‘Back on Track’ – Research Student Coaching Programme
The ‘Back on Track’ coaching programme provides a motivational intervention for students struggling to find ways of working. This programme is different from other programmes that were in place for PhD students before lockdown. It is not focused on long-term goals (which can be unsettling in such uncertain times) or training in particular skills. Instead, it focuses on finding ways to work that are specific and person-orientated to get back on track in the present moment.
Mental health and isolation issues are well known to be problems while completing a PhD; such issues have become heightened in the pandemic. In a survey of 76 institutions, 94% of PhD students reported disruption to research due to Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent public lockdown.[1] The disruption has disproportionately impacted on those with childcare responsibilities and disabilities. Research students reported suffering financial concerns, lack of resources, a lack of support, loss of access to training and skills development. These have compounded mental health difficulties, research restrictions and stress, leading to one in five students reporting that they are considering leaving their studies.[2]
Present government guidance has noted that research students should work from home if they can do so.[3] Thus the above disruption looks set to continue, and students face additional stress with many having to make substantive research adjustments.
Back on Track
“I noticed how much the coaching has helped me to revalue how I want to want to relate to my project, thank you so much for that sense of perspective.” – Back on Track Coaching Participant, Goldsmiths
“Thank you so much for your session notes. Reading them has made me feel more confident, and it serves as a good reminder of all the things we have spoken about.” – Back on Track Coaching Participant, University of Essex
The aim of this ‘Back on Track’ programme would, through five one-to-one coaching sessions, get research students who are struggling during lockdown to get ‘back on track’ with their research work. The programme would aim to help them establish work-life patterns that are healthy, realistic, balanced and productive within the limitations of their current circumstances.
The programme consists of five one-to-one coaching sessions; researchers receive full notes of the session discussions highlighting their reflections, agreed actions for the following week, and links to any useful resources and contacts. Sessions are also a space where the researchers can share concerns and worries, and provide an opportunity for signposting to additional services whether they relate to wellbeing, social connection or academic support.
The sessions would be a supportive space in which the coach and researcher would agree weekly aims to get them ‘back on track’ with their research or writing or wellbeing, depending on the needs of the individual researcher. The coach and researcher co-create the coaching agenda around a rough structure, informed by general sector research and a pre-programme questionnaire.
Benefits of ‘Back on Track’ mentoring programme for researchers:
- Regular contact – A weekly coaching session would offer a regular contact point for these researchers to have space to discuss their issues, feel connected, and reduce isolation.
- Planning and Organisational support – creating space to think realistically about how they can progress, thinking about obtaining research/life balance
- Linking with Services and Building Networks – An opportunity for signposting to services and networks of support that can enhance a sense of belonging and promote wellbeing, also to signpost to mental health and medical services if needed
- Wellbeing focused – It takes a holistic approach, and there is a chance to discuss all aspects that constitute the life of a researcher (family life, work-life, academic life, social life, health)
- Confidence building – The sessions will focus on documenting progress made and potential, as well as planning and management. It aims to build confidence for those researchers who are struggling with issues of self-worth and imposter syndrome.
- Sharing Good Practice – It will develop ways of tracking progress that the researcher can use and share best practice and techniques that others have found helpful
- Safe – Provided either online via video call or phone call so COVID-safe
What ‘Back on Track Coaching is not:
- Aiming to put undue to pressure on research students who are not coping
- An assessment of research student progress or to be used as a review of their work or progress
- Academic support for specialist subject areas or research adjustments
- It is not counselling, nor is it meant to replace professional help for mental health issues
Indicative Back on Track Coaching Agenda
“It was a real pleasure working with you. The sessions were incredibly useful and really helped me gain perspective on both my work and my methods of working. I feel I have taken a lot away from our 5 sessions.” – Back on Track Coaching Participant, University of Sussex
“I want to thank you for this opportunity, which exceeded my expectations. Heather also helped me to be more assertive in my relationship with my supervisors and to develop greater self-confidence and a healthier and positive work-life.” – Back on Track Coaching Participant, Goldsmiths
The agenda will be co-created depending on the researcher’s needs and engage with the specific provisions at their institutions. However, here is an indicative five-week programme, including some key topics the coach will aim to cover and a basic arch of progress that the programme aims to achieve:
| Indicative Weekly Topics | Indicative Session Description |
| Week 1 – From fire-fighting to co-creating an agenda | Session one will look at ‘fire-fighting’ what is urgent, when are deadlines, does there need to be any immediate interventions in terms of researchers contacting supervisors, reaching out to support services etc. some of this may require follow up research by coach and will be documented in week 1 notes.Look at answers to pre-programme questionnaire and discuss what the most difficult aspects the researcher is facingDiscuss what is essential/non-essential workAgree task(s) that will help things move forward – identify what is achievable in the week (no more than 3 key tasks) |
| Week 2 – Techniques for coping and planning | Review of the last week Being OK not to be OK, dealing with Automatic Negative Thoughts, identifying stressors Relaxation techniques and building self-worth Agree task(s) that will help things move forward – identify what is achievable in the week (no more than 3 key tasks) |
| Week 3 – Wellbeing and time management | Review of the last week Setup some exercise targets – walking/useful websites/online classesMid-way check in – what is working/not – changes that can be made Agree task(s) that will help things move forward – identify what is achievable in the week (no more than 3 key tasks) |
| Week 4 – Tracking progress and reaching out | Review of the last week Looking at daily journal statements and/or affirmation work Suggested engagement with networks/events (COVID-safe)Identify helpful cycles/changes Agree task(s) that will help things move forward – identify what is achievable in the week (no more than 3 key tasks) |
| Week 5 – Looking to the future and keeping the momentum | Review of the last week Sustaining/maintaining networks with other PhD students Aspirational points and reflections on changes to work patterns and progress madeAction points moving forward End of programme questionnaire |
Capacity and Cost of the Programme
We offer packages to Doctoral Training Partnerships (current working with CHASE DTP) as well as packages for individual research students, we advise if you are a research student planning on claiming this back through institutional or funder expenses that you check with them in advance that they are able to fund your coaching programme. Please get in touch with Heather McKnight for further details heather@magneticideals.org
‘Back on Track’ Lead Coach Details
“Thank you so much for everything you have done for me. You have been such a great coach! As you’ve been through this yourself, you understand where I’ve been coming from, and that has been comforting and reassuring.” – University of Sussex Participant
The coaching is delivered through Magnetic Ideals by Dr Heather McKnight, who has worked advising coaching, training and mentoring for a number of years both in Higher Education and in the community sector. She has working providing training, mentoring, research and coaching through Magnetic Ideals (2015 – 2021) for management in the community sector, emerging social enterprises and community groups, and individual tutoring and specialist access to work support for self-employed individuals in the arts. She has worked in many roles helping people get back on track.
Working as the Equalities Development Officer for the Scottish Council for Minorities she ran and developed the volunteering programme to develop skills in the centre based volunteers and ensure voices were represented in the broader community, working to engage them in representative roles in community councils and other representative bodies. During this time she also offered mentoring and support to refugees, asylum seekers and other minority groups engaged with the centre. Heather was a policy officer working on issues impacting International Students at both NUS UK and NUS Scotland, and a College Reviewer for Education Scotland. She managed the Student Advice Service at the University of Brighton Students’ Union for three years. The Service employed an empowerment model of advising where students were encouraged to understand the university’s processes in a supported way that would both help them overcome their current issues while building confidence to overcome similar issues in the future. She managed complex advice cases, advised and reported to university boards on both postgraduate and undergraduate student vulnerabilities and policy changes. She has presented at numerous QAA and HE Sector events on matters around student engagement and progression.
As a CHASE DTP funded PhD student herself, she was an active member of the CHASE student community serving as the chair of the CHASE Student Committee, being a founding member of the CHASE Feminist Committee (where she still serves on the organising committee) and supporting a number of CHASE students in other funding bids. She has worked as a doctoral tutor and understands firsthand the difficulties of the PhD experience in lockdown. Particularly through her work at the CHASE Feminist Network (which operated across nine universities and a number of community organisations), she is acutely attuned to how vulnerable groups of PhD students have been struggling during the pandemic, and the coping and networking mechanisms that have been put in place to help. Her research area is Higher Education and Law, focusing on reimagining the academy through joint working between students and staff representative bodies.
Contact details: Dr Heather McKnight, heather@magneticideals.org
[1] “The Impact of Covid-19 and the UK Public Lockdown on Postgraduate Research Students in the UK,” accessed January 25, 2021, https://www.bera.ac.uk/blog/the-impact-of-covid-19-and-the-uk-public-lockdown-on-postgraduate-research-students-in-the-uk.
[2] “The Impact of Covid-19 and the UK Public Lockdown on Postgraduate Research Students in the UK.”
[3] “Students Returning to, and Starting Higher Education, in Spring Term 2021 – Guidance for Higher Education Providers” (Department for Education, January 2021), https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950583/Students_returning_to_and_starting_higher_education_in_Spring_Term_2021_FINAL_v3.pdf.