Campaigning

Coliberate were recommended to Action Hampshire as we wished to undertake an audit of our EDI practices and policies. We wanted to better understand where we needed to improve so we could create a clear action plan for addressing particular areas. Coliberate were great from start to finish, really listening to what we wanted and needed to get out of the process and offering a clear package of support. The approach taken allowed us to gain an in depth understanding of our strengths and areas of improvement as an organisation, and the engaging and easy to read report produced was very useful for guiding our way forward. Christopher's friendly, open, and understanding approach ensured we felt comfortable asking questions and allowed us space to reflect. We would definitely recommend Coliberate for any other voluntary, community, or social enterprise organisation looking to effectively embed EDI into their organisational culture and practice

I initially reached out to Christopher to support the development of an LGBT+ inclusion plan, but the work we developed together informed a much broader and more strategic piece of work, that refreshed the broader EDI strategy. The strategy developed reflected the business’ stakeholder groups and aligned itself with and supported the core business strategy rather than sitting as a purely HR project. Christopher was a pleasure to work with, insightful, reflective, and constructive – providing the right level of challenge but acting as a partner throughout. The resulting impact was a well-developed, nuanced strategy that identified clear actions and tangible outputs for the short, medium, and long term. Christopher was also able to support the delivery of some of those outputs, delivering sessions for staff and customers that were extremely well received. The work that we did together is some of the best of my career, and I recommend others work with Christopher without hesitation.

As an organisation centred around empowering others, we thought we were a business doing things *right*, but Christopher has a way of steering us toward something even better. His coaching is transformative—he listens very very carefully and then tailors everything to our needs, bringing years of research, practice, and wisdom to help us have greater impact and be better. On top of this, he brings warmth and wisdom to every interaction and then cheers us on from the sidelines! Every minute with him is gold, and our business is undeniably stronger because of his guidance. We would recommend Christopher in a heartbeat to any business or individual wanting to create meaningful, lasting change.

If you want to develop your EDI practice, become a more inclusive organisation, or get support to navigate a turbulent world, I would highly recommend Christopher as a speaker, trainer, mentor or coach. Support Staffordshire, a local infrastructure organisation, a membership body and a charity with 100 staff and £3M turnover, has worked with Christopher for around 3 years in a number of ways. For example, they have supported us by developing our EDI action plan, delivering introductory and leadership workshops, and by providing me with executive coaching, thus supporting board and policy development. He is deeply knowledgeable but also a brilliant communicator who asks the right questions and engages with empathy and skill.

I was referred to Christopher to explore how my new venture, Neuro Nirvana Collective, could engage in activism. With AuADHD, I carry strong justice sensitivities, but as someone living with chronic illness, I wasn’t sure how I could contribute effectively. Working with Christopher has been an absolute pleasure. He listened deeply, brought clarity to my ideas, and transformed my scattered thoughts into meaningful insights. Thanks to his coaching, I now have a clear sense of my key interests in activism along with a focused plan for moving forward. Thank you, Christopher.

Dr Owen's insights have been invaluable. I credit a large part of my success to the lessons Christopher has imparted to me. His insights have shaped my policy-writing skills, enhancing my ability to communicate succinctly and effectively with senior Ministry of Justice officials on improving the summary justice process. Christopher is a world-class educator with an exceptional ability to identify areas of weakness and provide credible solutions. Whilst these discussions can be challenging, his mentoring has been truly life-changing. I cannot offer higher praise.

Dr. Christopher Owen is so well read, aware, warm and understanding. I can't imagine a better person to deliver the kind of work he does; vital work to help people and companies step up their knowledge and practices on how to affect real change WRT real equity and inclusion. not to mention how prescient this work now is. it was a joy to work with him and learn and grow from his knowledge on and passion for education on and practice of true equity.