Perspective on Coaching & Mentoring and Realising Impact Doesn’t Always Mean Big Transformation.

By Coach/Mentor, Bec Horner – Two Ridings Community Foundation

A year or so ago, I was offered the opportunity to train as a Coach/Mentor through the Yorkshire Accord Coaching & Mentoring Partnership. I saw it as some solid professional development — a way to learn, grow, and stretch myself.

What I didn’t expect was just how much of an impact it would have.

I loved the training, and I loved being matched with my first Coachee/Mentee so quickly.

Supporting Others

I spent six months coaching my first Coachee/Mentee. We talked through professional challenges, work–life balance, and how hard it was to delegate.

At the time, she felt she was juggling a lot, both professionally and at home. But slowly, through listening, reflection, and a little guidance, she worked out for herself what needed to change. She trusted her team more, cut out the noise… and even bought a puppy. 🐶

Work and home life became much better. Watching her grow and rise was a real privilege.

My next mentoring relationship looked very different. This Coachee/Mentee was more senior, already enjoying her role and life. She didn’t need big changes — just the occasional nudge and encouragement to believe in herself.

This is what she shared about our time together:

“Working with Bec has been exactly what I hoped for from the mentoring scheme. Bec was a great match — her experience and professional interests were aligned with mine, but of even more value was Bec’s patience and curiosity.

Bec helped me take a fresh perspective. She encouraged me to look at things differently, and her encouragement felt like the positive nudge I needed — a real confidence boost.

I’d recommend mentoring to anyone who is looking to spend time exploring what they want from their work. Having time and Bec’s expertise has helped me immensely. I now know what I want from my work, and working with Bec has given me the confidence to believe I can achieve it. Thank you, Bec!”

For me, this really reinforced something important about Coaching & Mentoring: impact doesn’t always mean big transformation. Sometimes it’s about creating space, offering challenge, and helping someone strengthen their belief in themselves.

Being Coached Too

I’ve also been lucky enough to work with a brilliant coach myself, and they supported me as I stepped into a new Senior role. His guidance and reflective challenge have been absolutely crucial for me, and I’m very grateful for that.

Why I Recommend Yorkshire Accord

If you have the time and the inclination, being a Coach/Mentor, and having a Coach/Mentor, is powerful stuff. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Yorkshire Accord doesn’t just offer training; it creates the conditions for real, thoughtful, human development. You’re supported to build your skills, matched with care, and trusted to do meaningful work that genuinely changes people’s working lives.

I’ve seen first-hand how Coaching & Mentoring through Yorkshire Accord helps people find clarity, confidence, and a stronger sense of what they want from their work — and I’ve experienced those benefits myself too.

Huge thanks to Paula Bielby, Harriet Linfoot, HEY Confident Futures, Two Ridings Community Foundation and Yorkshire Accord for the opportunity and for the confidence to step into this work.