Standards and Accredited Training Programs
HWC Approved Programs and recognised standards
The health coaching industry is developing rapidly and competitively. This is especially good news where increased behaviour change science and research support greater rigor in standards that strengthen the credibility and confidence of health & wellness coaches across global communities.
In 2023 the HCANZA Board of Directors approved an updated program approval standard that specifically responds to and addresses the unique needs of the healthcare models within Australia & New Zealand. We will continually work in collaboration with research institutions, the governments who are developing public healthcare policy, the private sector and academic institutions to ensure our standards are responding to the needs of the profession.
Click here for the information on the new and other documents.
Science-based core competencies and task analysis in health and wellness coaching is at the heart of any of the HCANZA Approved Programs (HWC- AP) and HCANZA Approved Program Providers (HCANZA APP)
HCANZA also recognises some international program providers that meet the standards for similar industry associations in the USA (NBHWC) and the United Kingdom (UKIHCA) completion and graduation from any one of the listed international programs may allow you to be eligible to be an HCANZA Accredited Coach (HCANZA-AC).
Click here for the Quick Reference Guide Membership Levels and Eligibility, a summary of the ways of obtaining membership levels and making an application.
Other Program Provider Pathways
We accept applications from other international program providers who would like their graduates to be eligible for HCANZA Accredited Coach membership. Where a program provider can demonstrate that their program contains appropriate core competencies and training methodologies, including synchronous training, to the HCANZA standard, it will be considered for inclusion in the approved program provider.
Relevant criteria:
- Number of training hours is a minimum of 110 hours with 40 coaching skills training hours being delivered as synchronous training
- Coaching competencies are fully covered in the curriculum (of which 60 hours must cover Coaching Structure, Coaching Process and Legal and Ethical competencies)
- The facilitators of the 60 hours above are qualified in health and wellness coaching from a program that also meets the above criteria, with a history of a minimum of two years (minimum 200 hours) experience in coaching clients themselves.
- The program includes information on current relevant guidelines around healthy lifestyle and chronic lifestyle-related illness for a minimum of 50 hours.
- It has been recognised as being of a standard accepted by a relevant and reputable professional external body which falls outside the coaching world but is concerned with standards around health and wellness (e.g. professional medical associations such as the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners)
- Practical assessment of coaching skills (pass/fail) by an experienced health and wellness coach faculty supervisor
