Coaching offered to region's businesses

Business people in the Leeds City Region who are feeling the effect of this year's pandemic can now access coaching to help navigate the stormy seas ahead.

As part of its Higher Performing Workplaces project, the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges has contracted 21 highly-rated coaches to provide their services to SMEs in the region. The coaching can be part-funded with a 40% contribution from the European Social Fund (ESF), if booked as part of Higher Performing Workplaces.

Take a look at our choice of online coaching profiles, make an enquiry and WYCC will help facilitate the booking of the coach.

Alternatively, if you feel mentoring would be more beneficial, then take a look at the seven mentors contracted as part of the project and also eligible to draw down 40% of ESF funding.

Coaching or mentoring - what's the difference?

If you're not sure what the difference between coaching and mentoring is, here are some brief explanations. However, you can get in touch with a Skills Associate for a chat about your needs and WYCC can advise on what offer might be most suitable for you.

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, January 2008:

Coach seeks answers from within coachee and does not offer advice

Mentor may offer advice, provide opportunities and introduce mentee to professional networks

Institute of Leadership and Management, 2012:

Coaching is helping them to learn rather than teaching them. It is something different to one way instruction, advising, or providing answers.

A coach does not provide answers to specific problems by themselves, as such. They don't teach or instruct.

With mentoring, the mentee draws on the knowledge, experience and wisdom of their mentor

To be eligible for funding:

• the business must be based in one of the following districts: Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield or York (Check your district on the Gov.Uk website)
• the business must be an SME (under 250 employees).