‘Finding Your Voice’ the Nick Elston Way

On Friday, 26 April 2024, motivational speaker Nick Elston delivered an inspirational online session on public speaking to our interns, students, employment seekers, volunteers and employees.

Nick shared his experiences of mental illness through a powerful, inspiring, engaging and emotional talk.  This thought-provoking session enabled blind and partially sighted participants to learn how to use their own lived experience to overcome the anxiety of public speaking.  The Skill Share enabled each participant to amplify their voice through articulating their own vulnerabilities in a way that captures the audience, and delivers a truly authentic presentation, supporting the individual to build confidence and self-belief.

The group learned about different presentation styles, the use of pace, tone and volume and some wonderful hints and tips to support them when public speaking.

Newspaper profile of Nick Elston

Becky Cooke – Partnerships intern at TPT said:

“Nick delivered an entertaining and informative session which greatly increased my knowledge around both public speaking and ways to deal with nerves when preparing for and making a speech. The idea of creating an eject story, one you will remember no matter what happens on stage, was particularly useful and something I was not aware of before attending the session. I would gladly recommend the session to anyone interested in learning how to make an emotional connection to your audience, build a personal brand whilst being yourself, and beat the public speaking nerves.”

“Delivering this session was truly a privilege for me. Seeing participants embrace their vulnerabilities and find their authentic voice was incredibly inspiring. It’s moments like these that remind me why I do what I do—to empower others to overcome their fears and share their stories with confidence. I am deeply grateful to each attendee for their engagement and warmth, which made me feel incredibly welcome throughout the session.” – Nick Elston

Screenshot of Nick Elston’s Skill Share session

Jen Sweeney, Corporate Engagement Manager, TPT said:

“I met Nick with my colleague Lu at a conference earlier this year, Nick provided a really thought provoking after dinner speech.  When I approached Nick about delivering an online session for the people we support, I was delighted when he said yes!  Whilst ‘Finding Your Voice’ is not traditionally an online 2-hour session, Nick managed to work to our brief and the session was truly engaging.”

This has now led to a number of participants taking up Nick’s kind invitation to attend a full day session, you can find out more about Nick Elston and his motivational events here.

If you would like to share your skills with blind and partially sighted interns, students and employment seekers, please contact jen.sweeney@pocklington.org.uk or call Jen on 07508 958914.