What this life looks like
You help people become who they are capable of being. Life Skills Coaches work with individuals or groups to develop the practical and interpersonal competencies that make a meaningful, purposeful life possible — financial literacy, goal-setting, emotional regulation, communication, self-confidence, and resilience. In Africa, where millions of young people are navigating poverty, unemployment, and rapid social change with minimal support, life skills coaching is a transformative intervention.
What she actually does
You assess the development needs and goals of your clients, design and facilitate life skills workshops and group programmes, conduct individual coaching sessions, create workbooks and programme materials, help participants practise and apply skills in their real lives, evaluate programme impact, and work across school, NGO, corporate, and community settings. Life skills coaches often specialise in youth, women's empowerment, or workplace programmes.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Youth NGOs | loveLife (SA), Restless Development Africa, Youth Employment Service (SA), YouthBuild Africa |
| Government | Youth development departments, community development programmes, technical vocational colleges |
| Corporates | Employee wellbeing programmes, graduate development programmes, workplace life skills training |
| Independent Practice | Many life skills coaches build independent practices serving individuals, schools, and community groups |
Why it matters in Africa
Research consistently shows that life skills — self-awareness, communication, problem-solving, emotional intelligence — are as important as academic qualifications for employment and social success. African youth in particular need these skills to navigate a challenging job market, build healthy relationships, and exercise their agency. Programs like loveLife (SA), Generation, and the African Development Bank's youth employability initiatives are all built around life skills development.
Your pathway in
- Study Psychology, Education, Social Work, or Human Development — or build skills through life coaching certification programmes
- Pursue accreditation through the International Coach Federation (ICF) — the globally recognised professional standard for coaches
- Develop facilitation skills through practice: facilitating groups is a distinct and learnable skill
- Build deep knowledge of the specific contexts of your clients — youth unemployment, women's empowerment, or workforce readiness each require specialised knowledge
- Connect with the African Association of Life Coaches or similar continental professional bodies
Skills you will need
- Life skills facilitation
- Individual coaching
- Programme design
- Empathy and active listening
- Group dynamics management
- Impact measurement
A woman in this field
Leymah Gbowee
Liberia
Leymah is a Liberian peace activist, social worker, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who led the Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace movement — mobilising women across Liberia to end the Second Liberian Civil War through nonviolent protest. Her life's work is built on developing the collective life skills — courage, solidarity, communication, and political agency — of women who were told they had none. Her memoir 'Mighty Be Our Powers' and her Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa's work demonstrate what life skills development at community scale can achieve.
Take your first step
- Research the International Coach Federation (ICF) at coachingfederation.org — they are the global professional body for coaches and their resources explain the competencies of effective life coaching
- Design a 60-minute life skills workshop on a theme that matters to your community — goal-setting, financial literacy, or communication — and deliver it to willing participants
- Study loveLife South Africa at lovelife.org.za — they run Africa's most established youth life skills programme and their approach has been extensively researched and evaluated
- Read 'Emotional Intelligence' by Daniel Goleman — it is the foundational text on the emotional and interpersonal competencies that life skills coaching aims to develop