Springboard: "a support mechanism in my professional and personal life"
Wednesday, 20 February 2019
The Springboard Women's Development Programme enables women to take more control over their own lives and careers and is for women of all backgrounds, ages and stages of their life. The programme combines the attendance of four full-day workshops, completion of a workbook, networking and co-coaching.
We caught up with Rachel Jeans, a previous programme participant:
“I was new in this role, only about five or six months when I applied, so a big factor in wanting to join was to network and meet people. It was also a way of working out where I was at the University, where I wanted to go and how to get there. The variety of roles, grades and mixture of academic/non-academic staff meant it was a great way to break down barriers and meet people from across the University. I made two or three friends who were at a similar life and career stage to me who I still meet with regularly.
“The networks I accessed as being part of this programme have remained a part of my University life and I know I can call on them for advice. Learning how to coach each other was very useful. The coaching buddy system has provided a support mechanism in both my professional and personal life.
“This has allowed me to take the initiative and to take on more responsible work and work outside my comfort zone. For example, this has enabled me to develop a programme of workshops to maximise students’ experience as part of Campus Jobs. This is not just about career or goals setting: it is a person-centred process of development that has allowed me to self-reflect, gain confidence and learn to say ‘I can’ not ‘I can’t’.”
Rachel Jeans is the Campus Jobs Deputy Manager.
Apply for Springboard
The next cohort of the programme is open for applications with a deadline of midday on Friday 22 March 2019.
If you'd like to apply, please email Steph Hayward in People Development and include the following: a short statement (one page maximum) explaining why you want to join the programme and what you hope to get out of it; a short statement from your line manager supporting your application and agreeing to your attendance on all four days and the follow-up day and confirmation that you will be able to commit to attending the four workshops that will run on the following dates (all 09:30-16:00): 30 April, 21 May, 18 June and 9 July.