Stories of Success from DR UK’s Leadership Academy
“During my career progression and advancement, I was offered opportunities to apply for courses that would help advance my career and development. I applied for the Leadership Academy course the backing of my line manager and eagerly awaited the results from the assessment process a month later. I received an email to say I was a successful candidate and I felt elated like I had received a promotion or got told I had a new job.
Upon joining, I was excited to be told I was going to be allocated a coach/mentor during the course, but also felt concerned. I am a qualified and active professional coach and wondered what benefits this would add to my journey, as I had also received coaching recently. I shared my concerns with the course lead Katrina Morris and was delighted to be allocated a coach with her own international coaching and mentoring business and found much benefit to me both personally and professionally.
The course was longer than I’d expected, and I was not initially aware I had to do a team project and assignment with a presentation to graduate. This prospect I found daunting and if I had known; I may not have applied. In hindsight, this was a good thing as it pushed me out of my comfort zone, and it still provided me with experience in areas I needed to develop. I was already doing project work in my role and am usually the confident one who found themselves taking on the majority of tasks. So, with the support from my coach, I managed my input levels and supported my team to ensure we all gained from the experience. So, what I am trying to say is, this course is designed to provide coaching, mentoring, knowledge gaining – and it doesn’t matter what level of leadership you are in, what experience you have, you can always gain from somewhere.”
Zoey has gone on to create a Neurodiversity Support Network in her workplace, reaching out to colleagues with lived-experience of these conditions to ensure a well rounded and effective support network. She also fought for her workplace to train Peer Supporters, through Mind charity, establishing a team of Neurodiversity Specialist Peer Supporters. This network has since supported over 60 colleagues in just a year. As her workplace put it, ‘Zoey is an inspirational woman and thoroughly deserving of formal recognition.’
We are proud that our Leadership Academy Programme at Disability Rights UK can equip people with the confidence and skills they need to make such an impact!