Queen Bee Connect

Queen Bee Coaching (QBC) is a charitable service providing free leadership coaching to women in Greater Manchester who otherwise would not be able to access such support.

I started volunteering with QBC in January 2022 where my role is to support the Chair and Steering Group, and during 2022 this included the development of a new strategic plan. In summer 2023, QBC commissioned me to pilot a new initiative to deliver one of their new strategic objectives.

'Queen Bee Connect' will provide opportunities in a safe and supportive environment, for coachees to connect with each other outside of and beyond their coaching journey. This will facilitate the ongoing development of their leadership skills, and in turn, increase their sense of belonging with QBC.

projecT management

To ensure the pilot delivers within the timescales set out by QBC’s Steering Group, I put in place a project plan, schedule and risk register. I review these on a regular basis with the project leads and present a bimonthly report to the Steering Group.

stakeholder engagement

It is important to QBC that the initiative is client-informed, with clients being the women that receive coaching. In order to meet this brief and ensure the initiative meets its target audience’s needs, I organised a range of stakeholder engagement opportunities. This included an online focus group, a survey and an in-person workshop. Feedback gathered via these forums has informed the initiative’s outcomes, guiding principles and delivery planning.

Theory of change

To ensure the initiative is steered by the outcomes QBC wants to achieve, I have created a Theory of Change and refined this through input from the Steering Group and QBC’s coaches and coachees. This has ensured the initiative’s immediate and long-term outcomes reflect stakeholder needs as well as delivering change at an organisational level.

'I have never known anyone as good at keeping things on track as Stephanie. Her project management skills are impeccable and she is an expert in holding people to account in a kind and tactful way. When Stephanie is running a project I am involved with, I know I am in safe hands and only need to take care of my own portion of the project without worrying where other aspects of it are up to.'

Becky Grey, QBC Steering Group Member & Lead for Networking and Communication