Coaching for Confidence
Illuminate Charity has been offering wellbeing coaching for 15 years, highlighting the benefits and impact of coaching to bridge the divide between therapy and mental health.
The Health Inequalities Challenge Prize has allowed our team of coaches to help improve the lives of 12 unemployed participants through our Coaching for Confidence Programme. The focus of the program is mental health managing and improving, reigniting motivation, and setting achievable goals to improve self-confidence and wellbeing. The program so far is producing excellent results, that underpin the power of our work even within a tight time limit.
The participants, known as ‘coachees’, are matched with their Illuminate coach and the process begins with coachees completing a starter form recording their answers to three specific starter questions. This way we gain a snapshot at the start and end of the program which will feed into a final report.
In line with our commitment to personal development, coachees have a follow-up call 14 days after their final coaching session. This step is important in ensuring that the strategies discussed and utilised during coaching are integrated into their daily lives.
Each coachee has three hours of one-to-one online coaching. We acknowledge that some who would like and need to access the coaching are deterred or left out because of technology. However, we are aware of this and will deliver an in-person workshop in the autumn group coaching focusing on self-confidence and wellbeing.
One of the Coaching for Confidence key pillars is the art of setting small, achievable goals. Coachees are encouraged and skilfully coached to think beyond their comfort zone but within the realm of attainability. The small steps and goals not only increase self-confidence but also help them move towards reclaiming their motivation when often there is a belief that there is none.
We ask coachees for commitment and ensure they understand what coaching is as opposed to counselling and therapy. This is not only written but also discussed in an informal introduction chat with their coach so the aims are clear.
One of our former coachees commented: “Having the time to talk was so good and such a change. I take away the kindness of my coach and the learning. I think everyone should get this coaching – thank you.”