If you think you understand a problem, make sure you are not deceiving yourself.
Albert Einstein to Reg Revans
Accrediting Managers in the 21st Century
Action Learning Facilitation Accreditation (ALFA) is an innovative and ground-breaking programme and qualification is designed for those passionate about guiding their teams and organisations through collaborative learning experiences that lead to real, actionable outcomes at the level of self, team, organisation, and society.
What is action learning?
Action learning empowers organisations to thrive in an uncertain world by equipping leaders and teams with the tools to excel. Our action learning programmes tackle critical business and societal challenges through experiential peer-to-peer learning. Designed to drive measurable results, we focus on developing the essential human-centred skills and actionable strategies in the flow of action on live business challenges, helping individuals and teams to succeed and collaborate in today’s fast-paced and uncertain world. ALFA is based on a proven business focused approach to action learning, the Action Learning Question method.
The programme consists of 12 participants per cohort, split into two Action Learning Sets of six colleagues. Participants will take part in four one-day workshops over eight months with personal coaching and peer action learning sets to support your learning journey.
How is the programme structured?
Module 1 – Action Learning Facilitator Question (40 credits postgraduate level 7) – 6 Months
Following the Action Learning Question process participants scope, research action and reflect on their learning based on a real work-based facilitation challenge opportunity. There are 4 one day workshops, action learning set meetings, and personal coaching support. Participants complete self-study, including work-based activities and reading, working up to a final presentation of their learning journey. A portfolio of learning including a plan for ongoing Continuing Professional Development is submitted as evidence for assessment.
Module 2 – Self as an Instrument of Change (20 credits) – 2 months
The programme is run in collaboration with York St John University London and includes two one day workshops hosted at the Docklands based London campus. This includes a self-diagnostic and development of coaching capability. This module is assessed through submission of a written account of learning and updated portfolio.
Graduation
On completion of the ALFA programme successful participants will graduate with the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Action Learning Facilitation from York St John University. 2026 graduation ceremony will be held in London Guildhall.
What will you learn?
Expert-Led Learning: Learn from expert facilitators with extensive experience in action learning.
Practical Application: Work on live projects and gain skills you can immediately apply in your role.
Leadership Development: Enhance your ability to lead teams and drive meaningful change in your organisation.
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ALFA Modules
Principles
- Context and basis of Action Learning (AL)
- Working with different learning styles preferences
- How AL contributes to individual and organizational development
- The 3 key roles that make AL sustainable
- Establishing the Action Learning Set for success
- The Action Learning Question (ALQ) system
Facilitating
- Develop set facilitation skills, coaching style questions and co-consulting
- Strategies to manage challenging situations
- Applying a range of intervention methods
- Useful problem-solving tools Knowledge Mapping process – where theory meets practice and goes underground.
Impact
- Supporting the role of emotion in AL
- Consider the organisational/systemic impact
- Systemic failure – can AL prevent this?
- Coaching skills for AL
- Supporting EDI through AL experiences
- Enabling personal, team and organisational change.
Reflection
- Overcoming inertia – helping others to take action
- Working with vulnerability in Action Learning Sets
- Creating a well-articulated account of your learning journey as an Action Learning Facilitator
- Meeting the criteria as a qualified Action Learning Facilitator
Sponsor and Participant Views
“Action Learning is a terrific tool to help us make our work more effective and more rewarding, and the ALFA programme helps build our Action Learning skills while delivering important programmes. ALFA has supported our strategy development process and helped bring together colleagues to work on important questions – combining learning with doing. I highly recommend it!”
Executive Chair and ALFA sponsor
"I work within the Data Research Strategic Hub as an Operations Manager, and having recently moved into this new role I joined the ALFA for professional development and to assist in further strategic development of the programme as it grows. This programme is continuing to develop my facilitation skills, and I plan on using the principles I am learning within my role and programme to develop effectivity and productivity."
Operations Manager
Meet the Facilitators
Dr Alex Morgan
Executive coach, accredited Action Learning Facilitator, Action Researcher and Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Masters degree and Doctorate were completed using Action Learning and Action Research methodologies.
Research has focused on inclusion and belonging in international teams, an interest fuelled by running a language and intercultural training school. Was introduced to Action Learning whilst working in the NHS and worked alongside Dr Richard Hale in introducing AL to large organizations to support the development of leaders in business and the public sector.
Alex is engaged by UKRI as an executive coach and Action Learning Facilitator on the core leadership programmes and consults to UKRI Councils.
Dr Richard Hale
Action learning thought leader and practitioner with early career in industry in HR, learning and development roles with GEC Marconi Avionics and BSkyB. Richard introduced action learning to scientific and research community leadership at UK Research and Innovation including evidenced impact review.
Doctoral supervisor Ashridge Hult Executive Doctorate in Organizational Change. External Examiner, Irish Management Institute, MSc in Management Practice.Qualified Higher Education tutor, Fellow of CIPD, Masters in Work Based Learning. Doctoral research into the dynamics of coaching and mentoring relationships supervised by Prof Alan Mumford.
Creator of the Action Learning Question methodology. Consulting and leadership development career over 30 years in UK, Europe, Africa, Australia and USA. Author of several books and articles in the field of action learning, leadership and personal skills.
Requirements:
You will come to the programme with a real opportunity to use the Action Learning approach in your work and organisation.
You will need to prioritise the workshop and ALS sessions in your diary to ensure full participation.
The programme is pitched at postgraduate level and requires completion of the ALQ Journal/Portfolio. Reasonable adjustments will be made to support participants with specific learning difficulties.
Prior qualifications are not a pre-requisite however you will have professional experience and may have qualifications in fields such as Leadership, Learning & Development, Organization Development, Change Management, Programme/Project Management, HRD.
To discuss your interest in the ALFA programme in the first instance contact Richard Hale or Alex Morgan.
