Your Research Matters

We coach researchers to take the next bold step and make a difference with their work.

Whether it’s starting a collaboration, finishing a paper or securing further funding, we help researchers achieve their goals with greater ease.

Rather than support a selected few, we support whole research communities. Together, we overcome isolation, overwhelm and self-doubt, and bring joy to research again.

The big idea

Since 2008, we’ve led award-winning programmes, coached award-winning researchers, and supported award-winning teams. Working closely with individuals and groups, we’ve seen what matters most when it comes to realising their potential.

But things have changed, Over the last few years we have heard more and more researchers doubting their potential, with many considering leaving research altogether. Universally, we hear that researchers:

Don’t have enough time – no researcher feels they have enough time for the work that matters most.

Don’t have enough confidence – most researchers doubt themselves, especially those who feel that they don’t fit.

Don’t have enough connection – many researchers feel adrift from a supportive and stimulating community.

Don’t have enough clarity – most are simply too overwhelmed to focus on what matters most.

We know there are deep, systemic issues that create these very real challenges. We know UKRI and institutions are working on them too. But we’ve also seen the individuals and groups that successfully overcome these barriers.

So, we wondered….

What if every researcher could access insights from those who have been successful?

What if every researcher felt the warmth of a supportive community through tough times?

What if every researcher had a coach to help make it happen?

We could see whole cohorts thriving and making their fullest contribution to the world. We could see researchers not just surviving but feeling joy in their work again. We could shift research culture.

We know many institutions share this deep desire. So, we introduced community coaching.

Find out more

What is community coaching?

Community coaching combines the power of coaching with the energy of collective experience. Our team of coaches commits to your researchers for 6 months, helping them to achieve their goals with greater ease. Each participant sets their own goal and works with the community to overcome barriers to achieve it, one step at a time.

investing in community coaching

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Meet the coaching team

We are a team of highly experienced, professional coaches on a mission to change who is successful in research. For over fifteen years we've been supporting researchers to do things differently with award-winning programmes in universities across the world.

Kate Tapper is the Director of Community Coaching. She has directed numerous community building programmes for researchers, including the exceptionally impactful GW4 Crucible. Kate is a research development partner at University College London, Kings College London and University of Oxford, a sought-after International Coaching Federation (ICF) coach and expert facilitator.

Gary Reed co-founded the award-winning Welsh Crucible programme and has nurtured research communities across Wales for many years. He is a published academic and former Director of Research and Innovation at Aberystwyth University, and Associate for Advance HE. Gary is now an EMCC Senior Coaching Practitioner specialising in vulnerability, belonging and how to be yourself at work.

Kemi Oladapo is an exceptional coach and facilitator with deep and broad experience in higher education and healthcare. She understands what it's like to be a person of colour in academia and to lead and motivate teams through difficult times. Kemi’s approach is inspiring, compassionate and empowering.

Abi Boughton-Thomas is an EMCC Global Senior Coaching Practioner. She is reliably calm, kind and focused on your skills and strengths whilst willing to share her insights and tools. She is neurodiversity and trauma sensitive and will never ask you to park your emotions at the door, whilst ensuring focus on your coaching goals.

How does community coaching work?

This is a six-month online group coaching programme supporting large communities of researchers. We begin with individual goal setting and work through five modules to support each and every participant to achieve those goals over six months. Each module is designed to overcome significant barriers that researchers face;

overwhelm, isolation and self-doubt, and help participants to leave with focus, confidence, and energy. There are no theoretical assignments, all support is targeted to real-time goals and challenges. Working online, we bring together different research communities across different regions.