I got up at 5am to get here in time!”



Peter realised he didn’t have enough money on his Oyster to use the train to travel into London, so he planned his journey, got up extra early to arrive as close as possible to the start time of Growing Talent‘s Orientation week.

#respect

So a boiling hot Monday. A difficult journey and then faced with three manuals and an i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training training pack! This is a lot for anyone, let alone a neurodivergent superstar.

#respect

Grace had an equally trying time having to juggle getting the children to school and then into Central London. Did she want any ‘special treatment’? hell no. She set her mind on doing Growing Talent following her husband’s experience on the last programme, no matter what.

#respect

So a morning of learning, discussing, sharing thoughts, views and opinions on effective communication, unconscious bias, what is neurodivergence, managing conflict, how to move on – internally and externally, we arrived at some case studies. Real life experiences of problems previous Growing Talent participants had experienced. What would Grace and Peter have done? the conversation flowed.

That’s the beauty of working together leading with respect, inclusion and without pre-judgement.

For the rest of the week, we move to training our minds – the holistic element of Growing Talent

Both Peter and Grace are joining CIS Security Limited Their ability to connect with people, observe the cues humans give and think calmly coupled with the intense security training and guidance CIS Security Limited will give them, they have a world full of opportunities about to open for them.

A big thank you to those behind the scene supporting Grace and Peter including

Adam Bushell
Adrienne Simpson & the room bookings team Portico
@DavidSteeds, Rob Matthews (Anna) and the Job Centre Plus teams
Matthew Izekor and the team at Southwark Care Leavers
Gina and the team CIS Security Limited

What a bag can illustrate!



Wandering around the market on a warm, blue-sky day in Lanzarote, this bag jumped out at me.

The stallholders were a local father and son selling the leather goods they made themselves.

Bags and rucksacks of every size and colour, this green one stood out. The intricate pattern in contrasting red on the flap, two zips on the back and long adjustable strap – exactly what I needed for work back home. Few would have such a bag – bonus! I like to be different!

The father with his smiling toothless grin wrapped the bag and off I went pleased with my purchase.

Back in the hotel room a few hours later, I took the bag out of its wrapping. What was that smell? Subtle, yet pungent. I couldn’t find the culprit anywhere until I sniffed the bag – deeply and closely. Urgh – this was a difference I didn’t want!

After a search on Google, I discovered:

🫣 All sorts of hides can be used – including camel
🫣 All sorts of products can be used to tan the leather – including fish oil and urine! – who knew

Pungent smells can occur when inferior hides and tanning products are used as the leather breaks down. There is no cure.

The bag was left behind but clearly illustrates what you see on the surface isn’t always the whole story!

This is true of people too. Especially in the workplace.

People at all levels must deal with pressure and change continuously. This can weigh heavy on them and their colleagues.

What can be done? Give them the tools and knowledge they need:

💡 Raise awareness amongst managers – is what you are seeing the whole story?
💡 Roll out training for staff to proactively build their resilience and thrive.
💡 Provide coaching for neurodivergent team members to tame the impact on them.

I specialise in workplace programmes that enables teams to thrive. Including:

Neurodivergent coaching 1:1 – how to thrive in a neurotypical workplace (I am a certified ADHD Coach)

Awareness of neurodivergence for managers – what you might see, what you might do. Critical for true team inclusion and reduction of risk of an ET (CPD certified programme)

How to be an ally to your neurodivergent colleague – for non-managers (CPD certified programme)

I-Act Managing and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing – global programme accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in line with ISO45003. (I have been delivering this programme to global organisations for over four years)

Time to talk about the transformation I can deliver for your team?

What a feeling……

We’ve reached the end of the 40th Growing Talent Orientation & Holistic

week – CPD certified.

Alex, Jay and Troy have shown up, each day hungry to learn and willing to share their existing knowledge.

As we ploughed through the three Growing Talent books growing together, concentration filled the room.

Energised. Enthused. Confident. We completed the week today with all three attaining qualification in the manager level of i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training

Ready to join their respective teams on their new employer sites to begin growing their careers. 👏 👏 👏

CIS Security Limited

SPS. UK & Ireland

Challenges – could you do the London Challenge

After the pressure of making the employers do a spot of public speaking and share their journey to their current role as well as their top tips to impress employers, it was only fair that the awesome Growing Talent applicants stepped up too!

London Challenge demands the applicants to come up with an idea to improve London.

Imagine this….

First part is to brainstorm ideas. Then, form a team with people you didn’t know two hours before, devise the beginning, middle and end of a unique idea within 45 minutes before presenting it t the panel of employers!

Would you do it?

The employers were treated to four unique ideas.

🎯 Group 1 – Leon, Niki, Katie & Bozena
🎯 Group 2 – Kai, Iuliia, Samuel, Anita & Alex
🎯 Group 3 – James, Aboidun & Mulenga
🎯 Group 4 – Shantelle, Dejanae & Sarah

Ideas ranges from community mental health and well being, creative hubs, food and nutrition – with a community greenhouse and intelligent use of public cctv to reduce response times!

All applicants chose to return 19 February for our ‘slow dating’ event – also known as the employer first stage selection!

It’s going to be amazing!

Thanks to everyone who took part including:

SPS UK&Ireland
#IronMountain
Portico
CIS Security Limited
ISS A/S
hashtag#NGBailey
hashtag#JobCentrePlus
hashtag#DavidSteeds & teams across London
Rob Matthews (Anna)
Matthew Izekor
hashtag#SouthwarkCareLeavers
Adrienne Simpson
Adam Bushell

The number is 24!

Following the Growing Talent virtual information session last Friday, I’m pleased to announce 24 awesome applicants have chosen to leap into their unknown and join our next stage -‘Getting to Know Each Other” on Wednesday 12 February.

Meeting recruiting employers a different way:

🎯 Spotlight! – Employers share their insight to the world of work

🎯 Let’s Talk! – without the employers, explore why people aren’t working

🎯 London Challenge! – working in small groups to devise an idea to improve London.

🎯 Present London Challenge ideas to employers and gain their thoughts

🎯 Networking coffee! Chat with employers – no discussion of jobs allowed though!!!

So, what makes employers join Growing Talent and recruit differently?

Maybe…..

✅ They get to confidently ‘fish’ from a diverse, unique talent pool

✅ Get to know how applicants think, how they work as part of a team, what their passions are BEFORE the recruitment stage

✅ It’s fun to disrupt the norm!

So, why would applicants choose to try Growing Talent?

✅ Meet employers a different, more confident way

✅ No need to showcase their ability in a cv when they don’t have the words or self-empowerment

✅ No trying to think of an answer to ‘what’s your strengths/weaknesses’?

✅ Get wrap around support every step of the way

✅ If offered an opportunity by an employer – this permanent role is ring-fenced for them!

✅ Builds their self-empowerment and confidence from the start

We thank our awesome employers participating this time:

Adecco

CIS Security Limited

Iron Mountain

ISS A/S

NG Bailey

Pertemps Network Group

Portico

SPS UK & Ireland

If you know it…….. pass it on!

Sharing our knowledge can save others a heap of time, anxiety and money!

Picture this, I’d just been told I’d be charged a ‘restocking fee’ for returning a shower part that wasn’t needed. This ‘restocking fee’ would be deducted from my refund. The box had been opened with a blade so wasn’t damaged.  None of the manufacturer’s labels had been disturbed and the internal individual items were still sealed.

This didn’t sound right to me. (Critical thinking – challenge what I’m told/think)

In my case, this 35% deduction to my refund for ‘restocking fee’ equated to £165!

This really didn’t sound right!

Running @Growing_Talent, we cover basic finance tips including consumer law, 14 day cooling off period for online purchases etc. I’d never heard of a ‘restocking’ fee. So, copious research on the internet followed. 

Yep, ‘restocking fee’ is a deduction from refunds retailers make. That didn’t sound right. Oh wait – this was American sites!

I reached out to the UK manufacturer of the part I’d brought from the London retailer. They confirmed they charged retailers a restocking fee which cannot be passed on to consumers in the UK. A scan read of the UK Consumer ACT 2015 showed a 14 day cooling off period for all goods brought on line for whatever reason to be returned.

Armed with my new knowledge about ‘restocking fees’ and their use in the UK,  I contacted the retailer I brought the part from pointing out, my contract was with them – not the manufacturer. Any ‘restocking fee’ they are charged by the manufacturer is their responsibility not mine. I also quoted the 2015 Consumer Act. 

I got my full refund within 48 hours!

I wonder how many people just accept a ‘restocking fee’ deduction in their refunds in the UK.

That’s why I’m sharing this knowledge everywhere I can.

What knowledge would you pass on?

I share steps, tips and knowledge to enable others to know how to get things done in the workplace especially when their brains have different wiring.

#ADHDCoach

#I-Act Practitioner

#WorkplaceGrowth

#Growing_Talent

Traditional or Innovation? What would you choose?

CIS-Security, ISS, NG Bailey, Portico,  SPS UK & Ireland, choose innovation to discover new talent for their businesses.


After a couple of inspiring weeks during which we held a getting to know each other event, London Challenge –  ideas  to make London better, employer spotlights – insight into recruiting businesses and managers, networking over bags of nibbles, and finally1-2-1 meetings – the results are in!

We welcome Antoinette, Filsan, Mark & Yohana to start the next stage in their Growing Talent journey –  the Orientation and Holistic week! Starting Monday, we will explore workplace and life skills, effective communication, making better connections, the power of EI, understand and manage unconscious bias, even an art class!,  before finishing with a qualification in the global pro active i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training course aligned with ISO45003.

Check back to see how this awesome quartet gets on.

Meanwhile, over in our innovative new Talent Hub, some awesome talent who didn’t make it past the selection stage – before any judgement, some employer offers were made and declined – will collaborate and explore their journey into work, empowering themselves and learning tools to build their resilience with weekly virtual workshops starting 4.11.24 for eight weeks.

So, in 2025 – will you choose traditional or innovative to secure your new talent?

CIS Security Limited
ISS A/S
SPS UK & Ireland
hashtag#NGBailey
Portico

Thanks to our applicant referring organisations who also jumped into innovation to help their awesomely talented, but currently unemployed people including:

David Steeds
Rob Matthews (Anna)
Matthew Izekor
Southwark Council – Care Leavers

Funka, Dr Strangelove, Cast Iron, Rocket…..

….Songs from the 80s?

….Films from the 50s?

….Cocktails? – potentially!

Cocktails, for me, should be visually exciting and have discernible flavours.

Songs and films are incorrect – although potentially great titles!

Cocktails is potentially correct in the right coffee brewer’s hands!  Read on.

They are just some of the awesome coffees on display at Extract Coffee London just off Bermondsey Street.

I’d been invited by @Growing_Talent’s sponsors to pitch the programme and additional resources on ADHD, @I-Act and general team empowerment training to their supply chain held yesterday at this London gem!

Arriving early, as usual, Veena gave me 1:1 insight into Extract’s beginnings, their credentials, their partners – at home and across the globe, their connections with organisations focussing on enabling those who need it to close their own social mobility gap through skills training ready for the world of employment.  Which led nicely on to the science of coffee.

You may have heard of WSET – home to the Wine & Spirit Trust – whose qualifications are sought after by the hospitality industry as well as individual wine enthusiasts. Did you know there is a science to coffee too? I absolutely didn’t.  I was shown the various different beans, how they are produced by farmers and used in Extract’s coffee in different ways. 

Did you know the mainstream coffee shops use only one type of coffee bean? 

Some coffees are great for gut health and have a lot of fibre in – who knew!

Seeing the areas used to train people in the diverse world of coffee production, learning the different careers available and the industry awards on offer showed the passionate, social inclusion core of Extract Coffee – and the public can even buy their unique coffees and teas on line! Amazing.

The pitch to the supply chain went really well with lots of questions and engagement.  

After the team – including award winning Chloe – showed how coffee can be used in the composition of cocktails and mocktails. Of course, I had to try the martini! I love a fancy glass.

Check Extract Coffee out online and make a difference whilst enjoying your unique cup of morning coffee

http://www.extractcoffee.co.uk

1.   The cocktail/mocktail demonstration – and tasting!

2.   Coffee martini

3.   Chemistry of coffee – beans and bottles denoting if the solutions are sweet, salty or bitter

4.   Examples of current equipment used in training

5.   Refurbed coffee grinder

6.   Another training area

Thank you everyone for the most amazing experience, especially Ben Noah and Adam Bushell for inviting me and the awesome members from ISS A/S, SPS UK& Ireland, BaxterStorey, Portico, #CIS-Security #NGBailey and Electrosonic

Mental Health – is it the same as Mental Illness?

An interesting piece by Matthew Parris in yesterday’s The Times caught my eye.

Some areas I agree with, others I have a different view.

Neurodivergence is not a mental ill health issue – it’s a neuro developmental condition the impact of which, on some, may lead to the development of anxiety, depression or worse. Consider ADHD – Executive Functioning is delayed by 30% coupled with an interest based nervous system, people at school, college, University and in the workplace may struggle with everyday things like memory, self-awareness, motivation, emotional regulation, impulsivity and problem solving which their neurotypical peers don’t. Most schools, colleges, universities and workplaces are built for neurotypical brains -amplifying the impact.

I recently trained as an ADHD 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵. Our remit is to work with people to identify how their ADHD impacts them and explore different tools that can help them tame this impact. It’s a short-term journey of between 1 to 3 months. I would never try to step into 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 nor 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜. These are three very different and specific areas.

What I’ve noticed from client feedback, is the simple tools have made such a difference which in turn has lessened the pressure they felt.

This prompted me to devise a Workplace Awareness session for Managers and one for ‘how to be an Ally to a colleague’. The feedback from these have been just as illuminating. Within days of attending, some managers implemented some of the content we covered. Others had a lightbulb moment on what they personally were experiencing both in and out of work.

The second part of Matthew’s piece that struck me was the medical intervention. Several therapists saw the same patient and gave completely different diagnosis. This can be dangerous when medication is issued. I’m reminded of Caragh McMurty’s journey – https://lnkd.in/esRMQgSm

I am thankful there is a growing awareness of neurodivergence. Stigma falls when this happens and people get help sooner.

For me, mental health is something many can do for themselves with the right tools and guidance. This is separate to mental illness which requires specific care.

Birmingham City Centre – opportunity could be knocking for you….

Times are tough.

For employers, time is money.  Spending their time wisely can gain them financial added value in the future.

For the unemployed time spent looking for a job they can grow into a career, can weigh heavy on them.  The longer they are unemployed, the more invisible they can feel.

Growing Talent is coming to Birmingham City Centre in February.

What does that mean for employers and the unemployed?

Our 10 year track record of success, tells me the difference Growing Talent can make to the businesses and people of Birmingham can be mind blowing!

Let’s take a closer look at some key highlights:

Funded by private business.  We are not dependent on Government, local authority, JobCentre Plus nor charity funding.  Which means when those entities are under financial pressure, Growing Talent is not! In addition, we can collaborate without any organisation  we are working with feel they are at risk of  ‘ double funding’.

Disrupted traditional recruitment tools.  How can you showcase your skills, ability and future potential to an employer when your self-esteem is through the floor because you are unemployed? That is of course if your cv/application form gets you an interview. 

Equally, how much hidden talent are employers missing because they can’t see the hidden talent within? Either from a cv their sifting software has missed because key ‘buzz’ words were missing or because the person sitting in front of them was overwhelmed with imposter syndrome they could hardly speak?    Therefore, we’ve banned resumes and formal interviews.  Instead, we have speed dating and 1-2-1 chats.

Mentoring – How often do employers get a mentor for the journey their new recruit is with them? I don’t just mean the initial period of onboarding where a portion of any recruitment fee paid can be refunded. I mean for the months and years that employer wants to keep their mentor connection. At no cost of course.

Equally, how often does the unemployed applicant get a free mentor to guide and encourage them through the process of Growing Talent and beyond if they are selected for an opportunity by an employer? We have mentored people long after they have secured their role and developed their careers.

Unique collaboration – from day one, we have collaborated with diverse organisations giving their local communities access to opportunities they wouldn’t usually have gained in a traditional recruitment route.  Resources and expertise are shared so that no one feels alone. JobCentre Plus has been a steadfast collaborator of Growing Talent since day 1.

Higher retention – our robust orientation and holistic week ensures new talent already feel empowered and have a sense of belonging with their new employer before they step on site. This gives a solid foundation for the employer/employee relationship to grow. 

Confident, risk free – what’s not to like?  Our unique collaboration enables both employers and new talent to know the match is right for them before formal hiring.  There is no financial hardship for the new talent who retain their benefits, has their travel paid by JobCentre Plus, gains life and workplace skills as well as an accredited qualification in mind health in line with ISO45003 and is paid by the employer for the in-role mutual evaluation period of the ring-fenced permanent job on offer.

So, really, what is not to like?  Applicants are over 18 (no upper age limit), have right to work documents or Government issued share code in place and are able to undertake a permanent role.  

Participation is neither automatic nor mandatory,  But if the match is right, what magic can be made!

Deadlines:

 Employers, register your interest by 15 February.

Unemployed applicants able to travel to Birmingham City Centre – register your interest by 21 February 2024.