These are the permanent criteria for virtual training to be recognised for ANLP membership from now on, because the Covid-19 pandemic created a ‘new normal’ where many NLP trainers had to move their training courses to a virtual environment.

These criteria recognise that virtual live training is still very different to simply doing ‘online' training!

ANLP rules on membership requirements have not changed. A Practitioner Training still requires a minimum of 50 hours 'synchronous face to face'training – it is the definition of what constitutes ‘synchronous face to face’ that has changed, which is reflected in the criteria.

For a virtual training to be considered acceptable for ANLP membership or ANLP Accreditation, the following criteria must be met:

Virtual Training Criteria

• The training is delivered live (i.e. not a recording)
• Students must attend the training live, ie as it is being delivered (this is known as synchronous training ie both trainers and students attend live)
• The training should include all the usual elements it would include if it were being delivered in situ e.g. demos, Q&A sessions, practice
• There are opportunities for students to practice and be observed practicing in small groups eg by using breakout rooms
• The Student:Assistant ratio must be sufficient to ensure that adequate supervision of students can be maintained at all times.  
• The trainer must observe every student practicing in a live, interactive situation as part of their certification assessment. [It is insufficient to simply assess student recordings, written work or case studies without any live observation of student practice.]
• The trainer must provide sufficient support for students, to compensate for the fact they are not in the same room as the trainer. ‘Sufficient support’ can include:
  • Recording the training sessions so students can revisit the session later
  • Leaving the chat room open during breaks so students can interact with each other and the trainers/assistants
  • Hosting additional ‘informal’ sessions eg coffee break chats or evening gatherings
  • Providing opportunities for students to raise follow up questions with the trainer
  • Consider introducing virtual training 'rules' for students to ensure congruent attendance eg camera on, quiet space, minimal interruptions
• Ensure any certificates issued include a reference to the training being virtual or part virtual**
• Check with your insurance company to ensure you are covered for virtual training and coaching.

Ecology Checks Required

• Ensure potential students are adequately pre-screened to ascertain their suitability for training in a virtual environment - pre-screening questionnaires are available in the Business Templates section of the Members Area
• Ensure sufficient pre-framing is done prior to the course commencing.
• Provide pre course materials (which can include videos and pre-recorded materials) so the students have some knowledge embedded before they meet in the virtual training environment for the first time.
• Ensure all demos and practice sessions deal with ‘surface level’ presenting challenges, rather than deep level ie deal with challenges that would score 3/10 rather than 9/10, to ensure the safety of students in an environment that is not as easy to control as a live, in situ training would be - No traumatic history may be worked upon during a virtual training, either for demo or practice purposes.
• There must be due consideration for certain elements of the course, that require the training to be adapted for a virtual environment e.g. specific Time Line work, kinaesthetic anchors, re-inprinting – if there are any concerns, consider offering these elements as follow up courses*.
• When considering in person follow up courses, any in person elements must adhere to current government guidelines to ensure the safety of all participants.

These criteria, published on 12th June 2020, permanently replace the temporary guidelines introduced in March 2020.  

*A follow up face to face element is best practice rather than a requirement because the depth of experience is not always the same in a virtual setting. As Practitioner courses can range so widely from a full on ‘personal transformation’ experience to a ‘practical toolkit’ approach, it was a challenge for ANLP to find middle ground that would cover all bases. There is, therefore, an element of trust involved, in that our trainer members will follow best practice for the style of course they are delivering.

**this requirement does not apply to any certificate issued by an ANLP Accredited Trainer, which includes an ANLP seal.