How a Programme for UK Armed Forces Spouses Became an International Model for Transformational Change

Last month in San Diego, something extraordinary happened.

Surrounded by coaching leaders from around the world, I had the honour of receiving the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Coaching Impact Award – Social Impact, Emerging Catalyst for my work creating the UK Armed Forces Spouse Personal Development Programme.

As I stood on that stage, looking out across a room filled with people who believe deeply in the power of human potential, one thought kept coming back to me:

This award belongs just as much to the courageous Armed Forces spouses who have trusted this programme with their stories, their struggles, and their hopes.

This project began as a collaboration between Warwickshire County Council and the Armed Covenant Fund Trust, originally intended for local spouses challenged by the demands of military life. But when Covid forced us to move online, something unexpected – and beautiful – happened:

Applications began arriving from across the world, from Brunei to Cyprus, from Australia to Kenya.

Wherever Armed Forces families were posted, one truth was universal:

Spouses were carrying immense strength, but also immense weight – disrupted careers, constant relocation, isolation, and a sense of losing themselves along the way.

And yet, session after session, we witnessed the same thing:

✨ Confidence returning
✨ Clarity emerging
✨ Goals forming
✨ Barriers dissolving
✨ Futures opening

.As one of our early participants, Rebecca, reflected:

“What surprised me was the speed of change in everyone’s thinking and actions. Everyone on the course spoke of fundamental change to their lives in just 10 weeks.”

Those changes were not just emotional – they were measurable.

Across multiple cohorts, spouses reported statistically significant increases across 12 of 14 well-being and career indicators, including confidence, personal growth, work satisfaction, and feelings of support. (Read more about the results here.)

The moment everything changed

Perhaps the most profound impact has been what happened after funding for the programme ended.

Not wanting such a proven, life-changing programme to simply disappear, I approached our first 60 graduates, to offer them a partnership.

Over a third of them stepped forward – spouses who had experienced deep transformation and wanted to pay it forward.

Together, we imagined something bigger than a 10-week coaching programme.
Something permanent.
Something available 24/7.
Something that allowed spouses to continue supporting one another, long after the structured sessions ended.

And so, the Global Dragonflies Community was born.

What began as a pilot has now become an emerging global network — a ripple of empowerment, compassion, resilience, and possibility.

Graduates supporting graduates.
Women mentoring women.
Spouses lifting one another through transitions, relocations, and reinventions.

This is why the ICF’s recognition feels so meaningful.

More than an award – a recognition of collective courage

The award celebrates not only the professional coaching behind the programme, but the courage of the spouses who showed up – even when exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin – and allowed themselves to grow.

It also honours the organisations who believed in this vision from the beginning:

• Warwickshire County Council
• The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust
• Army, Naval and RAF Families Federations
• Covenant leads and partners across local authorities
• Countless advocates within the Forces community

As Councillor Edward Harris shared:

“That we have been able to reach an international audience is testament to the quality of the programme and the coaching.”

To me, the heart of this work has always been simple:

When you give people a safe space to be seen, heard, and believed in – their lives change, their families change, and their communities change.

That is the power of coaching.
That is the power of compassion.
And that is what this award truly represents.

Looking ahead: scaling support for spouses everywhere

I am deeply grateful to the International Coaching Federation – not only for this honour, but for recognising the importance of supporting spouses who serve behind the scenes of service life.

These families deserve the world.

And this is only the beginning.
As Your New Wings continues to grow – and as our new Essential and Core programme versions make this support even more accessible – we look forward to reaching even more spouses, in even more countries, who are ready to reclaim their confidence, direction, and joy.

To every spouse who has walked this journey with us: thank you.
Your courage is the reason this programme exists.
Your growth is the reason it continues.
And your stories are the reason this award is now sitting on my desk.

With love, pride, and deep gratitude,
Tina
Founder, Your New Wings
ICF Professional Certified Coach
ICF Coaching Impact Award Winner 2025

P.S. To explore the wider five-year journey that led to this award — including our impact data and the birth of the Global Dragonfly Community — you can read our reflection piece here.

Reflecting on Five Years of Impact and Building a Sustainable Future

As our final round of charitable funding for the Armed Forces Spouse Personal Development Programme comes to a close, this moment offers an opportunity to reflect on five years of measurable impact, powerful collaboration, and the lessons that are shaping a new, self-sustaining future for our work.

Collaboration and Partnership at the Core

From the outset, the Programme was underpinned by deep collaboration and multi-agency partnerships — essential to its design, delivery, and impact.

The Programme was co-developed by:

• Warwickshire County Council, including the Armed Forces Covenant Project Worker and Adult & Community Learning Services.
• Army Welfare Service, offering vital insights into military family life and helping to reach participants.
• UK Armed Forces Covenant Trust, providing match funding for the Programme.
• Your New Wings (Tina Smith), who was engaged once funding was secured to design and deliver the coaching elements.

This collective expertise ensured the Programme was rooted in coaching best practice, educational insight, and a deep understanding of Armed Forces community challenges.

Adapting Through Challenge: The Covid-19 Pivot

Originally conceived as an in-person programme serving two Army bases in Warwickshire, Covid-19 restrictions during the pilot required a rapid pivot. With lockdowns and outbreaks on base preventing in-person delivery, the team shifted online – a change that unlocked unexpected opportunity.

By opening access to spouses across all UK Armed Forces branches – the Army, Navy, Royal Air Force, and Marines – the Programme grew from a local initiative into a nationally accessible, collaborative network. This expansion also deepened our partnerships and broadened our understanding of the unique needs of military families.

A Coaching Mindset: The Foundation of Transformation

The Programme was built upon a coaching mindset rooted in empathy, empowerment, and person-centred growth, aligned with the principles of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Spouses were not seen as passive recipients of support, but as capable individuals with untapped potential. Through deep listening, powerful questioning, and a non-judgmental space for reflection, coaching became a catalyst for transformation.

Methodologies included:

• 1:1 coaching at the start and end of the programme for personalised goal-setting and reflection.
• Weekly group coaching sessions that fostered peer connection, mutual accountability, and community learning.
• Reflective tools such as the Wheel of Life, journaling, and goal-planning exercises to help participants clarify priorities and direction.
• Exploration Week sessions introducing participants to external networks, expanding their awareness of opportunities and resources.

Each component was designed to enhance confidence, wellbeing and social connection to clarify and legitimise the individual’s pathway choices, reinforcing family values and / or enhancing employability – building the mindset and skillset needed for heart centred, purpose-driven lives.

The Results: Measurable Change and Human Stories

By creating a psychologically safe space for exploration and growth, the Programme catalysed rapid, meaningful change. Participants consistently reported feeling more confident, connected, and in control of their future.

Key outcomes over four years include:

• 60 graduates completed the Programme across 6 cohorts, representing all UK Armed Forces services.
• Highly significant increases of 34% in confidence and 39% in happiness around Personal Growth & Learning
• Consistent mindset improvements across 12 areas of life measurements with the greatest averages being:

• Personal Growth & Learning: +39%
• Confidence: +34%
• Work & Career: +34%
• Money: +25%

Participants described feeling more positive, hopeful, and empowered to support their spouses and families – and, most importantly, to prioritise their own goals and identity.

The greatest difference came from feeling seen, heard, and respected – both by their coach and by peers in a safe, non-judgemental group environment. This sense of belonging became the foundation for lasting personal growth.

Evolving the Model: From Charity to Community

Until 2025, the Programme was funded entirely by charitable grants. With that funding now complete, the challenge – and opportunity – became clear: how do we continue the work without losing the momentum we’ve built?

The answer lies in evolution and empowerment.

• Over 160 spouses applied for the Programme, with funding limited to 60 places, revealing clear unmet demand.
• With many spouses facing financial barriers to self-funding, we sought a new model that would put more control in their hands.
• In early 2025, 23 graduates volunteered to co-create a sustainable community, ensuring that future spouses could access support beyond traditional grant cycles.

The Birth of the Global Dragonfly Community

In March 2025, Your New Wings launched the Global Dragonfly Community – an online platform created with Armed Forces spouses, for Armed Forces spouses.

The Community now hosts:

• The Enhanced, Core, and Essential versions of the original programme.
• Supporting additional courses such as Mindfulness, Self-Care and Wellbeing, and Thriving in the Midst of Change.
• Monthly accountability sessions, book clubs, and co-working spaces for ongoing connection.

Graduates of the programme now lead and moderate some of the activities, supporting new participants and helping shape the next chapter.

Looking Ahead: Sustaining Growth and Impact

Encouraged by strong outcomes and the enthusiasm of graduates, the next phase of the Programme focused on accessibility and sustainability.
This included:

• Launching the three programme tiers at different price points (Introductory, Core, and Enhanced) in 2025.
• Introducing flexible payment plans and scholarship opportunities.
• Plans to publish an entry-level personal development guidebook in 2026 to help spouses build confidence and take their first steps toward growth.

These efforts aim to make the Programme both scalable and sustainable – ensuring that no spouse is left behind due to funding constraints.

Conclusion: Beyond Funding, Toward Flourishing

As we transition from a fully funded model, we are developing a blended ecosystem in the form of an online community which allows funded programmes to run alongside additional self-funded training and coaching, all of which creates a permanent safe space for connection and learning. We are empowering spouses to take shared ownership of their ongoing development; we are not simply continuing the programme – we are evolving it.

The past five years have proven what is possible when coaching, collaboration, and compassion intersect. The Global Dragonfly Community represents a new chapter – a scalable, sustainable model of social impact allowing the ripple effects of this work to extend far beyond the original funding period.

With continued partnership from funders, corporate allies, and community advocates, we can ensure that this momentum continues – expanding our reach to more Armed Forces families, and, in time, to other communities with similar challenges.

To see how this journey was recently recognised on the global stage by the International Coaching Federation, you can read our award story here.