The Four Reasons We Need Standards in Youth Coaching

Written by Ali Jaffer

Ali Jaffer is the CEO of Yes Futures, dedicated to raising the standards of youth coaching so every young person receives safe, skilled and meaningful support. With over a decade’s experience in youth development, he champions clearer expectations, stronger practice and a sector-wide commitment to doing right by young people.

Youth coaching is booming. Families are looking for something different, schools are stretched, and neurodiverse young people in particular are seeking adults who understand them. This demand isn’t slowing, but the sector hasn’t kept up. The uncomfortable truth is that standards for coaching adults are often far higher than the standards for coaching children, and the mismatch is becoming difficult to ignore.

Anyone who has ever had a good coach knows how transformative it can feel: the experience of being truly listened to, challenged, and believed in. Young people deserve this too, especially those whose support networks are stretched, unstable, or non-existent. But with rising demand comes rising risk. Sally Howard’s article in the Times on youth coaching earlier this year said that child psychotherapists are describing the field as a “Wild West”. This feels very real to us. Yes Futures is taking steps to address it.

Organisations like Animas, MOE, the ICF, Coaching Catalysts and the Association for Coaching have spent years championing professional practice, ethics and reflective learning. They’ve raised the bar for adult coaching. But youth coaching is different. Supporting a 14-year-old who is masking exhaustion or navigating school anxiety requires a different lens, different boundaries and a different level of care. The sector needs standards that reflect the realities of working with adolescents.

Without youth-specific standards, safeguarding grey zones quickly appear. Coaches don’t always know when they need to escalate. Well-meaning adults drift into therapeutic territory they’re not trained for. Neurodiverse young people can be misunderstood or overwhelmed, and families are left unsure how to assess competence.

The Four Reasons We Need Standards

1. Clarity

Families deserve to know what “good” youth coaching looks like. Standards bring transparency: what training a coach has, how they work, where the limits are, and what support a young person can realistically expect. This clarity strengthens trust and helps families make informed choices.

2. Competence

Youth coaching is not “life coaching, but younger.” It demands awareness of adolescent development, neurodiversity, communication differences and emotional pacing and the humility to stay within one’s remit. Standards ensure that coaches have the skills, insight and support required to work with young people safely and effectively.

3. Credibility

If youth coaching is to grow sustainably, it needs coherence. A small number of poor-quality interventions can undermine confidence in the entire field. Agreed standards protect the credibility of youth coaching and help the sector mature in a way that is respectful, responsible and trustworthy.

4. Safety

Young people need adults who understand boundaries, escalation routes and the responsibilities that come with working with minors. Safeguarding isn’t an add-on; it’s fundamental. Without clear standards, even capable coaches can find themselves making decisions they’re not equipped for.

Where Yes Futures Stands

Yes Futures has spent twelve years working exclusively with young people. We’ve seen first-hand what thoughtful, structured coaching can unlock and we’ve seen why shared expectations matter. The training for coaches on our general programmes offer volunteer coaches a strong foundation. Our new licensed coach model goes further: deeper practice, youth-specific insight and a framework that enables coaches to work safely, confidently and consistently. It supports independent youth coaches to raise the bar for themselves, and it gives families greater clarity about the support they are choosing.

Standards aren’t about gatekeeping; they’re about recognising the responsibility of the role. Working with young people requires steadiness, humility and a commitment to learning and that’s why shared expectations are essential.

As we develop our licensed coach model, we’re inviting our community to help define what excellent youth coaching looks like, and to ensure that every young person who steps into a session receives the quality of support they deserve. This is less a rulebook and more a shared promise one we make not just to each other, but to the young people who trust us with their stories.

If you’re interested in joining our first cohort of Yes Futures Licensed Coaches, applications are open for another ten days. Apply here before 27th November 2025.