As a Parent Gym Coach, you navigate a group of up to 20 mums and dads through an action-packed workshop without them feeling hurried, worried or ignored. This is why volunteer coaches tend to have plenty of experience leading group discussions whether as a facilitator, presenter, chair or trainer.

We are now recruiting coaches in London, Leeds, Bradford, Manchester and Brighton & Hove. Supporting parents to consider changes in their behaviour which will affect children's lives is a task we think is worth getting right. We hope you agree.

Improving the lives of children and parents

A chance to change the lives of parents for years to come so they give the next generation the best possible start in life.

World class training

Free three-day training programme for all volunteers who pass the tryout. In it you will be introduced to the five disciplines of a Parent Gym Coach: Credibility, Affinity, Spirit, Navigation and Individual focus, as well as encouraged to engage with the content of the material fully. This is based on The Mind Gym’s world class Academy that has been running successfully for a decade.

Parenting tips

It can be a refreshing, invigorating and thoroughly enjoyable experience to share parenting stories with other parents, as well as reading the tips in the fun magazines.

Stepping stone back to work

The short hours of the Parent Gym programme makes it an ideal stepping stone back to work after time away, and can help develop skills for a career change.

The ideal Parent Gym coach

• Is a Mum or Dad with kids over 3 years old.
• Has some teaching, coaching or group facilitation experience.
• Has worked in a leadership role.
• Has a keen interest in helping other parents learn useful skills and feel more confident.
• Is currently either not working/ working part time/ is an independent consultant and so is able to commit to delivering a session for free one morning a week on the same day for seven consecutive weeks (during term time). OR has the support of their employer to take time off as part of their commitment to the community
• Has empathy, confidence and relates well to people from different socio-economic backgrounds.
• Has a facilitative style.

Typical candidates will be

• Parent returning to work.
• Parent wanting to upgrade their presentation & facilitation skills.
• Parent looking for a career change.
• Parent wishing to give something back.
• Parents taking a Master's or PhD in counselling, coaching or teaching, who need to gain practical experience.

Parent Gym coaches facilitate sessions on a pro-bono basis. All travel costs and necessary expenses will be reimbursed.

Following a three-day academy of training, we ask our coaches to commit to running three Parent Gym programmes within 18 months. (Each programme consists of six two-hour sessions, delivered once a week over a school term).

Applicants for this role will be subject to a criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Our policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders will be made available at the start of the recruitment process.