I have 10 years of experience working in the field of education and youth work. I have a Masters degree in Human Resource Management and Development, and since May 2019, I have been improving my coaching skills in Hungary and Netherlands. Working with people is my lifelong passion because I am convinced that we always have something to learn from each other. You can find out more about my background here: www.linkedin.com/in/liis-tamman-68585a74/

One day I simply signed up and started using EPALE. I read some articles on the platform about adult learning which I have found both interesting and relevant, and I signed up.

My name is Liis and my passion is to work with people.

When the pandemic broke out, I was living in the Netherlands. I was working at the Olde Vechte Foundation international training center. In mid-March I had to go to Estonia for a week and I ended up getting stuck there due to the lockdown. I missed the time of tulips and had to solve cancelled-trainings-corona-madness online. So I basically lived in Estonia for two and a half months.

This time was great for self-reflection and an amazing stimulus to finally get started with several things I had postponed for a long time.

I started regularly offering coaching sessions. What made it a learning process? I had this preconception before Coronavirus that I was not capable of building a connection online. I thought of myself more as the sort of coach who brings her mentee to self-development through outdoor adventures. As it turned out, I was wrong. It is possible to build connections online, it is possible to be with nature and make this journey of development together online.
And by this, I don’t mean virtual reality on another level. I mean that the connection comes from the attitude and the willingness from both sides to take action. For example, I was there when my client made his first step to leave the home again; we packed his surfing gear and ‘we’ drove to the beach to find motivation for him to start doing sports again. I have held a running session together with a mentee who wanted to focus on learning more about health, and helped another mentee to create a career plan who, even before Coronavirus, wanted a change of career. This presumption was fed mainly by the fear that people are afraid to share online. I was wrong. Everything starts with body language and vocal expressions. Words come later. People expressed sadness, kindness and  excitement etc.

People are still people, although Corona madness has shaken the ground on many levels in our work and personal life. We still want to share, reflect, connect, and develop.

Once the borders were open again, I got on a plane to the Netherlands. I could proudly say to myself - well done, you have got a lot from these uncertain times! I registered my company OÜ Significant Change, I carried out 56 free online sessions with people from 13 different countries, and finally created my website. So, I put on my face mask and moved on. Don’t forget, it’s an amazing time to learn.

As Churchill said “Never let a good crisis go to waste” and “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big  difference!”