You are enough.

 

If you desire to work with me and to lovingly invest in yourself through my services and programs, you deserve to have access to them.

 

I am committed to dismantling systemic barriers to accessibility however I can.  And unfortunately there are a lot of systemic barriers to accessibility waiting to be dismantled in the personal development industry.

 

Inexplicably high price-points create instances of unspoken authority and exclusivity, and also real feelings of isolation, segregation and shame for those who are unable to meet them.  That is not okay.

 

I do not want anyone to ever be forced into debt in order to be able work with me.  That stands in complete opposition of everything Heart Sparks values and also everything I personally believe in (though realistically Heart Sparks = me, so they are one in the same).

 

And as for exclusivity?  I don’t want any part in it.

 

BUT, I also understand that discounting my work beyond its actual value doesn’t serve me or anyone else, particularly in this industry where highly skilled professionals are often inappropriately put on the spot and asked to share their expertise for free under the veil of seemingly friendly ‘coffee’ invitations or unexpected manipulative plays on their passion.  I want to do this work for the rest of my days and so I need to be able to build a life for my family from the income I receive.

 

And so here is my conundrum.  And thanks to good folk like Abigail Rose Clarke of Embodied Life Method and Coaching as Activism facilitator Andréa Ranae who through their work introduced me to the concept of ‘Pay it Forward Funds’ while I was bouncing off the walls trying to find a solution, I now know the way forward.

 

 

 

Here’s how it works…

 

I will donate a percentage of the income I receive into the Heart Fund.  Everyone who purchases one of my online programs or who hires me as their coach, speaker, MC, trainer or mentor will also receive the option to make a donation to the Heart Fund as an extension of their invoice.

 

When people want to work with me or take part in any of my programs but are struggling to find the money to do so, they can request a Heart Grant to make up the gap in their funds.

 

To request a Heart Grant there are only two things you need to openly tell me:

1.  What you are able to pay and anything that could support you to do so in the form of a payment plan or schedule

2.  That you require a Heart Grant

 

You do not need to explain why you need support from the fund or to outline your circumstances to me in any way.  I will never judge you or make assumptions on your behalf about what you may or may not need.  If you tell me you require assistance then I will hear and honour you for bravely using your voice.

 

 

I will ONLY ask for further information if I intuitively feel that you are not honouring either the intention or the integrity of the fund.

(I almost never ask for information so please know that if I do, I do so with love.)

 

The number of grants given at any time will be reflective of the amount of money in the fund.

 

It is as simple as that!

 

 

If you would like to make a donation to the Heart Fund, please let me know.

 

To request a Heart Grant, please contact me here.

 

 

My commitment to accessibility stretches beyond the Heart Fund.  Below are some other things I am doing to ensure my work is as accessible and equitable as possible.  If you have other ideas, please contact me here and let me know.

 

– Offering in-person coaching sessions across a range of physical locations and on Skype

 

– Offering audio-only coaching and counselling sessions

 

– Providing audio versions of all blog posts (Recording is underway! These will be live very soon)

 

– Providing payment plans without interest rates. While payment plans have a small additional administration fee for the extra processing time I pay my staff for, I will never offer reward to the rich for being able to pay in full

 

– Providing almost 300 hours of direct skills-based, in-kind service to community groups each year, with priority given to groups supporting oppressed peoples and directly combating social oppressions

 

– Donating $1500 in Heart Sparks services to charity auctions each year, prioritising those fundraising to provide safe refuge, material aid and education for women and young people