Fertility Support and Advocacy in the Workplace
Overview
This fertility awareness workshop is relevant for People Managers, HR professionals, Mental Health Champions, internal Fertility Support Advocates and anyone wanting to find out more about how fertility issues impact the workplace. The course is a great opportunity to learn more about this topic and to implement learnings back within your organisation.
Combining statistics and fact with real life stories from the trainers’ own lived experience, this session aims to invoke a positive and long-lasting change in how this tricky topic is perceived and understood.
Delivered by HR and Learning Professionals with their own stories of fertility challenges, the training covers the following:
- An introduction to assisted reproduction- the ‘what’, the ‘when’ and the ‘who’.
- Identify the different types of infertility
- Recognise different levels of impact associated with fertility struggles; the physical, mental and emotional
- Dispel misconceptions discourage unhelpful comments that people may experience in this space
- Understand what a typical fertility ‘cycle’ looks like
- Outline why fertility policy matters in business
- Gain an understanding of the ‘legalities’ of treatment
- Learn how to be a supportive employer
- Develop techniques for managing real life conversations
We create a safe, comfortable space for people to share their own experiences and ask questions with no fear of judgement and, more importantly, to promote meaningful discussions about a subject that has never been discussed this openly in a workplace setting before. We will bring to life real situations that require sensitivity and compassion to navigate and give delegates a glance into the world of reproductive challenges for their employees/colleagues.
Agenda
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Registration and GovPD Welcome Address
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Introduction, Agenda and Icebreaker
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Session 1: Understanding the Issue
- Infertility – an overview
- Treatment – an overview
- Lived experience story with Q&A
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Exercise: Impacts of Infertility
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Break
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Discussion: Hurtful and unhelpful comments and discussion
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Session 2: The Business Case
- Why is this a Business Issue?
- The legalities
- The ‘work’ and ‘fertility’ juggle
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Session 3: Providing Support
- Being a supportive employer
- Supporting a colleague
- Your Pledge
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Q&A & Close
Get in Touch
Book Now
- Online Fee: £249
There are no upcoming dates for this event.
Trainer
Trainers:
Natalie Silverman
With over 15 years of broadcasting experience with the UK’s leading commercial radio stations and award-winning voiceover artist Natalie launched The Fertility Podcast in 2014, once pregnant after fertility treatment. It was the UK’s first dedicated podcast on this taboo topic at a time when podcasts weren’t as popular as they are now. Over the last seven years, Natalie has spoken to numerous men and women about their struggles and interviewed fertility experts around the globe. To date, the podcast has had almost half-a-million downloads. She is a patient advocate and regular panel host and chair at key fertility industry events and a qualified Freedom Fertility Formula Coach. In 2019, Natalie shared her experience of IVF whilst hosting a breakfast radio show in Grazia magazines’ ‘Womb with a View’ column and then went on to speak as part of AXA’s Diversity and Inclusion festival and work with Barclays Banks, before joining forces with Becky and Claire.
Claire Ingle
Claire had her first baby at the age of 41 after several years of trying and finally having three rounds of IVF/ICSI. Recognising there was a significant gap in workplace support, Claire started her campaign to raise awareness on people undergoing fertility treatment and balancing work when her daughter was five months old. She knew from her own experience that there needed to be more awareness and focus on this very important topic. Claire has over 25 years experience in HR and is exceptionally passionate about the wellbeing of individuals and has a pragmatic and holistic approach to any people centred issues. She has been recognised across her work career for her empathy and compassion when dealing with exceptionally sensitive issues and strives for the best possible outcome.
Becky Kearns
After working in HR for over 12 years for a number of well- known corporate and public organisations, Becky is now a Fertility Blogger and Patient Advocate as ‘DefiningMum’, having written and spoken about fertility at work as part of BBC Fertility Week 2019. She is also the Founder of Paths to Parenthub, a virtual support platform for those needing to use donor conception to build their family. Following a difficult fertility journey, which involved numerous IVF Cycles and miscarriage, Becky is now mum to three girls thanks to egg donation. She’s passionate about raising awareness and wants to change the support available for those experiencing fertility treatment in the future, particularly in the workplace.
Tracey Jones
Tracey has worked with and through people for almost three decades. She spent the first half of her working life in HR and then chose to specialise in Learning & Development 15 years ago. She worked in senior management posts for a number of years before taking the opportunity to launch her own business in 2021.
Lotus Bridge Coaching & Development is a cumulation of Tracey’s professional experience and skills in training and coaching and her lived experience of juggling a successful career with infertility challenges for almost 10 years before eventually becoming a Mum. She specialises in supporting other working Mums and professionals to be their best selves and live balanced and well lives mentally, physically and emotionally as well as training businesses in a wide variety of people skills, from self-awareness and emotional intelligence to effective communication and management development.
