Shaping a Training Programme Led by Real Experience

Beyond the Chair launched towards the end of this year and has continued to grow through collaboration, shared learning, and real-world insight. Its launch marked a significant milestone, bringing together professionals from barbering, hair, beauty, and tattooing for an ambassador workshop rooted in honest conversation and lived experience. The discussion and feedback shared during the session are directly shaping the final version of the programme, ensuring it reflects real client interactions and the compassionate, everyday conversations that already take place in these settings.

Across hairdressing, barbering, beauty, and tattoo studios, these professionals often become the first point of contact when someone is struggling. The relationships they build over months and years give them a unique vantage point to notice changes, offer empathy, and gently support clients during moments when connection truly matters. Recognising and equipping this workforce is essential, as they often sit at the heart of powerful early mental-health conversations.

This workshop marked a vital stage in shaping the final version of our new Beyond the Chair training programme. Together, we focused on:

·       Reviewing and critiquing the written programme, ensuring it reflects the realities and language of everyday studio environments

·       Finalising our logo and visual identity, capturing both the creativity and care embedded in these professions

·       Providing feedback on course content and delivery, helping us refine a programme that is practical, relevant, and accessible

Participants shared open, constructive insight that will directly influence how the training develops. Their lived experience forms the backbone of Beyond the Chair, ensuring the programme is not shaped by assumptions but by the genuine needs and challenges professionals encounter while supporting clients.

Last month’s session was the first step in validating our approach, testing the structure, tone, and flow of the training to ensure it becomes a resource practitioners can confidently apply in their day-to-day work. The feedback gathered is already guiding enhancements to make the training more impactful, grounded, and usable across different settings.

Following the workshop, we entered an exciting collaboration with a respected community studio that approached us to help strengthen their community offer and embed wellbeing at the heart of their work. Together, we are exploring new ways to support clients, creative practitioners, and neighbourhood networks, reinforcing Beyond the Chair as a practical and relevant pathway for both individual and community wellbeing.

We look forward to progressing Beyond the Chair next year as a significant opportunity to strengthen the wellbeing of both professionals and the communities they serve. By formally supporting those who already provide compassionate conversations in informal, trusted spaces, this programme has the potential to deepen connection, increase awareness, and encourage early support where it can make the greatest difference.

If you are interested in finding out more about beyond the chair please email hello@kellysheroes.org.uk