamics of person – professional role – field/organisation.

So the content of the curriculum implicates:

• professional dynamics;

• field dynamics;

• dynamics of relationship

• dynamics of organisations.

4. A training becoming a supervisor intends developing and enlarging the competence of the participants and is focusing on the development of personal competence (introspections, personal development, learning to fulfil the professional role), competence in working with groups and teams, intercultural competence, field competence and competence on professionalisation, action competence, and organisational competence.

5. A training to become a supervisor is composed of different parts which take place in different settings. Essential principles are:

   • Intertwining content and process;

   • Intertwining theory and practice;

   • Reflective activities;

   • Continued active participation in a learning group;

   • Self-directed learning;

   • Co-responsibility of participants for the training program.

4. Principles of professionalisation as guiding framework

The development of concepts on training programs becoming a supervisor, and the development of supervision in the various European countries, is supported by the following characteristics of professionalisation, which have to be reflected on critically by the national associations and their accredited programs becoming a supervisor:

• Societal and educational-political conditions;

• The disposal of theory on supervision, inclusive theory on supervisory methodology;

• The disposal of defined concept(s) of supervision;

• Ethical code for supervisors;

• Analysis of market-demands and employment for supervisors;

• Criteria of quality, quality assurance, quality control and quality development;

• Demarcation and overlaps to other forms of counselling-consultancy.

5. Minimal formal standards of an educational program becoming a supervisor

A. Conditions for entrance in the educational program on supervision
1. Pre-education (level and diploma)	- (professional) university / or proven equivalent - humanities / social sciences or documented equivalent
2. Length of experience in professional work after finishing the education under 2.	4 years al least
3. Continued Education	Documented participation on various activities in different groups and settings and in longer processes (60 – 300 training hours)
4. Experience as supervisee	Documented 30 – 60 training hours: Participation in different forms of supervision and coaching (dyad; triad; group) (Recommendation in written of a supervisor)
B. The supervisory educational program
1. Duration of the program	At least 2 years.
2. Number of contact hours (exclusive 3. + 4.)	300 - 375 training hours
3. Praxis as learning supervisor (learning supervision)	At least 45 hours (in individual as well as in group setting)
4. Participation at supervision-on-supervision	At least 35 training hours (one series in individual setting, a second series in a group setting)
5. Thesis	Demonstration the integration of main aspects of theory of supervision and own supervisory practice
6. Colloquium	Demonstrating communication skills concerning the own thesis
7. Certificate	Registered by the national association for supervision.