Please have a look at some of our testimonials from young people, parents, teenage parents and a range of professionals

Young people

"I have learnt to experience my self and my confidence has gone up."
Tyron

"I have really enjoyed doing this."
Ella

"I've learnt to have confidence in myself."
Polly

"I really enjoyed expressing my ambitions"
James

"That different people think in different ways."
Rebecca

"Not to dislike anybody."
Lucy

"That being a loudmouth 'aint always a good thing."
Penny

"That you need to work on your goals if you want to achieve them."
Steph

"I liked sharing and talking about the homework with everyone."
Billy

"I learned that everyone is unique and special and to have respect."
Jahangir

"My goal was to improve my reading and I did. So I was very pleased with myself."
Marie

"I found his self confidence has improved and will now try new things. Before the course he stood on the side lines and now he is prepared to have a go."
Mrs HD, Parent

"My daughter has really enjoyed doing this. I think it is a great way of encouraging children and making them more aware of where they are going in the future."
Mrs LM, Parent

"My son has really benefited from this course."
Mrs DM, Parent

Parents

"I think this course helped me to understand the challenges children face within society and from their peer groups. It has given me valuable tools to better interact with my child in the future. I felt that this course was an emotional journey for me because it helped me unravel some of the emotional expectations and limitations I put on myself sometimes. Thank you."
Mrs BR

"I have enjoyed and learnt a great deal to do with bringing up a family, being a Mum and wife and being myself."
Mrs CR

"I don't have to do anything different now as I feel confident that I can achieve everything I want."
Mrs TA

"The course really worked for me. It has changed the way I look at things and I definitely feel much more positive about myself and the way I see and do things. I have really benefited from this course."
Mrs JF

"Straight away I felt not alone at feeling inadequate as a parent as there are other Mums that felt the same. I went home after my first class and changed the way I did a couple of things and it made the children and me talk like we haven't in a long time, it was great. I now cant wait to see how things change as the way things are now are great. Only a small change to start with but a great one."
Mrs SD

"Really enjoyed the course. It has made me think about how I do things as a parent and how it affects my children. I feel much more positive and confident and am already starting to make changes in my life and my families."
Mrs TC

"Alan is very positive. The course was interesting and made me think about things more clearly. Even though we only had 3 weeks I've tried very hard to look at my children as individuals as they are both different. And both of them are good children. Maybe I'm not as bad as I feel sometimes but who doesn't! It's a shame we didn't have the full 6 weeks, I'll be back if we do."
Mrs SJ

Teenage Parents

"Only I can make me feel a certain way. I have learnt that I can change a situation in my favour if I believe I can. Thank you Alan! You've been a great help, I really needed to boost my self-esteem and you've certainly helped me do that. This course has helped me by making me find my mother less irritating and it has helped us to fight less, which is a big relief because normally we are always fighting. Since I've taken part in this course I've learned to stay calm and control how I feel inside, so instead of shouting and being angry, I'm calm and controlled."
Kat

"I learnt that I should celebrate the goals I have achieved otherwise I will forget. And I learnt to think happy thoughts when I can feel myself get into a bad mood. To try to build my confidence and not get paranoid about what people think."
Fiona

"The future will be a new ME!"
Maxine

"I found the course effective as it is a lot of people decided to change their ways and thoughts for the better. That words and emotions can really change the way people are or how they feel, i.e. positive and negative. I sorted out a dead-end relationship into something I am proud and happy with and making myself feel a lot better about myself. Making my home a better place to be for both of us, as well as my son. We now spend time as a couple where we never did before and we sit down to discuss things or problems about our lives, instead of shouting and screaming at each other like we used to."
Vikki

"I will try and walk down the road thinking that people aren't talking about me and that my thoughts should be good so that my baby won't be negative."
Laura

"A smile is not hard and just doing it makes you feel good. I loved the last few weeks and I would definitely tell people about them and tell them to come. I'm getting on with my Mum more, understanding how to be in the same room together without arguing. Explaining to her that Tommy is my son and sometimes she should just step back and listen to me more about how I want Tommy to grow up. Understanding that it will take time and things wont happen straight away."
Lara

Professionals

"After being impressed whilst reading some published literature from Develop Your Child I decided to attend a Parenting Coaching course facilitated by Alan Wilson. I participated fully alongside other course participants who included several parents. Positive outcomes were achieved by all, including myself. Although I originally attended as an observer I found myself being drawn into the process of empowerment. I feel there is a place for this type of different intervention which allows and supports parents to take responsibility for themselves."
Susan Babin, Home-Start, Maidstone, Kent

“This approach is very welcome and is a powerful tool in improving emotional wellbeing for both young people and parents.”
Barry Clout, Chairman of Kent Children’s Fund Network and KentCAN

"We spend our lives cramming information into children. This approach is completely different: we are asking the children what they think and want."
Mr DH, Headteacher

"As a result of this very successful Transition project we have recognised with the excellent support and commitment of Alan that this programme has been a very valuable and worthwhile exercise. The aim now is to establish how we as a school can enable all children to gain these life skills rather than wait until they are in year six. The Develop Your Child Programme has enabled us to support our year six pupil's to look forward to the next phase in their education feeling better equipped emotionally to deal with any challenge that comes their way."
Mrs CJ, Assistant Head

View the senior instructors interview of the Arethusa Venture Centre

"It enabled us to give the young people the opportunity to think about their long term dreams and recognise they have choices now that will affect those dreams."
Ms DS, Community Youth Worker

"The course empowered the young people and showed them how to put strategies in place for them to begin to achieve their goals."
Mr GM, Youth Worker

"In all, carers took away another view of how things could be managed where difficulties arise in the home, either with their own children or foster children. They felt that by looking first at how they view themselves, what their own needs are they are in a much stronger position to support their own family and any foster child they are caring for.

In all it was a very fruitful course and the staff will continue to support carers not to forget what they have gained during supervision sessions and in support groups."
Angie Hanson, Area Manager, The Adolescent & Children's Trust

"...we have had excellent feed back.... In the event, both they (foster carers) and the attending social workers considered the life coaching skills to be a very valuable aid to them."
Peter Stevens, Fostering Team Leader, Kent County Council

"I liked what you are trying to achieve and think it pulls some useful material together from different sources in a way that is empowering for young people. Redressing the left/right brain imbalance is good."
Kevin Lowe, Associate Director - Training, Trust for the Study of Adolescence

"Recognising positive qualities in ourselves in turn raises self-esteem for both parents and children. It was rewarding listening to parents celebrate success, recognise their improving parenting skills and acknowledge their own strengths."
Amanda McCartney, Family Liaison Officer, St Michael's Church of England Junior School

"It's the most inspiring form of training I've ever been involved in, you can see the benefits and results each session."
Karen Halliday, Young Parents Personal Advisor, Medway Youth Service

"I have to say that they were a very 'together' group and it was obvious that you had helped them to overcome any lack of confidence they may have had prior to attending the course. What was also very telling was that they wanted to progress onto other courses...."
Sue Blanchard, Medway Careers Adviser, Nextstep

"Hi Alan, You and I had a coaching call about two weeks ago and I wanted to let you know how things were going. (I am the friend of Dorothy's) First of all, I want to say that I am so disappointed that I will not be meeting you when you come in as I will be traveling that week. I do hope to meet you at some future date!!

After we hung up, I knew something had changed. I was stronger and firmer. For so long I have known what my beliefs are regarding the schools and children. I have known that this is my passion. Yet, I allowed myself to be influenced by others who could not see the same vision as I saw. I now stand true and strong in my vision and make no excuses. I know what I know and that's it!

Second, I went and met with my local school district and talked to them about offering my knowledge and experience to help parents, teachers and students....and I put it in their language. I told them how I have been studying the different generations in the workforce currently and that generation Xers and the millennials operate differently and expect to be spoken to and treated differently if we really want to connect with them. I told her that I wanted to speak with the teachers about Emotional Intelligence and Coaching skills so that they could better communicate and pull out the best in the students. I told her that since memorization is the least utilized skill once they are out of school, that I could show the teachers ways to help students experientially learn material in a way that would also benefit them when they were in the workforce while the school still maintains their curriculum. (YUK, but I knew I had no chance of changing the curriculum)

I could tell this person was inspired and impressed and she is now making calls to the guidance counselors, the business teachers and is also finding out If I can run a workshop for the teachers.

My husband and sons are treating me differently and I wish I could write about all the miracles that happened in this area as well.

I love your style of coaching and I am excited for the work you are doing. I wish you great success on all levels!

I have a feeling we will all come together again as I know we all share the same vision for the children!

Thanks again Alan!!! Love and Blessings, Lynn"

Lynn Cohen, PCC, Executive Coach, Designs To Grow Coaching and Training
www.designstogrow.com