Submitted by Hiromi Fujii, ACC
ICF Japan Chapter

The ICF Japan Chapter has created a platform to provide pro bono coaching to individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goals of the pro bono coaching project was to enrich people’s lives, create a prosperous society, and build a peaceful world. 

The first round of pro bono coaching was provided for three months from May to July 2020 by 14 coaches from the Directors and Committee Members of the ICF Japan Chapter. The project was announced through the Chapter’s Facebook account and the information was spread via SNS and word of mouth. It reached maximum capacity within three weeks which was much earlier than expected and coaching sessions were provided to 168 individuals in total.

 Through the experiences of the first round, the Chapter has decided to expand the pro bono coaching project and made a public invitation to ICF-Credentialed coaches to participate in a one-year project starting from September 2020 as the second round. Twenty-five coaches have participated and provided coaching sessions to 392 individuals during the one-year project ending in August 2021. The coaches reached great confidence about the power of coaching and appreciated the once-in-a-lifetime encounter through the pro bono coaching experiences. The Chapter is currently considering a third round. In order to continue this pro bono coaching project, the Chapter is seeking a better operating system and marketing approach so that coaching would reach more people in need.