Team and workplace well-being & DEVELOPMENT in nature for healthier, happier workplaces
Cultivating organisations & teams that flow with life, NOT AGAINST IT!
Ask any leader, team member or board if a healthy team is important to the business, and you hope the majority would say yes.
But the challenge for so many organisations, is that our systems and approaches have been designed for excess, extraction and profit.
To keep going, even when things feel depleted. Often at the cost of health and well-being.
Even Voluntary, Charity, Purpose Led and Social Impact organisations, with good intentions and strong moral cause are feeling the pressures of these system tensions.
Facing the additional challenges of limited or limiting resources, inconsistent funding, constant change, expanding demands and expectations. Alongside the growing needs of the communities and causes you serve.
I used to be a senior leader in this sector, so I understand the tensions between how you’d like to operate and what ends up happening.
Struggling to avoid depletion, and with little time to pause and recognise the amazing work you continue to do, despite the current often flowing against you.
As a leader, you yourself might be torn between your deliverables and the spaciousness and creativity you’d long to make to lead the team dynamically.
You have staff members with diverse needs and skills, whose values and commitment to work might often lead to over-working and risk of burnout. Or who never get a chance to truly see, reflect on or grow from their impact.
And you're definitely running on a 'do as I say, not as I do' approach to team well-being when it comes to your own balance, and this can lead to a feeling of incongruence within that saps energy as well.
Things are always changing and with that comes the ebs and flows of team well-being.
But it's not all bad. What you do, what you stand for is remarkable and the world needs you and your organisation.
So the question might be, "What's within my capacity to change, to make work 'work' in closer alignment with a healthier, less frantic or depleted culture. To make small, significant and simple solutions that have bigger impact and reward.
And that's where we can explore together!
I work with organisations that give a sh*t about the world, about your teams, about impact.
But if you had a quiet, honest moment with yourself. You’d also share that finding balance can be tricky. And finding time, well that feels like an impossibility.
Whether your team is super cohesive, or you are feeling a little tired, disconnected and strained with each other.
I help organisations explore culture and impact in a way that is holds aspiration and realism within our focus.
Not just another ‘nice day out’ only to ponder on how the hell you make any change beyond that.
Our work together is a place to get curious about the how and we aim to do that differently and leave with greater awareness, clearer direction and the energy to bring actions to life. What ever that might mean for you.
Ways I work with workplaces
Cultivating healthier, better connected workplace cultures.
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Team/Organisational Away Days
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Leadership Programme(s)
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Regenerative Leadership Consultancy
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Leadership & Business Owner Coaching & Retreats
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Employee Well-being & Personal Development Coaching
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Partnership Facilitation - Forums for partnership working
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Access to work funded Coaching for employees
A Regenerative Approach
I’ve been working with Nature as part of my business since 2019 now. I’d even say its a co-facilitator in our sessions. This is intrinsic to doing things differently. It’s nothing new, cultures around the globe have designed their communities, workforce and lifestyles in cohesion with the natural world for centuries. But us humans, in the West, have forgotten why and how this is important to the resilience of our organisational futures & abundance.
Put simply, a regenerative organisation doesn’t design itself to extract or over-stretch thresholds.
It aligns itself with the principles of life. Just as the natural world has been doing for 3.8 Billion Years. We can learn these concepts back for ourselves, our teams and our businesses without things having to feel all ‘woo’ and unattainable for your team. This is inner and outer work, facilitated through frameworks, conversations, activities and Nature connection.
Sharing these concepts with teams for years now, the ideas are easy to explore. Some realise how natural this aspects of alignment to life actually can be.
Soon you’ll understand that your team, the work you do, your leadership and organisation are interconnected ‘ecosystems’ and this ecosystem approach helps to gain clarity on how and where you can create impact for your organisation or team. Being Regenerative isn't just about the direction you wish to take your workplace culture or organisation. It's a way of being too, and you'll learn how when we collaborate.
The benefits of Nature for human health
Nature isn’t just a co-facilitator. Time in and alongside Nature holds a whole host of mental and physical health benefits for you and your team. Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan) supports evidence that our bodies and stress levels can reset after just 15 minutes in Nature.
These neurological shifts can also help me, as with facilitation and be vastly beneficial to your teams development experience. Through time in and with Nature, team members benefit from easier access to creative and innovative parts of their mind, to help with problem solving and resolution. The calming benefits support focus, cognitive focusing and learning, and for those who need a regular emotional reset it can offer a space to move and regulate your bodies needs, with plenty of fresh air to energise too.
Team’s I’ve worked with value how elements of playfulness, connection, wonder and awe can help enhance the experience.
Nature is also a place where resilience is common place, and an Ecopsychological approach supports the idea that it can help us relate and process tougher emotions. Really useful when exploring inner challenges or team tensions., With examples of challenge, growth and hardship observed within our wild settings, offering other ways to express through metaphor and observation.
A Wilder Approach
I work with teams, organisations and leaders who are open & ready for adventurous, courageous and curious growth and development.
As an integrative coach I weave dynamic approaches, as diverse as your teams. With experience of facilitating and coaching teams both indoors and in Nature. I saw the impact this wilder approach can make on everything from engagement, collaboration, innovation and solution focused mindsets.
And because I want you to get the best investment, 90% of my work with teams is now aligned with Nature. Delivered from a private woodland I lease in Ripon, North Yorkshire (that offers teams a balance of comfort and wilderness) to travelling to Nature spaces near you, to meet in the wild together.
Because, just as the name implies. I believe Nature is Where the Mind Grows!
Team Away Days and Regenerative Well-Being approaches aren’t just about having a ‘nice time’ (though hopefully you will). They offer bold and meaningful places for teams to explore the challenges and opportunities of the workplace, and find creative solutions that support thriving cultures, diverse teams and dynamic approaches to the workplace.
Offering a change of scene and new perspectives that can refresh and regenerate your culture and approach.
It doesn’t have to be all heavy and serious, to make real impact. Though we'll go there together, if it's going to help you all the most! Nature can support the light and shade of team well-being and thriving workplace cultures. From deep reflection and connection, to playfulness and creativity. Our sessions are designed to be wild and wonderful.
Providing growth and nurturing to the individual and collective self.
Whether you're arriving with me, to continue a nourished workplace. Or we meet at times of turbulence and change.
How we work together?
The idea of working together needs to feel like a mutual opportunity, I love to feel excited to work with an organisation, and will only say Yes if I do. And I want you to feel the same (Even if you situation right now, feels chaotic or unknown)
Your organisations products and services will do more good than harm in the world.
You’ll be open and honest about your current situation, so we can tailor an approach that will be purposeful. (All shared in confidence)
There are a lot of ways we can work together, I offer team away days, one to one coaching, leadership retreats and regenerative leadership programmes and consultancy AND partnership and events facilitation/workshops.
So we can cultivate an understanding of your team needs, and get curious - and excited-of how a collaboration together could work. I offer a totally free 45 minute consultation via zoom or telephone to help explore opportunities together.
We’ll ensure together that:
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Working together is ethical
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Collaboration is meaningful and inclusive of the whole team/org
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Your aims are realstic, possible and meaningful for all
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We meet you and your teams as you (and your needs) are now
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We're clear on our mutual commitments and obligations for each other
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The work together is of value for the wider world, not just your team/org
To book that conversation together follow the link here
(When booking a consultation please ensure you have the necessary seniority/authority to discuss paid/commissioned work on behalf of your team or org and have a strong understanding of your team/orgs needs or objectives going into our consultation. It also helps if you have an understanding of your budget for any collaborative work. Consultations are gifted to interested organisations for free, any work beyond a consultation and proposal are charged at an agreed rate)
Workplace Vitality - Done wildly!
What people say...
"Thanks so much for today, the team have gone away feeling lighter" (J, CEO)
"It provided time and permission to think about my wellbeing." James M, North York Moors Trust
"We couldn't have had these conversations indoors...Nature really helped" (Kate, Citizens Advice)
"I can do hard things!" Emma, SELFA CEO
"The time to reflect and discuss things with peers gave me a few insights into some simple changes that might make a big difference" David, North Yorkshire Youth
Meet your facilitator
Hello! I’m Jennie-Kate but everyone calls me JK. I’ve worked as a leader in the sector before I founded Where The Mind Grows, so I understand first-hand the unique challenges your sector faces that are quite unlike others.
I’ve seen your charitable, purpose-led sector lose fantastic people due to their own mental health and struggles. Whilst the sector is very fulfilling, and work purposeful. Sometimes overwhelm and workload pressures can get in the way of health.
And the psychological impact of the direct work, result in vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout.
These aspects of work, can be prevented with a focus on true team well-being and happiness. One that is proactive and not reactive! Designed for the individual as well as the collective!
My work with teams and organisations is focused on staff well-being, psychologically safe cultures and regenerative organisational redesign.
Just some of our clients
