International events, digital services and academic knowledge group, Informa PLC, ran their first coaching programme with Future Frontiers in Autumn 2021. It was a great success, and other divisions in the business have since run their own programmes. We’ve been delighted to work with the Informa Tech, Informa Connect, and Global Support divisions, all within this academic year.
In this case study, Head of HR Business Partners for the Global Support division, Amelia Thomas, tells us about her experience of running the programme.
The importance of engaging local communities and promoting social mobility
Within Informa’s Global Support division we wanted to become more involved with the communities around us and felt sure that we had skills that would be useful. As there are a few schools around our office we thought that we might be able to do something to support young/school age people.
"We would like Informa to be a destination for young people from all backgrounds, but we recognise we need to influence that by getting involved and engaging with our future colleagues."
Promoting diversity and social mobility is something that people in Global Support recognise as important, and that starts with young people in their formative years. We would like Informa to be a destination for young people from all backgrounds, but we recognise we need to influence that by getting involved and engaging with our future colleagues. The Future Frontiers programme struck us as a perfect platform, and we thought we could both offer something and learn something as coaches.
"The Future Frontiers programme felt like a community-based programme where we could offer something valuable at a really important time in a young person’s life."
Why we chose Future Frontiers as a delivery partner
Future Frontiers was recommended by a colleague in another division of the business, who had really enjoyed working with the charity a number of times previously. The Future Frontiers programme felt like a community-based programme where we could offer something valuable at a really important time in a young person’s life. The volunteers that did sign up, from graduates to senior leaders, recognised the responsibility involved and that they needed to make a 100% commitment to the programme. They really wanted to do it.
"We had named and dedicated partners at Future Frontiers who talked to us regularly, explained the process, were very responsive and helpful. They were always there for us when we had questions."
Working with the Future Frontiers team
The experience of setting up and running the programme was very good. We had named and dedicated partners at Future Frontiers who talked to us regularly, explained the process, and were very responsive and helpful. They were always there for us when we had questions.
An opportunity to use and develop our skills
The programme enabled our colleagues to use some of their own skills to provide something valuable to students, but it also helped them to develop other skills as well. Coaching skills always need developing! At the outset, the coaches were quite nervous because what they were doing was mainly outside their usual experience, but that in itself was a good stretch!
The highlight of the programme was the graduation at the end of the final coaching session. It was a lovely ceremony and receiving the thank you notes from the students was particularly memorable!
I would absolutely recommend the Future Frontiers programme to other businesses. It has real value both for the students and the coaches, and the experience provided a valuable opportunity for people from within and outside Informa who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to work together.
The Future Frontiers coaching programme can make a life-changing difference to young people, and our business partners and coaches provide essential input and support. Get in touch to find out more.