Trainers Code of Ethics

1. The purpose of this Code of Ethics and Practice is to establish and maintain standards of conduct for NLP trainers and to inform and protect members of the public seeking training in NLP, whatever the level or length of the training course. Both in the explicit training they conduct and in the examples they set, NLP trainers are in the forefront of shaping the public perception of the integrity and value of NLP.

2. Much information and learning material on NLP is available in the public domain in a variety of media and is subject to copyright and licensing rules. Much unpublished material which is the intellectual property of researchers, developers and trainers is made available to trainees participating in training courses. It is in everyone’s interest that the ownership of such intellectual property is acknowledged.

3. During an NLP training course, trainees may find themselves in a vulnerable situation where painful and potentially difficult material may be revealed which needs handling in a caring and sensitive manner. It must be made clear beforehand that the objective of the training course is learning and not ongoing personal therapy.

4. This Code of Ethics and Practice applies equally to core training staff, training assistants and visiting or occasional trainers and assessors on recognised NLP training courses. Please note that the Code of Ethics and Practice for NLP Trainers is in addition to the ANLP Members of Ethics, to which all members of ANLP agree.

ANLP Trainers Code of Ethics

1. Trainers are responsible for observing the principles embodied in this Code of Ethics and Practice and the current codes of any professional bodies of which they are members. They are responsible for introducing students to the ANLP Code of Ethics at an early stage in the training course.

2. Trainers must recognise the value and dignity of students with due regard to issues of origin, status, gender, age, beliefs, sexual orientation or disability. Trainers have a responsibility to be aware of their own issues of prejudice and stereotyping and particularly to consider ways in which this may be affecting the training relationship.

3. Trainers have a responsibility to encourage and facilitate the self-development of students.

4. Trainers are responsible for establishing and maintaining appropriate boundaries between themselves and students so that working relationships are not confused with friendship, sexual or other relationships.

5. Trainers must not exploit their students financially, sexually, emotionally or in any other way.

6. Visiting or occasional trainers on training courses must ensure that they take responsibility for any pre-existing professional or personal relationship with any member of the training group.

7. Trainers should commit themselves to continuing professional development as trainers.

8. Trainers must regularly monitor their training work and be able and willing to account to students and colleagues for what they do and why.

9. Trainers must regularly monitor and evaluate the limits of their competence as trainers by means of regular consultation with appropriately qualified and experienced colleagues.

10. Trainers have a responsibility to themselves and to their students to maintain their own effectiveness and ability to work with trainees. They are expected to monitor their own personal functioning and to seek help and/or withdraw from training, whether temporarily or permanently, when their personal resources are insufficient to support their continued effectiveness.

11. Trainers are responsible for establishing a contract for confidential working which makes explicit the responsibilities of both trainers and students.

12. Detailed information about specific students or former students may be used for publication or in meetings only with the students permission and with anonymity preserved.

13. When discussing training programmes with students, trainers are expected to avoid making disparaging remarks regarding other training organisations or trainers.

14. If trainers suspect misconduct by another trainer which cannot be resolved or remedied after discussion with the trainer concerned, they should implement the Complaints Procedure, doing so without breaches of confidentiality other than those necessary for the investigation of the complaint.

Trainers Code of Practice

1. Trainers must make basic information about the training course available to potential students, in writing and other appropriate means of communication, before the start of the course. This should include:

   a) the fees to be charged and any other expenses which may be incurred b) terms of business and cancellation policy c) the company policy for missed modules and/or training days d) basic information about the content of the course and the training methods to be used e) the qualifications of the main trainer(s) f) the number of assistants pro rata to students g) any requirements for private study, project work, group work or other meetings which students will be expected to undertake during the training h) assessment methods to be used during the course and the implications of these i) criteria for certification and arrangements for appeals should a dispute arise.

2. Trainers should encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning while ensuring that any students who may be having difficulties are identified and offered appropriate additional support.

3. Trainers must ensure that students receive regular feedback on their work and that self and peer assessment is encouraged at regular intervals.

4. Where trainer(s) need to use examples from previous work to illustrate a point to students, this must be done respectfully, briefly and anonymously. Where, to illustrate a point to students, trainers work with real issues raised by a student, this work must be done respectfully, with the students permission and with that students best interest taking higher priority than the training objective being pursued.

5. Any discussion by trainers of their students or former students with colleagues must be purposeful, not trivialising, and relevant to the training.

6. Trainers should ensure that students are given the opportunity to discuss with them their experiences of the course and invited to evaluate it individually according to a planned programme.

7. Trainers must not use in their training or caused to be used any licensed material for which they have not fulfilled all the licence conditions.

8. Should it become necessary for any reason to cancel or postpone all or parts of a scheduled course on which students are enrolled, trainers are to ensure that those students are given reasonable notice of the cancellation or postponement and are offered and promptly paid a refund of fees as appropriate.

9. Trainers must take care when promoting their further training offerings to students during a course that the students perceive the timing and nature of the promotion as being in their genuine interests.

10. Where difficulties between trainer and student or between trainers and assistants cannot be resolved, the trainer(s) must consult with and where appropriate, refer to an independent outsider. 

Download a PDF Version - Trainers Code of Ethics