I'm interested in the question of how we build liberatory, just and caring cultures in our organsiations where everyone is able to thrive.
My work is all about bringing people together to create space for conversations about challenging issues and in particular helping people to think about about how oppression may be showing up in us and in our organisations and how we can centre care in our approaches to change.
To do this I build on my training as a Shadow Work Coach and as an Action Learning Facilitator. I've been working for many years both online and in person to do this kind of work with people.
I offer facilitation, action learning, workshops and keynote addresses that help your organisation address challenging issues, prevent burnout, eradicate chronic exhaustion, and cultivate and practice the skills of humane and just leadership. I also run online events and away days.
Ultimately this work is designed to make sure that your organisational culture fully reflects and embodies your values for change in the world.
The things I offer include:
- Keynote Speech: Beating Burnout and Building Internal Resilience (more about the topics I am available to speak about can be found by following this link)
- Virtual Away Days and Conferences (I have been running the annual Healing Solidarity Online conference since 2018)
- Wellbeing Days, Wellbeing Plans and processes that look at how work for change can happen in a way that supports the wellbeing of staff, leaders and practitioners
- Facilitating difficult conversations including conversations about race & power in International Development spaces
- Additional Coaching & Action Learning Packages to support theses process
- I also co-facilitate spaces to support individuals and organsiations to build anti-racist practice as part of a multi-racial team of consultants at healingsolidarity.org
I can support you to create a humane and just work environment that aligns with your mission by resourcing your people with the skills of radical self-care, resiliency, and humane and just leadership.
To talk to me about the challenges in your org and how we can best work with you book a call with me
More about me and why I do this work
I am a Coach, Consultant and Community Holder as well as Co-CEO and a former Chair and Grant Maker. I help organisations build resilient cultures in which people value and care for themselves and each other. Here are my skills and qualifications:
- A degree in Swahili and Social Anthropology and a Masters in Anthropological Research.
- I was CEO of the charity AbleChildAfrica between 2004 and 2011; she has two decades of years experience as a leader and practitioner in international development; I also developed programmes in three countries for the mental health and wellbeing charity BasicNeeds.
- I am is skilled in professional fundraising and grant-making and has raised millions of pounds for the organisations I’ve worked for to fund social justice projects. She has Chaired a Domestic Violence Refuge and led the organisation through a merger and has consulted with other organisations in their change-management processes.
- I am also a Shadow Work Coach, Action Learning Facilitator, TedX Speaker & Nia Movement Practitioner; she is a Founder of the Red Tent Directory and The Story Party; and a podcaster and public speaker.
As the Director of a small Charity I asked Mary Ann's advice on a wide variety of issues. I find her very approachable, and above all extremely helpful. As a mentor I find her advice very apt and practical- based on her far reaching experience in international development. As a consultant, Mary Ann really adds value. She puts in a lot of effort to ensure she has a complete understanding of the brief, and because she recognises a lot of the challenges we face, her input is very well informed and effective. She has excellent contacts in the industry so she is able to draw on wide ranging best practice. I would recommend Mary Ann's approach very highly. Molly Brech
Some of the organisations I have worked with:
