About LYD Co
LYD Co Inclusion Consulting
I started LYD Co Inclusion Consulting after over a decade of extensive experience across corporate, arts, education and community equity and inclusion. The LYD Co approach focuses on being thoroughly human, trauma informed, ethical, practical, and compassionate.
Inclusion work can be hard…
Need measurable results?
Feeling stretched too thin, overwhelmed, or on the brink of burn out?
Want to lead the way in genuinely inclusive practices and systems?
Great! I’m here to support you with creativity, compassion and practical support. We can create impact together in a sustainable, manageable, and intentional way, or I can simply increase your capacity; whatever you may need to improve your organisation’s culture.
Why Inclusion Is So Important To Me
I’ve seen the patterns of injustice; from crime in the community, to education, to workplace progression. I’ve also experienced this. From harassment to injury, exclusion, and low psychological safety. I have some understanding of how it feels to be excluded, underestimated, or unheard.
I’m making it my life’s work to disrupt that, and support others to create and find spaces where they can thrive. I work closely with communities who are at higher risk of exclusion, and represent my own, in an authentic, respectful, ‘expert of your own context’ way.
What Can I Do for You?
Starting LYD Co means I can offer my unique approach to inclusion work, informed by my varied and extensive experience and broad skillset in:
• Conflict Resolution and Moderation
• Inclusive Communication
• Adult Learning and Facilitation
• Inclusive Scriptwriting/Creative Works
• Public Speaking
• Ethical Research
• Community Based Practice
• Collaborative Approaches in Diverse Contexts
• Coaching and Mentoring for Sustainable Impact
Get in touch to work with me, seeing impacts like:
• Greater Retention of Staff and Customers/Students
• Increased Confidence of Managers and Leaders
• Better Systems and Processes for Preventing, Resolving, and Escalating Issues
• Increased Innovation and Productivity from better Psychological Safety
• Improved Retention of Learning through Organic and Creative Education
My Experience, Research, and Community Action
• Implemented the first peace-keeping project of its kind in Kosovo; using creative learning, embodied practice, and trauma informed workshops in rural spaces with live translation into 6 languages to bring together communities in the area.
• Led Train the Trainer sessions for local educators in Pristina, Kosovo, to build confidence and skills in cross cultural collaboration and creative exploration.
• Presented my research and outcomes from Kosovo projects at the International Drama in Education Research Institute’s conference in Auckland, New Zealand.
• Worked with non-profits and universities in Brazil to lead activities in conflict resolution, creativity, and collaboration, whilst balancing cultural context, environmental factors, and language differences; again, utilising live translation for seamless collaboration.
• Researched consent education, and localised perceptions of justice, police, and crime in collaboration with the Institute for Public Safety, Crime and Justice. My work fed into publications for Government and services, with clear recommendations and actions to improve the landscape.
• Specialised in research with vulnerable communities; utilising trauma informed approaches to work with victims of violent crimes, children with experience of domestic violence, and people at risk of criminality. This ethical data gathering supported the implementation of various interventions and changes to local policing, as well as amplifying the work of community groups and projects across the UK addressing the needs of the local community.
• UK Lead for Implementation of Programmes and active member of Pearson’s disability Employee Resource Group (Pearson Able).
• Coached over 400 post-graduate students from over 40 countries across three courses through Pearson. My focus on person-centred and compassionate coaching allowed me to regularly exceed target retention rates, whilst concretely improving grades and sustainability of studies. I focused on clear, accessible, inclusive communication to support each student, with understanding of individuals’ unique circumstances and limitations, as well as drivers and enablers.
• As an Inclusion Consultant at Global Inclusion Consultancy, Included, I supported over 100 companies to research, design, implement, evaluate, and scale up programmes across a range of focuses, including:
• Anti-racism with frontline staff in charity contexts
• Multi-year Inclusive Leadership Programmes in Engineering with over 40 companies
• Virtual Reality scripting, filming, and delivery for greater awareness and confidence to support vulnerable clients at a wealth management firm
My Academic Qualifications
As an Associate Lecturer at the University of Northampton, I designed and taught modules across three courses, including a focus on:
• Inclusive Scriptwriting
• Ethical Collaborative Practice
• Creative Learning and Education
• International and Identity Based Creative Works
• Disability and Neurodiversity
• Consent (and Anti-Sexual Harassment)
• Self-Advocacy and Identity
I was awarded an Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy with note of my work on increasing diversity of design and sources, inclusive practice, and accessible learning approaches.
Other qualifications include:
• Counselling Skills Certificate: Learning Curve
• First Class BA (Hons) in Drama with Creative Writing
• Mental Health First Aid & Emergency First Aid at Work (incl. catastrophic bleeding): University of Northampton
• Social Norms & Social Change: UNICEF & Penn State
• Suicide Prevention Training: Zero Suicide Alliance
• Anti-Racism, Menopause & the Workplace, LGBTQ+ Language and others: UCU
• Coaching and Mentoring: Knowledge Academy
Lydia Collins
Inclusion Consultant & Founder of LYD Co
Curious?
Get in touch for a no-pressure, no-judgment conversation about how you can embed greater inclusion, accessibility, respect and belonging where you are; I flex my services to what’s best for you. I’m looking forward to getting to know you and your culture. I’ll bring the virtual biscuits!