2018 Scottish Enterprise Awards

26 SME NEWS / 2018 Scottish Enterprise Awards , From its base in Edinburgh, BetterMe delivers business training and development to help people reach their potential in business, education and life. We invited Marielle Bruce to tell us more about the firmand the services it has to offer. Best Business Training & Development Social Enterprise 2018 BetterMe was established to help people maximise their potential and become the best version of themselves. Today, the firm delivers training, consulting and coaching with a social purpose to business and industry, individuals and young people. Marielle talks us through the firm and how it works to change society through its training and support programmes. “At BetterMe we are passionate about ensuring children and young people have the tools to fulfil their potential - to become the best version of themselves. As a social enterprise we reinvest profit from our primary area of work with business and industry to fulfil our mission to raise the attainment and wellbeing of Scotland’s young workforce. Companies who work with us tend to be those who have a strong social consciousness. They know that by choosing BetterMe to deliver their training and development needs they are investing in young people and contributing to making Scotland the best place to grow up. “Our approach - the BetterMe approach - has been specifically designed using applied positive psychology to help people build the essential core strengths to reach their potential in every area of their lives. Through training, consulting and coaching people develop the confidence, resilience, a healthy self-esteem and emotional intelligence to flourish.” Thanks to this innovative approach, BetterMe is able to support a range of clients across an array of industries, as Marielle highlights. “One of our most popular programmes focuses on emotional intelligence for leadership. The ability to be in tune with yourself and your emotions, as well as having sound situational awareness, can be a powerful tool for leading a team. Our course covers the five emotional intelligence attributes of self-awareness, self-management, empathy, relationship management, and effective communication. Participants develop insight and competencies in each of these areas, learning to have a better understanding of how to make healthy choices based on the ability to identify, understand, and manage their own feelings and how they relate to others. “Within education and youth settings, the BetterMe approach helps young people develop the core strengths, insights and skills needed for success in work and life. Again, our approach builds resilience, confidence and self-esteem, alongside the ability to take personal control and responsibility. We deliver BetterMe by working directly with young people and through CPD for those who teach and support them, helping them to embed the approach in the curriculum.” Over the years BetterMe has found that many firms are becoming increasingly keen to use its services as they come to recognise the need for investment in their employee’s wellbeing. Marielle discusses how her firm has welcomed this trend and adapted around it. “In today’s uncertain economic climate, many companies are questioning the impact of investing in training and development. We welcome the ever-growing evidence showing that psychology-informed training can have a greater impact than traditional approaches. That developing an individual’s core strengths and skills, such as emotional intelligence, underpins performance and success in business. Good emotional wellbeing underpins our approach to working with business. A flourishing workforce with healthy mental wellbeing increases performance and productivity, decreases costly absences and staff turnover. “After all, people who are more resilient, who feel in control of themselves, who have better self- esteem and who demonstrate self-efficacy, self-awareness, self- regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills will not only flourish themselves but also help others to thrive too. Studies show that people with these emotional intelligence skills are not only more productive, they are also physically and psychologically healthier, have improved mental wellbeing. Our seminars, training and development and coaching in a business setting helps companies maximise potential in the workforce. Our programmes are tailored to the organisation’s priorities such as leadership, performance management and workforce wellbeing to ensure success.” Moving forward, there are exciting opportunities on the horizon for BetterMe, as Marielle is proud to conclude. “Looking ahead, at BetterMe we are already busy planning for 2019. We are looking forward to expanding our geographical reach through some exciting new partnerships in Europe and we have recently welcomed new members to the team who will ensure we have the capacity to deliver our objectives for the company. “In delivering our social impact, our focus for 2019 will be continuing to work in partnership with Chambers of Commerce, employers and local authorities to support the Developing the Young Workforce agenda and in furthering our support for the Scottish Attainment Challenge in schools, helping to close the poverty related attainment gap.” BetterMe SCO18011