Parent Buddy Scheme - this scheme gives you the opportunity to be paired up with someone from Imperial who has recently gone through the same experience. Your buddy will act as a sounding board to answer any questions you may have and provide support. Find out more.
Parents Network - New parents and parents-to-be are invited to meet other Imperial colleagues in a similar situation for informal networking and mutual support. HR will be present to answer any questions in relation to maternity, paternity and shared parental leave. For further information of network meeting dates and details of who to contact, please view the relevant meeting dates.
Coaching and mentoring for parents - The Learning and Development team offer Coaching and Mentoring which can be very beneficial to parents. Coaching is a 1-2-1 process that helps individuals think through their options in relation to a range of situations they may be facing in the workplace. Coaching is a confidential and voluntary process, involving up to 4 meetings over a period of 3-6 months. Mentoring is a widely used development tool that has proved to have a beneficial impact on effectiveness, confidence and career advancement. At the heart of mentoring is a relationship based on trust and mutual regard where one colleague uses their expertise and knowledge to support the development of another colleague. Find out more about coaching and mentoring.
Working parents, preparing for parental leave and new expecting partners workshops – these workshops look at both the practical and emotional aspects to enable you to develop in your career through effective planning and communication. The courses are free to College staff. Further information can be found on the family leave webpages.
Confidential Care - the College’s employee assistance provider, Confidential Care, can offer you support by way of a help sheet, which gives basic suggestions that could help your return to work. A free 24 hour confidential advice line is also available for practical and emotional support. For further details please visit the College’s Health & Wellbeing website.
Occupational Health – should you need to speak to Occupational health, information on their service provision and contact details can be located on their website.
