JO WATKINS
Co founder of The HOW People, freelance GP, Mum of 4, Home/World/Flexi schooler. Lover of road trips, travel, friends, start up businesses and the great outdoors.
Happiest in the mountains or by the sea with husband Davey and the kids. Wants to see as much of the world as possible with her family.
One of her daughters is 13 yrs old. She is a lover of adventure, her friends and Tik Toc.
Like every teenage girl.
Passionate about making and taking opportunities, Jo is excited about all the HOW plans. "HOW is having a really positive impact on the girls we have worked with so far and we are so excited to continue building on this."
POLLY CROOK
Co-Founder of The HOW People, with a background in design, and a career in the action sports world.
Beach obsessed Mumbles native, with two salty sandy children. Trying to be as environmentally conscious as possible.
A family of outdoor addicts. There is nothing Polly loves more than an adventure somewhere around the world, or an everyday doorstep adventure.
A self confessed doer with the inability to take no for an answer.
"Tell me I can’t do something. I dare you."
"Some might call me a bit bossy, but I like to think I’m being assertive! I can’t argue with the people that say I talk a lot."
"My Dad’s mantra about his children growing up was ‘Give them roots, and give them wings’ That’s why I’m doing this. I love making things happen."
AMANDA MORGAN THOMAS
She works super hard with us in the shadows at The HOW People. She is a business mentor, coach and straight talker.
Her background in delivering international coaching solutions has been gained over multiple industries. She’s by now totally ancient, has had white hair since she was 17 and yet still enjoys a decent cocktail and a late-night kitchen boogie.
Professionally she has partnered with hundreds of senior individuals to improve personal effectiveness and now has a Board advisory portfolio working with business owners based in South Wales.
Amanda combines rigorous training with professional coaching bodies and mentees (such as Dr Richard Bandler the founder of NLP) with her gusto singing techniques gained from years of rigorous choral and vocal training including at WNO, performing as a soloist for the Cardiff University Chorale and at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. She delivers Media Training and Coaching for corporate and sports professionals with Orchard Media and Events Company and combines her practical proven techniques and generous dollops of support. She supports Boards to make good decisions and has been a Director of a National Charity as well as other governance roles. Her identity lies in giving back and put simply, helping other achieve what the HOW People stand for: Happiness Opportunities and Wellbeing.
More about Amanda
Eleanor Drinkwater (Entolmologist and explorer)
"I do love the positivity and energy of How People!
Their work empowering and inspiring teenage girls is wonderful and so important!
Keep doing your thing you brilliant people"
Caroline Millington (Award winning journalist and author)
"The HOW People are the perfect women to entertain and inspire young women - positive, fun and ready to motivate the next generation to be kind to themselves and others.
As a teenager I wish I’d had someone who started conversations about wellbeing, mental health, friendship fall outs and so much more.
The perfect way to meet girls like you, swap stories and have a laugh while learning more about yourself and the world."
Dr Kathy Morton (GP with a special interest in teenage health)
"As a GP, I've spent 18 years watching children grow up and their lives unfold. Then seeing the children themselves or their worried sick parents because the kids won't come, as the children go through all the natural hurdles they go through.
I've never had a great tool or resource to point them towards to try and help them navigate the normal challenges. This is so frustrating as, apart from ourselves as GPs, or overwhelmed school counsellors, we only have resources once a child is damaged, and then it won't be accessible at the right time.
We desperately need more prevention, more instruction in life, more normalisation of challenges, more team work and comfort showing vulnerabilities in front of friends in this world of increasing isolation, perceived judgement, judgement and criticism due to social media. That was pre Covid!
The world that today's children are having to navigate is tough. Teachers aren't given time or resources to give kids the right tools for growing up.
HOW is filling this gap, as much as it can, and if you've got a girl aged 11-16, I urge you to get her to try it, what is there to lose? There is absolutely everything to gain.
Recently, when I worked briefly in Scotland, a lot of kids and parents came to see me, struggling, as we all are right now, living in constant uncertainty, without all our normal distractions and routines to help us reset. Teen, and, indeed, child anxiety is going as viral as Covid 19 and could be the next pandemic.
Normally, I'd bring those kids back to see me a couple of times and explain that we all 'have mental health', that we'll all dip in and out of varying levels of anxiety, low mood and depression through our lives, and try and help them normalise their feelings and help give them all the tools I could... talking, talking to parents, exercise: outside, not at a gym, healthy eating, massively reducing phone/ screen time etc. I was only there for 3 weeks. I was so thrilled to be able to give the girls and their parents HOW!
Just do it. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. It's about getting back to the basics, the free, non-chemical stuff that helps us navigate life.
The more I write, the more I think it's time for a career change. The NHS can't manage the anxiety pandemic that's coming our way. It’s time to bring the resources into a preventive position.
I'm so glad Jo and Polly have created this. If I could, I'd make it compulsory."
Good luck.
At home, in South Wales, UK, we have created a tribe of girls with a passion for the waves, the rocks, the hills and new adventures.
All welcome 10-16 yrs old.
HOW Surf is being a part of a family of likeminded salt water addicts, people who love the beach, love the water, love to surf and love to look after their environment.
Their #mildlyferalincrediblyfierce coach, mentor and friend is the unstoppable Gwen Spurlock, GB Surf Manager.
Top of her game, throughout her career, British champion and incredible role model.
Water safety, training technique, encouragement, fun and friendship. What more could you want? We will run ad hoc days in and out of Gwen's other commitments. If you are looking to surf more regularly in Gower we recommend WSF from Llangenith and GSD or Progress Surf School from Caswell.
HOW to Climb is brought to you in partnership with the awesome Matt from Outdoor Adventures. As the owner of a very gutsy and strong 6 year old girl, Matt is passionate about getting more girls climbing and he is wanting to give as many the opportunity to do this as possible.
HOW Mountain Biking. Coming soon with our mountain bike coach and role model Jess Strange in Afan Argoed.
