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CONNECT to Succeed is a brand new coaching scheme aimed at fostering interdisciplinary working amongst Health Researchers at UCL.
The scheme will involve participants working with experienced coaches, to identify and work through, any issues that are affecting their work as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration, be it work relationships, cross-cultural issues, dealing with multiple partners, managing multiple priotrities, etc.. It’s very much for each participant to decide the topics for discussion with their coach. We also hope to be able to better position participants to be able to bid for future funding in a research landscape that is increasingly calling for more interdisciplinary working.
- Who is eligible for the scheme?
Postdoctoral Researchers at UCL are eligible for the scheme but must already be working in an interdisciplinary team with a Health focus. 20 places will be available in the first instance.
- What does the scheme involve?
Participants will be offered four, 1-2-1 sessions with a trained coach to talk through their experiences within 2024.. These sessions are flexible and can be booked around your availability.
Alongside the 1-2-1 sessions, all participants will be invited to timetabled group workshops with stakeholders from around UCL who have a proven track record of succeeding in the inter-disciplinary sphere and/or has a relevant skill set that would be useful for participants to explore.
As part of this pilot, we will consider the option to provide additional group coaching sessions led by CONNECT coaches in the later part of you coaching period. These sessions would focus on common themes that have been found to affect the cohort and would benefit participants discussing with their peers from across disciplines.
- How can I sign up?
Interested Postdoctoral Researchers will be asked to fill out a 2- stage application process before they are allowed onto the scheme. Applications are now open: please fill out this sign up form: https://form.jotform.com/240171987541359
- Is it free?
The scheme is free, and is funded by the UCL Academic Careers Office through the NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre.
- What will happen after I sign up?
After the deadline has passed for signing up, we will be in touch to confirm wether you have a place. You will then be asked to complete a second survey that will allow us, and the coaches, to better understand your working situation and how we might best support you.
- Who conducts the coaching and what should I expect?
We are working with two coaches who also work on our ADAPT to Grow programme. They have a lot of experience with coaching, and providing support for academic researchers. We will also be hosting group workshop sessions with key leaders from around UCL with a proven track record of success in interdisciplinary projects.
- What about my privacy?
All of the discussion between you and your coach in your private sessions are kept confidential and will not be shared in any form with UCL. As the group workshops will consist of you and a group of your peers, please be aware that we cannot guarentee confidentiality in that setting.
- How do I schedule my coaching sessions?
Once you have been introduced to your coach, you will be asked to book your four sessions for 2024.
If you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment you should give the coach at least 48 hours' notice. All rescheduled sessions must be arranged before the end of the six months period.
If something comes up unexpectedly and you miss an appointment without giving proper notice, you should contact your coach as soon as possible to reschedule.
If you miss two appointments without giving notice you may be dismissed from the programme. We will have a discussion first, though.
- How will the scheme be evaluated?
Participants will complete surveys before joining the scheme, and again after it's completion so we can measure how much/if the scheme has had an impact on how you succesfully manage your interdisciplinary working. As this is a pilot scheme, we will also ask questions about how you feel the scheme was conducted, in order for us to evaluate how we might continue the scheme in future iterations.
Any, and all, questions should be directed to CONNECT Manager Alex Teale via a.teale@ucl.ac.uk