Motivational Monday: Behaviour Change Coach

Our latest Motivational Monday is with a Behaviour Change Coach, who recently spoke to pupils about goal-setting and workplace skills.

Gemma Perlin (class of 2009) returned to South Hampstead recently to provide a workshop for our Year 7 pupils as part of their new Futures Certificate. Reflecting on her school days, she says:

“South Hampstead gave me a self-starting attitude and the idea that motivation is key to anything you want to achieve in life. Firstly dream big, but what will make the difference is the force to carry it through. It is this mindset which led me to a career shift and prompted me to set up my coaching business. There was a belief instilled in me by my teachers that I could do things – I just had to have the discipline and determination to get there.”

Gemma studied English, Geography and Politics for A Level at South Hampstead. She went on to study Politics at Bristol University and then worked for 10 years as a freelance Television Producer, making films for BBC and Channel 4. “I enjoyed it but, for various reasons, I wanted a change. At the start of the pandemic, I re-trained as a Behaviour Change Coach as I was interested in how we can change our behaviour to create the lives we want to live. I now run a 1:1 practice with clients worldwide and offer group workshops to companies and schools where I share the tools and technique for tangible change.”

Gemma’s fondest memories of South Hampstead are her Politics lessons. “Dr Egan always created a fun debating environment in lessons. This enabled me to understand more about human behaviour and what drives us. I also have wonderful memoires of hanging out in the Oakwood common room and having interesting chats with girls who are still my closest friends today.”

Gemma’s advice to current South Hampstead students is: “Be calm… Don’t see things as failure only feedback. Just allow – and things will happen in ways you could never even dream.”