Group Coaching for Policy Impact Programme
Launch and Call for Applications | January–June 2027
Group Coaching for Policy Impact is a new programme from The York Policy Engine (TYPE) and Yorkshire Policy Collaboration (YPC), funded in part by the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account.
The programme complements traditional policy engagement training by helping staff turn knowledge into practice.
Through coaching and peer co-coaching, staff will apply new skills to real-world policy engagement challenges and develop greater confidence in navigating complexity, relationships and stakeholder needs.
The aim is not simply to achieve a single policy goal, but to develop ways of working that support meaningful policy impact beyond the programme.
Who is it for?
The 6-month programme is open to professional services and academic staff at the University of York, across all career levels, whose work relates to the ESRC remit or contributes to impact within the social sciences.
Whether you are highly experienced in working with policy or just starting out with a specific impact goal in mind, this programme offers practical tools to build collaborative, high-trust partnerships with policy and community stakeholders.
You might:
- have a policy or impact goal but feel stuck on how to move it forward
- know what you could do, but struggle to turn that knowledge into action
- feel overwhelmed by the different possible routes, relationships or opportunities
- want to build stronger, more trusting relationships with policy or community partners
- find yourself holding back from challenging, questioning or asking for what you need
- be successful in your work but increasingly feel that the way you are working is not sustainable
- be ready to try something different and step outside your usual ways of working.
What is Coaching for Policy Impact?
The programme is grounded in the idea that effective policy impact is reciprocal. It is not simply about researchers getting their evidence into policy. It is about developing relationships where knowledge, experience and expertise can be shared, questioned and used by everyone involved.
The coaching approach will develop the relational and reflective skills essential for effective collaboration and co-production, while helping staff identify approaches to policy engagement that are authentic, effective and sustainable. The programme aims:
- Develop Coaching Competencies: Learn active listening, trust-building, questioning, and reflexivity to build productive, reciprocal collaborations with stakeholders.
- Peer Co-Coaching and Accountability: Work in small, dedicated coaching triads (taking turns as coach, coachee, and observer) to practice coaching skills in a safe space while keeping each other accountable on live policy goals.
- Strategic Policy Engagement: Gain skills to navigate complex organisational dynamics, and support shared decision-making.
Programme
The programme runs for six months, from January to June 2027.
Across the six months, you will combine in-person and online sessions with peer co-coaching, applying what you learn to a live policy engagement or impact goal. You will meet on average, once a month.
We recognise that everyone will bring their own policy goals, challenges and needs to the co-coaching sessions. That’s why our peer coaching sessions are designed to be flexible, giving you the space to focus on whatever would best support your progress towards your goals at that point in time.
If you’d find more structure helpful, we also provide optional reflection prompts for each session to help you explore how to apply your skills to specific aspects of policy engagement.
*Note: For all multi-day online sessions, a single 2-hour slot will be booked on one of the listed dates once the programme starts.
| Date/TimingColumn 1 | Session | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 19 Jan (10:30–12:00 Online) | Orientation Call | Setting expectations, co-producing our cohort contract, and framing the coaching journey. |
| Tue 26 Jan (10:00–16:00 In-Person) | Session 1: Core Coaching Skills | Foundational skills, research-to-policy principles, live goal-setting, and forming coaching triads. |
| *16–18 Feb (2h slot, Online) | Session 2: Peer co-coaching |
Optional reflection prompt: What has it been like using your skills to work on your policy goals? |
| *16–18 Mar (2h slot, Online) | Session 3: Peer co-coaching |
Optional reflection prompt: What has it been like using your skills to work on your policy goals? |
| Tue 13 Apr (13:00–16:00 In-Person) | Session 4: Midway Reflection | Exploring strengths, personal values, appreciative inquiry, and resilience. |
| *11–13 May (2h slot, Online) | Session 5: Peer co-coaching |
Optional reflection prompt: How are you using your strengths and values to solve problems and handle uncertainty when you’re working with policy stakeholders? |
| *15–17 Jun (2h slot, Online) | Session 6: Peer co-coaching |
Optional reflection prompt:How are you enabling participation, shared decision-making, and long-term sustainability? |
| Tue 22 Jun (13:00–16:00 In-Person) | Session 7: Celebration & Future Paths |
Reflecting on transformation, celebrating milestones, and establishing lasting peer support networks. |
Apply
How to apply: Submit a short application alongside endorsement from your line manager.
Deadline: Friday 5th December 2026, 5pm.
Questions? We are very happy to have an informal conversation about what the programme involves and whether it might be the right fit for you. Please contact Katie Heffron (katie.heffron@york.ac.uk).