Juliette embraces Remote Learning with Support from SERC

Having signed up for the InnovateUs mentoring programme, through South Eastern Regional College (SERC), to update her digital skills, Killinchy woman Juliette Stewart got a lot more than she bargained for since lockdown.

Juliette, who runs the Embrace Holistic Retreat Centre, set in 95 acres of unspoilt farm and woodland in Killinchy, thought that her one-to-one 20 hour mentoring course delivered by SERC’s Business Services team and funded by the Department for Economy’s InnovateUs programme would have to be cancelled, but instead she has been receiving the mentoring remotely through Microsoft Teams and this new learning has had a positive ripple effect for her Keep Fit and Yoga clients as well.

Ashleigh Hamilton, Digital Transformation Consultant with SERC said, “Juliette got involved in the programme to upskill in a range of digital areas, including Search Engine Optimisation, Analytics, Social Media Strategy and content ideas generation, but the lockdown meant that, in order to continue, we had to move to remote learning, which was totally new to Juliette. I am glad to say she was up for the challenge and this has given her a new skill set which she has, in turn, been able to pass on.”

Juliette, who is a Chartered Physiotherapist, Yoga Teacher, Reiki and Energy Medicine Practitioner, said, “Holistic Retreat Centre “Embrace” offers a range of activities and treatments from Yoga to Keep Fit for over 50s to Retreat Days, as well as Massage, Reiki, Physiotherapy and Relaxation. “Embrace” was opened in 2014, but as a Physiotherapist I have been working from these premises for over 35 years and I was keen to update my digital skills to spread the word about everything else I do now as well since the opening of “Embrace”.

“The digital mentoring sessions with Ashleigh have been brilliant, and once I got to grips with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Cisco WebEx, I was able to conduct an online meeting with several other clients, all 60, 70 and 80-year olds. I am proud of us all that we got connected, thus enabling us to continue with the classes. The Keep Fit class has some clients who have been coming to me for over 30 years. At the moment, more than ever, it is so important that we are able to stay connected and continue to do at least some of the things that help us relax, socialise and have fun at the same time as looking after our physical and mental well-being!

She added, “The training means that I will be able to continue one to one and group sessions with some of my clients until the lockdown is over and who knows, it may mean that we are able to deliver some bespoke sessions for new clients in my community, remotely, should they wish to do so.

Juliette concluded, “I would encourage everyone who wants to update their digital skills to contact the Business Services team at SERC.”

To find out more about Embrace, visit www.embraceholistic.co.uk  

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