Welcome to the NW Coaches Association!

Dear new NWCA member,

On behalf of the entire leadership team and the membership of the NW Coaches Association, welcome to the chapter!

We are delighted to welcome you to our supportive community of coaches, and looking forward to the opportunities for growth which we will create together in the coming year.

The NWCA is the Portland, Oregon/SW Washington chapter of the International Coach Federation (ICF, www.coachfederation.com). In alignment with the ICF, and in response to the needs of our member coaches, we are committed to advancing both the mission and purpose of the coaching profession and individual coaches.

Our chapter mission is to promote awareness of the coaching profession, provide practice development support for our members, and cultivate a community of professional coaches. Your active participation and support is both expected and welcome, so please do plan to become involved in our chapter activities.

Here is a list of things you need to know about your membership:

Monthly Meetings
Our chapter meets on the second Tuesday of every month, and as a member, you may attend the meetings at no charge (guests are charged $15).  The NWCA main meeting runs from 7:15 p.m. - 9 p.m., and pre-meeting workshops (often led by members) are held from 5:45 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.  All meetings except our December meeting are open to the public. Our meetings are held at the Scottish Rite Center, 709 SW 15th Avenue, Portland OR 97205, 503-226-7827.

All members have personal folders in which name badges are stored. You will find yours on the welcome table in the large file boxes.  Your membership name badge should be ready for you the month following your enrollment. If it is not, please email the Membership Director.

Members are welcome to bring marketing materials such business cards and flyers to the meetings, and may display them on the member table.  Please take any remaining materials with you when you leave so that they are not thrown away.

Getting Involved
Attending the meetings, joining committees, and connecting with other members is the best way to get full value from your membership. While most of us will not find clients at the meetings, many of us find other coaches to refer to (and receive referrals from), as well as like-minded partners for business ventures.

Member Communications
The NWCA electronic newsletter is published monthly, and contains reports from the leadership team, as well as information on meetings and other chapter-related news.  Your name is added to the mailing list when you enroll, so you should receive the newsletter as well as the meeting reminder every month. If you do not receive either, send an email to Help@NWCoaches.org to let our admin know.

We have a Yahoo group that you may join as a member to connect with other members. This is a private unmoderated group, open to NWCA members. If you have not yet received your invitation to join the group, go to http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/NWCoachesAssn to request access.

Website
Your membership entitles you to a personal page on the NW website at www.NWCoaches.org.  All the pages are formatted the same, and our chapter admin will be in touch with you to gather your information, if you have not already submitted your details using the web form. Much of our traffic is generated through the ICF national site, and so having your name, photo, contact information, and practice specialties listed is important if you wish to take advantage of this opportunity.

You may also submit an article for publication on the website.  Simply send your article in plain text format as an attachment to Help@nwcoaches.org with "article for NWCA website" in the subject line.

Membership Renewal
Your membership runs for 12 consecutive months (on a rolling year), which means that your membership renewal date is 12 months from your enrollment date. You will receive a reminder by email 30 days before your renewal date, as well as a second reminder immediately before your membership expires.

NWCA Administrative Support: Help@NWCoaches.org
NWCA Leadership: http://www.nwcoaches.org/leadership_team
NWCA website: http://www.nwcoaches.org
ICF website: http://www.coachfederation.com/ICF