Community of Practice Guidance - Positive Psychology Guild

What is a Community of Practice (COP)?

A COP is a group that enables practitioners to meet regularly to support their professional development in a safe, confidential space by facilitating learning, Continuing Professional Development (CPD), networking and support.

Although the COP is not the same as supervision, it allows peers to share experiences and challenges experienced as part of their practice and access feedback, different perspectives, affirmation, and support. It promotes best reflective practice to enhance the quality of service to clients and learning and self-care for the practitioner.

A COP can be organised around fields of practice (e.g. coaching, training, facilitation, research), areas of subject expertise (strengths, resilience, authenticity, positive emotions) or domains of practice (e.g. working with businesses, education, mental health). The exact nature and size of the group may be influenced by how it is organised.

Groups can be closed. That is, have a fixed, committed membership, where ongoing conversations and relationships are an important part of the dynamic, such as groups of coaches or counsellors who may discuss ethical and client issues. In such groups, the practitioner should make their clients aware during the contracting stage that they attend a COP where their general practice experiences may be discussed and that this will not compromise client confidentiality.

Some groups may choose to be open. That is, exact membership in terms of numbers and participants may vary according to interest; this would generally be applicable for COPs arranged around subject expertise. For example, a group organised around an interest in neuroscience may be happy to have a larger number of members (perhaps up to 20) and feel comfortable with members attending meetings in a less committed manner according to the topic for the meeting. Client confidentiality should be respected at all times.

Questions to consider when developing your group:

What is the focus of your group?
What is the purpose of your group?
Who is your group leader? What are their responsibilities?
What are your aims and objectives?
Is your group open or closed?
How many members would you ideally like in your group?
When do you meet? How often and for how long? “Where” do you meet? Is your meeting in a regular slot or variable? How far in advance do you set meeting dates?
What commitment do you expect from group members in terms of attendance and participation?
How is your meeting structured? Who chairs, sets the agenda etc? (These things can be flexible and change over time as agreed).
Are there any costs associated with your group? How will these be met?
What is the procedure for admitting new members to your group?
What are your group values (e.g. confidentiality, inclusivity, commitment to evidence-based practice, ethical practice, and CPD)? Are these consistent with the Positive Psychology Guild (PPG) Professional Guidelines for Positive Psychology Practitioners and its Code of Conduct? Are you practicing safely as a group with respect for all group members?
How will you communicate with each other?
How will you address any conflicts?

Suggested Aims of a Community of Practice

To create a supportive, reflective group where individuals can develop their practice.
To promote the application of the PP Guild ethical standards and guidelines for practitioners. To allow members to discuss the practicalities and issues around implementation of these with peers in a safe environment and gain feedback.
To provide the opportunity for connection, learning and discussion with peers facilitating new perspectives and CPD.
To encourage participation in and support for research projects and discussion of new research findings.
To promote networking with peers.
To support practitioner wellbeing.
To help craft a plan for ongoing professional progress.

Further Guidance

If you need any points in this document clarifying or require support in translating this document into practice, please contact: membership@ppnetwork.org

Please also refer to the below documents as a minimum standard when setting up your COP:

PPG Professional Guidelines for Positive Psychology Practitioners – this document includes the definition of key terms and references for practicing Positive Psychology and a Code of Ethics that includes subjects such as client confidentiality, maintenance of client records, resilience, and wellbeing. It is updated on an annual basis to reflect emerging standards and best practices.

PPG Safe Practice Guidance – this document covers the practitioner’s scope and philosophy of practice, and the importance of ongoing reflective practice. It also addresses safeguarding, risk assessment, how to refer a client whose needs exceed the scope of your practice. This document is also updated on an annual basis to reflect emerging standards and best practices.