JSA Psychotherapy strengthens links with Lancaster University

Since 2016, JSA Psychotherapy has been closely linked with Lancaster University, attending master classes, webinars, networking groups and student projects as part of our commitment to constantly progressing what our business can offer.

This important partnership has been facilitated by Cohort 4. JSA has attended this six month business growth forum since January enjoying its unique benefits. Sadly, the six month time period has now completed, and our final session through Cohort 4 concluded on the 20th of September.

Meeting once a month and attending workshops delivered by Lancaster University Management School and various guest facilitators, we joined attendees to focus our attention on business growth. Kicking off with a fun two-day overnight event back in January, the forum began by focusing in on team building and leadership styles as well as the important task of getting to know each other.

Since those first two days, the group has learned about business models, design thinking and innovation, employee engagement and reflective practice. As well as this, we also had the opportunity to visit VEKA Plc in Burnley and spent time with the Managing Director to understand what challenges they have faced, how they have moved forward and engaged their teams for productivity. Meeting with the VEKA team was a fantastic experience, as they are one of the area’s largest global businesses and have won multiple awards for their products, services and workplace structure – including the Employer of the Year Burnley Business Award in 2017.

The forum was particularly beneficial for making links with Lancaster University, to enable JSA to grow using cutting-edge management and business development techniques researched at the Management School there. Spending time with other leading businesses from across East Lancashire enabled the team from JSA to connect and discuss common challenges, and then engage peers in finding solutions together.

Julie Stirpe, director of JSA Psychotherapy said about the forum:

“Being part of the Lancashire Forum has been a fantastic and enlightening experience. It is both supportive and insightful. Other delegates on Cohort 4 of the Lancashire forum have been an amazing mix of business owners and Directors from a diverse range of industries from manufacturing to professional services, based within the East Lancashire area. The group has bonded over the period and is full of character and personality. By sharing experiences of the business growth process, it has bought the group closer and shared challenges have given enthusiasm to spur each other on.”

Watch out for any future projects that we will be working on alongside the university.