A Port-Talbot based wellbeing professional is supporting families and children struggling to manage challenging behaviour and mental health issues, having launched a dedicated wellbeing company with the help of Business Wales.
Prior to launching Impact Wellbeing Solutions Ltd, Jade Ruck spent the last 15 years of her professional career providing support to children, young adults and veterans struggling with their wellbeing and mental health.
Jade made the decision that creating her own company would allow her to better help people in her community and founded Impact to provide a variety of methods including play therapy, conflict resolution and motivational coaching.
Jade’s aim was to create a service that would make proactive support available through schools, community groups and private clients seeking tailored approaches to improve their wellbeing.
Understanding the value of seeking support from qualified experts in their field, in December 2023 she approached Business Wales, seeking guidance on the best way to plan and launch her company.
Jade was paired with Business Advisor, Robert Morgan, who suggested a series of workshops to help new business owners unlock new skills.
Jade said: “Robert has been a pillar of support for me from the very first point of contact. Right from the word go, he listened to me and my ideas regarding the type of service I wanted to offer, and he believed in it. That massively boosted my confidence. After taking the time to understand my skills and goals, Robert was able to suggest options that quickly helped me learn and develop the skills I needed to create my business.”
Jade currently operates by travelling to offer team problem solving and emotional regulation workshops for pupils in a local primary school. Jade works with children whose parents serve in the army, to help them develop emotional resilience and confidence.
She also provides veteran coaching and support at Bulldogs Community Hub in Port Talbot.
With Robert’s help, Jade applied for the Barriers to Start-Up Grant, which allowed her to buy the equipment needed to provide essential support for the children she works with.
Jade continued: “Robert pointed me in the direction of funding and grants I’d never heard of before. He read through the entire application with me and helped me apply. Being awarded it was brilliant. It’s enabled me to buy what I need for my workshops, such as large soft play items and better-quality products than I could afford on my own. Crucially, his support has meant that I can deliver the standard of care these children deserve.”
Business Wales Business Advisor, Robert Morgan, said: “Jade’s business is unique, and she truly believes in offering these children and young adults the help that they need to gain more control over their struggles and move forward. I look forward to seeing how her business develops over the next year.”
Jade’s goals for her business are to continue to provide workshops for children and young people in the local area and roll out her workshops to other schools in the area. She would also like to offer workshops to organisations and employers to talk about the challenges they face and deliver solutions.
