Naomi Sutherland

Does the answer to the NEET crisis actually require a psychological shift in the rest of us? 

We have endless conversations about how to help our children perform well at school.

From choosing junior and senior schools to GCSEs, A-levels, IB and university, we try to make sure they are “doing well.”

But careers? That often feels…

Hello everyone 

I had some lovely news today. 

Career Matters Magazine, the monthly magazine of the Career Development Institute, will be publishing an abridged version of my MA thesis in January next year. 

I’m so very excited to have the…

"Dissatisfied."

"I hate corporate life."

"I never really wanted to."

"I feel lost."

“I still don't know what I want to do.”

I've heard these phrases spoken by some of the most ostensibly successful people of all, senior posts at…

I keep hearing the phrase "burnout" lately. Three times in the last few months, different ages, different causes. In my research for my MA in Career Development Studies, two out of three of my participants used the word.

It is…

I have been working on a topic around 'wounding' lately in various contexts and what has been most enlightening is learning about the nature (and science) of stress.

The wellness community often presents stress as the enemy-and it is, in…

Why Do High-Achieving Students Still Feel Lost? 

There are a number of factors that can get in the way of capable students—even if it doesn’t look like it. 

Too much choice is one problem. Because each subject is enjoyable they…

Voice Theory 

I have just completed an MA in Voice Theory at Warwick. My professor very kindly let me, actually encouraged me, to draw from the work I had written in my book, The Creative Voice. 

This was not a…

Subject choice is an often overlooked part of the education and career strategising process even though it is arguably the most important. This is just not because the wrong subject in school can be draining, though of course, it can…

Is passion valuable? Yes.

The idea of “finding your calling” isn’t new.
The debate about whether calling even exists is even older.

But as a graduate of now an MA in Career and Coaching Studies, I did find the article…

Over the past few months, I’ve been speaking to a number of independent and international schools about my work in youth development and early careers guidance.

I assumed we would be discussing exam performance, university applications, or study skills.

We…

It’s Children’s Mental Health Week, and I want to talk about something that actually helps when someone you care about is struggling.

I work with many parents whose children are finding school hard. And I get it. I really do.…

If ever I could recommend a book on learning, it would be this one: How Learning Happens by Paul A. Kirschner and Carl Hendrick. 

Published this year in its second edition it debunks so many of the myths that we…

What a refreshing read first thing on a Sunday morning. It is heartening to know that someone in a position of influence recognises the shortcomings of GCSE English Language. I agree wholeheartedly.

Having tutored students from 11+ through to university…

When Keir said, “AI wasn’t coming; it was already here,” he was not exaggerating.

On Monday and Tuesday morning, I attended two UNESCO webinars focused on AI in education. This morning, I continued the conversation with an AI consultant, exploring…