Richard Lyon |
 Contact |
Richard has been a people practioner and problem solver for over thirty years. Working in the private, voluntary and statutory sectors he has enabled beneficial solutions with agencies as diverse as the Home Office and community self help groups. He has worked with people at all levels: from directors of national agencies to prisoners, to adults returning to education to better themselves and with farmers exploring diversification following the foot and mouth outbreak.
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Style
Much of this work has been of national significance and his practice, philosophy and approach is rooted in realistic expectations, with a thorough, sensitive analysis of issues evolved from working in dynamic, demanding and controversial areas.
Indeed, two of his specialist areas are in Crisis Coaching and devising unique solutions. His experience as a whistle blower in a nationally reported case provided him with invaluable and unique insights when facing organized onslaughts against one’s integrity.
Working in partnership with the Home Office Prisons Department and a leading national voluntary agency he devised and argued for the first life prisoner to participate in a unique pre-release scheme. This project depended on establishing beneficial and professional relationships based on mutual trust to create partnerships and to implement opportunities where none previously existed.
There are no secrets to working with others, certainly none to coaching and mentoring other than winning trust, and offering empathy, together with an absolute willingness to share experience and expertise. Of course, being candid, honest and giving time and listening when, where and however necessary, to enable the achievement of goals and ambitions, is gainsaid.
Consultancy
It was in such settings that he developed his mediation and mentoring skills assisting those at risk, those facing professional challenges and individuals requiring support.
He has worked in adult education, both Special Needs and Access. The Times Educational Supplement has featured his work on integrating special needs into main stream and the courses he created offering long term unemployed adults opportunities to re-skill as part of community regeneration. In a college of further education he became staff mentor and union case worker where he mediated between staff and senior management.
Living in ‘division bell’ Westminster for many years has also given him political insight. He has also participated in a European Union Leonardo New Time Project with Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands and Scotland examining social disadvantage and integration.
His other areas of expertise and interest are in assisting people through change, both personal and institutional, setting realisable goals, working with the marginalised, and with both sides of adoption.
Keywords
Benefits
Challenge
Change
Community
Crisis coaching
Development
Disability
Disaffected
Education
Equal opportunities
Further education
Independent living
Innovative
Integrity
Key working
Lifers
Margins
Mediation
Mentoring
Opportunities
Organised
Outsiders
Personal development
Positive deviancy
Prisons
Resolution
Second chances
Social disadvantage
Teachers
Unstuck
Voluntary sector