The IEP’s new Corporate Affiliate Partner (CAP) Populi Solutions celebrated its 5th birthday last month. CEO James Weait FIEP, who is also IEP’s Senior Advisor – Partnerships and Growth in Australia, started his consulting business to support the industry from his spare bedroom in 2019.
“It’s been a wild ride, but I feel very blessed,” said James.
Populi has significantly transformed since, pivoting in 2022 to add innovative programmes in partnership with purpose-led companies who share their mission and values.
Populi provides engaging interventions through allied health sessions, personality tools, industry guides, consulting, and leadership coaching across Australia and, imminently, the UK.
For instance, GLOVES and MATS are boxfit and yoga sessions created to allow participants to be more receptive to and engaged with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
Exercise has proven to be a great way for consultants and participants to break the ice, get endorphins going and, in turn, improve engagement. Moreover, it provides an opportunity to educate participants with vocational CBT on the benefits of exercise on mental and physical health.
Populi achieved some major milestones on the week of their 5th birthday.
First, Populi joined us as a Corporate Affiliate Partner, which James said they are incredibly proud of as the IEP enhances the skills and expertise of employability practitioners in Australia and internationally.
“Honestly, the more I am exposed to the international team and the more I see of IEP’s learning, the more I am blown away by the quality and the conviction of purpose,” said James.
The week of Populi’s anniversary was also their most productive week ever for group allied health sessions, with 16 GLOVES (boxfit) and MATS (yoga) sessions across 14 locations – supporting 138 participants – and 2 new Workforce Australia provider partners committing to future programmes.
James said Populi is building an exciting joint venture in the UK which will see tennis added to the allied health ice breakers – boxfit and yoga – in the form of GAME SET MATCH.
Further, James’ business launched a fresh look DISC4Jobs survey that includes 14 questions to establish a participant’s DISC personality ‘style’ and have them benefit from ‘style’ specific industry and coaching guides.
The DISC4Jobs programme provides videos and guides with appointment content and remote servicing. It helps participants with self-awareness and employment consultants quickly understand their participant needs.
“When I cracked knuckles and took my first seat at the wee desk in the spare bedroom nearly 2000 days ago I couldn’t have foreseen how lucky I would be now,” said James.
“[I am] as grateful as it is possible to be for my 2 full timers and our small army of 50-plus regular fantastic contractors across Australia – all of us driven, every day, to try and deliver the highest quality interventions we possibly can in partnership with like-minded employability providers.”
