Access to Work -
Employee Coaching

Access to Work Funding, is funding awarded by the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) in the UK. Supporting people with disabilities, under the Equality's Act 2010 to gain access to support systems that help them retain work.

You may have recently gone through an assessment and have been awarded funding for a work coach (amongst other offerings) or be about to explore an application and are looking for more information.

You might also be an Employer, who recruits a range of employees with diverse needs and exploring how Access to Work funding (applied for by the individual staff member) could help them gain access to resources, you and your organisation currently struggle to fund.

I've worked with a range of people over the years, who access coaching either partially funded or fully funded by DWP Access to Work Fund.

This offers a great opportunity for personal development, role retention and well-being.

Coaching in Nature - In Work Support

You may have lived with a mental health condition, long term physical health condition or Neurodivergence for your whole life. Or have recently been diagnosed with this and are in the midst of how to make it all make sense.

You've either been exploring Access to Work funding or just been awarded it and are keen to find a coach that can support you with coaching and retaining your role.

If you are just starting out on your application, you'll go through an assessment with a DWP case worker to assess the help a coach could offer.

Your ATW (Access to Work) assessment and case worker will have discussed with you, how many sessions you are entitled to be funded for, and over what time period.

Please note I cannot give advice or guidance on the application process itself, please consult your case worker for help on the process.

I typically work with clients between 6-12 sessions (sometimes longer where assessed as suitable) with a focus on your personal needs in work. I tend to work with individuals who have long-term fatigue conditions (such as fibromyalgia). Speech needs like stammering. Mental Health needs like Anxiety and Depression. Or those who have received an adult diagnosis of ADHD or Autism.

My coaching is often (though not exclusively) focused on people in leadership roles. Recognising that inner leadership skills, can also support you with the confidence and resilience at work to adapt in the context of your condition/diagnosis/need.

Whilst I work with everyone differently. Below is a little more information about coaching together.

Coaching Together

I am predominantly a Nature-based coach, offering sessions from a private woodland near Ripon, North Yorkshire or as Walk & Talks across West & North Yorkshire.

I also offer some limited sessions online, where we agree this will be of benefit.

Coaching in Nature can offer the space away from the workplace, or home setting in which to gain insight, perspectives and resources.

Nature can be excellent for a range of health needs, and neurodivergence. Offering physical and mental reset (backed by science) and can help with over-stimulation or emotional dysregulation Which you might be experiencing right now.

I work holistically, which means we don't over-pathologise your diagnosis or condition. This is part of who you are, but it's not all that you are. So coaching will help you to figure out where to focus strategies to support you as the unique individual you are.

Many of the people I coach have 'hidden disabilities', which itself can feel tricky to help people understand or navigate yourself, because systems and cultures aren't always designed and delivered in your favour. Our coaching space offer you a place to be just as you are, without judgement or masking needed, to say it how it is - for you.

As your coach I offer the space to listen and be heard. Balanced with challenge and courage to help you reach your goals and feel healthier, happier and your version of successful in work and life.

Coaching helps you feel confident in being an expert of yourself. To do this I'll ask questions and help you get curious. Share techniques and resources. Help you refine meaningful goals, and actions that align to the context you live and work in, as well as sharing psychoeducation for you to increase your awareness and understanding of what works, and how to create positive change and resilience.

Hello!

Hi, I'm JK - Coach & Facilitator

Before starting my own coaching business, back in 2017. My previous roles were focused on employability and vocational skills. Way back when, I worked in a psychiatric hospital, where I set up and ran the department that helped the patients there secure meaningful work roles and experience as part of their recovery & rehabilitation. That work won the department a few awards and I spoke around the country on vocational skills and employability.

I went on to work in Leadership within the charity sector. Again managing a portfolio of projects relating to employability. Including seminal work in recruiting people with lived experience. Which contributed to Dame Carol Black's paper on the topic, for the government at the time. Continuing my opportunity to speak and write on the importance of work cultures that can help people with lived experience thrive. Creating opportunities through training, volunteering and employment that help people succeed.

My work as a coach, focuses on helping people be at their best in work and life. But recognising that as human's we often navigate light and shade in life and need skills to adapt, and evolve to find our way through the messiness.

I also work with teams and leaders to nurture regenerative cultures and workplaces, and create psychologically safe, diverse and resilient teams.

Over the years alongside my coaching and therapeutic training. I studied and practice regenerative approaches, biomimicry and ecopsychology.

These modalities all define the value of nature reconnection in long term health and also help us to see that Nature can be a mentor too. (After all its got 3.8 billion years of resilience, adaptation and health skills) This might sound a bit 'woo' but those who join me in the woods, find this very practical approach to personal development easy and helpful.

Over the year's - as a human on a frankly hurtling planet- I have my own lived experience and have found coaching - both from others and in utilising my own approaches as a way of life. Profoundly effective in thriving in a career I love. Nature has been at the core of that, and why my sessions are delivered mostly in the wild.

Learn more about me by following the button below. Or joining my mailing list for free here. Where you'll receive resources, offers and reflections twice weekly.

Our Focus Together

Whilst everyone is different, and this list will by no means cover everything I work with. Here are a few examples of how and what we might work on.

Helping you to set meaningful, realistic and impactful goals to make work easier
Practical strategies for tasks and responsibilities.
Working with a team OR working on your own.
Making sense of a new diagnosis in the context of work and life.
Helping you communicate with clearer boundaries, including help with disclosure.
Working on confidence, comparison and imposter belief.
Managing energy as well as time and tasks.
Designing work environments/culture for focus, calm and productivity.
Dealing with Grief, Loss and Traumatic experiences linked to your condition/diagnosis
Identity work around labels/diagnosis and roles.
Support to deal with feedback & conflict.
Strategies to help change beliefs, behaviours and feelings that currently hinder you/how you see yourself in the workplace.
Strategies for creativity and problem solving.
Emotional Regulation techniques for over-stimulation and dysregulating situations at work/life.
Wrap around support/signposting systems that help you stay well in wider life (Hobbies/Habits/Connections)
How to make work objectives work for you and your condition(s).
Dealing with 'difficult' people or 'triggering' situations.
Debrief & reset strategies.
Creative, Playful practices for focus & motivation.
Emotional Regulation techniques.
Strategies and approaches to return to work/phased return following time off due to flare up/ill health or work related mental health needs such as stress.

Where do we go from here?

If you'd like to explore coaching together. You'll need to book a discovery call initially, if we've never worked with each other before.

On that call/zoom we'll discuss your motivations for coaching together and I can answer any questions you might have.

I cannot give you advice or guidance on the Access to Work process, please enquire to DWP direct.

If you require a quote for my services as part of your assessment/ATW application. You can request this as part of the discovery call/follow up.

I can usually provide this within one week, subject to availability and completion of our discovery call together.

To begin coaching together, where we agree this is a great fit.

I'll share the links for the coaching registration form, coaching agreement and booking links depending on which route we've decided to take with coaching (E.G in Nature or Online)

I'll issue you an invoice for the coaching package and you can claim this via ATW system's once awarded and set up.

Want to book a discovery call and start exploring?

Follow the link below.

If we've worked together already, and you've just received ATW funding or re-funding. Please WhatsApp/Email to arrange our next steps together.

Book a Discovery