Human Behaviour Change (for Life!)

Kelda Folliard

I was fortunate to spend last weekend experiencing a truly unique and stimulating professional development event, HBCFest 2025. Human Behaviour Change for Life is a Community Interest Company aiming to meet life’s challenges with evidence-based solutions. Jo, Suz and their team inspire people across all sectors to engage with behaviour change principles to improve the environment and the lives of humans and animals. Due to my midwifery experience supporting women and birthing people with mental health difficulties and social complexity, I was asked to lead two workshops at the event, focused on enabling individuals faced with adversity to make change.

As well as working with people with vulnerabilities in a clinical setting, at UEA I run a health and wellbeing module for first year student midwives, where learners explore the public health role of the midwife and apply behaviour change theory. In this HBCL setting, I was together with many people outside of the NHS/human health community, providing valuable insights from different sectors and industries. Creating a workshop bringing together aspects of my clinical and academic midwifery practice for a different audience was a new experience for me.

Another novelty was a CPD event that involved off grid camping (think composting loos and solar powered showers!) and a deliberate focus on active learning, with workshops situated either outside in fields or woods, in a tipi or in a barn. Initially I found designing the workshop quite daunting, unsure how to pitch a session unlike anything I had previously facilitated, and for a new audience in this learning space that couldn’t be further removed from a lecture theatre.

In addition to learning more about behaviour change through the eyes of some fascinating individuals with passion for people, animals and the environment, this fresh and invigorating experience was a reminder of how easily we can get comfortable in the social and physical spaces in which we usually work and learn. I feel privileged to have been reminded how much growth happens when we embrace new approaches, communities and the opportunity to talk with an Alpaca on a coffee break!

Click to find out more about HBCL and Big Sky Hideaway.