Products & Services

Within this section we will outline some of the areas where we have expertise together with what some of our clients have said about their experiences of working with us. We have intentionally kept the sections brief, however, if you require additional information on any of the areas covered, please contact us – we would be very happy to supply it.

You can either browse through all the sections or, if you are looking for something specific, you may find it easier to go straight to the relevant section using the hyperlinks of Individual Development, Team and Group Development, Organisational Development and Horse Riders.

Individual Development

Coaching and Mentoring

Coaching and mentoring are cost-effective solutions to individual knowledge, skills and behavioural development and organisational success. In our Life and Career Coaching we use a wide range of techniques as opposed to one coaching model. These include NLP, Transactional Analysis and Emotional Intelligence.

Client feedback

Increased Success through NLP

We can deliver pure Neuro Linguistic Programme (NLP) training, however, in line with our company ethos we prefer to use it as one of our tools to bring about long lasting personal and professional development.

We use this very successfully in a number of situations from the obvious one-to-one development in the business arena through to the development of horse and rider rapport and skills development, bringing increased effectiveness to people’s individual situations.

Client feedback

Interview Preparation

Being a successful interviewee is based on confidence, ability and preparation.

On an individual basis we will increase your confidence through effective planning and making the most of your current abilities. We have delivered courses to improve interviewee’s opportunities. We are also able to offer videoed mock interviews which we then de-brief with you.

Client feedback

Young People Skills Development

Young people can sometimes struggle to cope effectively with growing up and integrating effectively within their family or school environment for any number of reasons. This can impact on their confidence, their relationships, their educational achievement and their personal well being. We offer a coaching and support service using traditional coaching methodologies, NLP, Transactional Analysis and profiling tools aimed at assisting the young person to understand their situation and develop effective strategies to enable them to grow in confidence, effectiveness and happiness. This service is aimed primarily at young people aged between 8 and 16 years old.

We are one of the few UK providers licensed to administer the Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children® (MMTIC®). This instrument is based on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) and was developed to help children and young people better understand themselves. Children start to learn about themselves from the day they are born. What they learn has a powerful effect on their ability to succeed in later life: the confidence to move into the world, form relationships, and secure a job grows out of the success children have during their early years. By helping children understanding themselves and the differences between themselves and others, parents can give the necessary support for them to accomplish personal growth and effectiveness. Use of this instrument helps children and young people understand what strategies work best for them to improve study habits, grades and relationships.

Assessment Accreditation

We are both experienced NVQ Assessors (D32 & D33 / A1) and Internal Verifiers (D34 / V1), and have experience of setting up and running accredited NVQ Centres.

We are able to offer the option of personal development being accredited through national qualifications in order that you can demonstrate to future employers the learning you have undertaken.

Team and Group Development

Leadership and Management Development

We have developed and continue to deliver a number of Leadership and Management Development Programmes in a number of organisations, both public and private sector.

We deliver short courses, together with programmes which last a number of months that integrate theoretical understanding, delegate Action Learning Sets and application of skills in the workplace.

Examples of skills that we regularly develop through specific sessions and course are:

  • Assessment Skills
  • Chairing Meetings
  • Change Management
  • Coaching and Mentoring
  • Conflict Management and Resolution
  • Counselling
  • Developing Others
  • Effective Communication
  • Increasing Personal Effectiveness
  • Managing Individual Styles
  • Managing Teams
  • Motivation
  • Neuro Linguistic Programming
  • Presentation Skills
  • Team Building
  • Time Management
  • Transactional Analysis

Client feedback

Team Development

Both Peta and Paul have extensive experience of improving team performance. Tools we use include:

In addition to these specialist tools, we also use tools such as ‘Learning Styles Questionnaires’ and ‘360 degree feedback’ reports.

Client feedback

Life Skills Development

Our Workshops and Skills Development sessions are aimed at practitioners and managers who have identified a need to develop certain skills in order to be more effective at their work, in their personal lives or both.

In addition to the skills mentioned within the “Leadership and Management Development” section above, examples of the sessions we have developed and deliver include:

  • Coolness Under Pressure
  • Dealing with Stress and Anxiety
  • Diversity
  • Effective Energy
  • Identifying Your Potential
  • Influencing Skills

Client feedback

Trainer Development

We have trained in excess of 200 people to become City & Guilds, and Home Office qualified trainers. Events are tailored to your needs and can be from a short course on presentation skills through to an extended course which results in delegates becoming skilled trainers with an accredited qualification.

Client feedback

Mediations

We have over ten years' experience of carrying out mediations. We have also trained staff to carry out mediations and support in-house workplace mediation schemes.

Client feedback

Evaluation Skills

Paul has previously held a position as a Training Evaluator and then went on to develop and deliver a comprehensive Train the Evaluator Course. Evaluations Skills Workshops can include topics such as agreeing the evaluation specification with the sponsor, evaluation methodologies, questionnaire writing and analysis, maximising the return rate on questionnaires, and report writing skills.

Paul continues to develop people’s evaluation skills and is currently advising a number of clients in relation to Return on Investment (ROI) evaluation.

Client feedback

Assessment Centres

We have delivered courses for interviewers. We have also written and delivered interview assessment centres for up to 80 people that have included components such as competency based interview assessments, psychometric testing and role plays.

Organisational Development

Needs Analysis

We can assist you to identify your exact requirements and then propose tailored solutions to meet those needs and improve organisational performance. We have previously undertaken such work across a range of organisations from a small departmental team to the public service of a European country seeking EU membership.

Client feedback

Preparation, Management and Delivery of Programmes

As you will see from our other products, we can deliver a wide range of solutions. We have experience in bespoke writing of such solutions, the skilled delivery of them and the management of large scale Programmes. If an accredited and transferable qualification is also required from the learning, we can work with you to achieve a recognised qualification.

Client feedback

Leadership and Management of HR Business Units

We can provide interim leadership and management of HR Departments or Units, or consultancy advice on maximising performance from your resources.

Paul has held positions as Head of HR Strategy, Head of HR Operations, and Head of Learning and Development. He has demonstrated his strategic business-focused HR abilities by leading a poor public sector Learning and Development function to becoming the best in its class in the country, and the first to achieve an "Excellent" grading. Key aspects of this achievement were the creation of a shared Vision, the motivation of Departmental staff, the creation and maintenance of strong internal client relationships, a focus on outcomes rather than outputs and the development of key processes to ensure cost effectiveness and customer satisfaction.

Paul is also skilled in Project Management, having Project Directed and Project Managed the implementation of various wide-scale learning and development programmes and implemented an HR Service Centre.

Meeting and Conference Management and Facilitation

We arrange, manage and facilitate meetings and conferences for clients. These can be small meetings through to large scale national or international conferences. We can undertake the full management and administration or solely the facilitation. The aims, needs and style of every conference is different, so we spend time with clients ascertaining exactly what will constitute a successful event. We then propose suggested methodologies to most effectively meet that goal and then agree a format with the client.

Client feedback

Assessment and Evaluation

We have undertaken, and assisted other organisations with undertaking, robust evaluation of learning – ranging from whether events met their stated objectives, through to measuring the return on investment (ROI) from events or programmes.

Paul also undertakes the assessment of the overall business effectiveness of learning and development functions, including carrying out such work as a Government Inspector leading a team of other inspectors.

We can also offer advice and support in Investors in People (IIP) Accreditation. Paul successfully led a Learning and Development function to embed the principles and gain IIP Accreditation after the remainder of the organisation had been unsuccessful.

Client feedback

For Horse Riders

Yes, it does say ‘horse riders’! Peta has over 30 years' experience of working with horses and training other riders. She holds the BHSAI (British Horse Society Assistant Instructor) qualification, and together with her NLP and coaching experience works with those who ride competitively as well as those who ride purely for pleasure. After a clear goal setting process Peta will assist the client to identify whatever blocks may currently be limiting the enjoyment of their hobby or preventing them from reaching their potential, be it a lack of confidence, their level of self belief or the relationship they have with their horse. Peta then works with the client to remove these blocks. The improvement in performance and confidence can be immediate.

Client feedback

© Ackerley and Associates Ltd. (Registered number 5906955) - operating as Breathe Personal and Organisational Development
School House, Colber Lane, Bishop Thornton, Harrogate, HG3 3JR   Tel: 01423 771634   Email: enquiries@breathe-pod.org.uk