In 2021 I met with Theo Krynauw and expressed my interest in offering support to the Hub. After a meeting with Nicoline Rousseau, she asked the question:

“Would it be possible to introduce a coaching mindset to the tutors at the Hub?”

And that is how this collaboration started.

For the last few years, I’ve committed myself to a yearly pro bono project in the Hermanus community. As a Master Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation, I’ve been grateful for this community’s support of my work, and I feel privileged to give back and pay forward to exciting projects like the Hub.

What is a coaching mindset? A coaching mindset is a way of thinking and doing to encourage people to grow and flourish in life and work.

With this mindset the tutor recognises that the student is the expert in his/her/their life. The tutor supports the student to define his/her/their desired future and to construct a pathway in thinking and doing to achieve that outcome. The tutor trusts the resourcefulness of the student and encourages positive action.

A coaching mindset raises the awareness of the tutor towards the emotional well-being of the student. The tutor is not a therapist or psychologist. However, the tutor can refer the student to proper resources when the student expresses a need for aid.

Reflection is an important aspect of a coaching mindset. The student is encouraged to be curious about his/her/their learning content, have cultural awareness of self and others when working in a group or team, and to develop flexibility in his/her/their learning context.

It is with excitement that I prepare for each of these meetings, and I am amazed at what I hear and learn from the tutors. The tutors are committed to the successes of the students They share their own insights and learning and ability freely with an open mind and heart.