Floyd Woodrow MBE DCM launches children’s charity at a moving event hosted by Richard Harrington MP
The Compass For Life Foundation was launched at a high-profile lunch event hosted by founder Floyd Woodrow MBE DCM and Richard Harrington MP at the House of Commons on 4 June 2019. The launch event brought together 190 guests including business leaders, politicians, astronaut-in-training Dr Mindy Howard and school headteachers to celebrate the launch of the charity, which empowers all children to achieve their ambitions and heighten their learning through values-based leadership training.
Guests were welcomed with a reception on the Terrace Pavilion before they were invited to take their seats in the Members' Dining Room for welcome speeches by Misters Harrington and Woodrow, assistant headteacher Chantal Dean, and student participants Lucy Bradley and Charlie Bamford. Guests enjoyed an afternoon cream tea, and a silent auction took place to raise funds for the Foundation's work.
Floyd spoke about his desire to bridge the current educational gap between the most disadvantaged students in the UK and their peers.
He said: "I want teachers to create an environment where students become life-long learners. That schools provide experiences for the students to find what motivates and inspires them so they can follow their Super North Star. To ensure they have knowledge but more importantly wisdom, common sense and judgement to use that knowledge effectively. That they understand how to communicate internally with themselves and externally with others so they can adapt their communication style. That they have the correct values and are mentally and physically so that the students are equipped with dealing with an ever-changing environment.
"Most importantly, I want us to inspire children to leave a legacy behind to help others. Using the powerful Compass For Life model, we can help teachers and parents provide a high support and high challenge environment in which their children can succeed in whatever they choose to do in life."
Empowering school children through Compass For Life
Compass for Life is the product of four years of development by Floyd a leadership specialist, author and entrepreneur. Floyd’s early career was as a soldier in the Parachute Regiment before joining the Special Air Service at the age of 22. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his work in Iraq and an MBE for his work in Afghanistan. During his time in the military Floyd studied law and psychology, and he is now an award-winning global lecturer on leadership.
The Compass For Life Foundation takes the leadership skills training that Floyd and his team of educational specialists employs with sports teams and CEOs and applies it to school children in some of the UK's most deprived communities, with trials already undertaken in more than 200 schools, including a project in Stoke on Trent which involved more than 50 schools.
Chantal Dean, director of education for the Foundation, and assistant head of Pewsey Vale School in Wiltshire said: "It’s so important for us as teachers and parents in the community to inspire our children and encourage them to strive for greatness. I knew that with Compass for Life, it would change the way they see things. It’s about seeing the children as whole people and challenging them to think about what they want to do. Compass for Life challenges students and gives them a way of learning that totally puts the power in their own hands and encourages them to connect the dots between what they’re learning and why it’s important to ensure they fulfil their ambitions and plans. Some of our children have gone from being disengaged in their learning to incredibly enthusiastic, not only able to identify what they want to do, but why they want to do it.
Part of this process also includes empowering school networks to provide resources such as mentors. 16-year-old student Megan* is being supported in her ambition to become a vet through working with a personal coach, veterinary surgeon Claire Bailey, via one of her teachers.
Megan said: "I found the CFL programme extremely useful when considering and preparing for university. It allowed me to set a goal and consider all routes to reaching that goal as not everything goes to plan. As well as this the programme enhanced my confidence within an interview situation and thus improved my first year at university. I now have the confidence to get fully involved in university activities, so I can make the most of all opportunities presented to me, which is highly important while studying veterinary medicine."
Compass For Life aims to roll out to 200 schools in 2019 and 2020, to support a projected 100,000 students in the UK to achieve their goals.
About Compass for Life:
Compass For Life™ is a unique approach that brings together the best aspects of leadership training currently available into a simple, concise, and effective framework. It complements all current leadership methodology by aligning them with each cardinal so that everyone can have a compass for life that works for them as an individual, family, team or organisation.
Compass For Life enables primary and secondary school students, university graduates, business leaders and sports teams, at the highest level, to consistently develop their individual, team and organisational capabilities.
It also connects like-minded leaders who use the framework into a network that can share national and international perspectives, pass on best practice and support or challenge current methodologies in order to give the best insights back to the larger community.
For more information, visit compassforlife.co.uk
About Floyd Woodrow CBE DCM:
Floyd Woodrow is the Managing Director and founder of Chrysalis Worldwide, a world leading values-based organisation. Floyd has an excellent track record of success as a Military Leader, Director, Non-Executive Director, Consultant and Negotiator. Floyd is challenging, supportive and totally committed to developing elite teams and individuals as well as offering practical and commercial value in strategic planning and execution.
Floyd’s early career was as a soldier in the Parachute Regiment before joining the Special Air Service at the age of 22. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his work in Iraq and an MBE for his work in Afghanistan. During his time in the military Floyd studied law and psychology, and he is now an award-winning global lecturer on leadership.
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