About Our Trainers

Hi there!

Thank you for checking out SYC Coaching and Bespoke Training, let us tell you a bit about ourselves as you explore if you’d like to work with us as your Coach or trainers.

I am so glad you’re here! Let me tell you a bit about myself as you work out whether you’d like to work with me as your coach.

I am Claire Bankole, the CEO of SYC. For as long as I can remember I have loved to see those around me flourish, so it was a no brainer to make it official and become a qualified and accredited coach. I get as much joy working with young people as I do senior leaders, whether individually, in groups and teams or families.

My professional background is in medicine, I specialised in Paediatrics, but 20 years ago I left the medical profession for a life in ministry. I experienced a couple of iterations including disaster response in South Sudan, and finally landed in full time unsalaried Christian ministry in youth and community work. I have lived and worked in several countries on 4 continents, and served in several more. As a full time volunteer leading other full time volunteers – I have had to learn to lead, inspire and manage without the leverage of remuneration; I have had to learn how to lead hearts. So I am not a stranger to change and transition, cross cultural work and mission, the voluntary sector or living by faith.

I was brought up between Nigeria and England. My parents separated when I was 8, around the time that my mother was diagnosed with MS. I know what it is to work through the realities of childhood trauma, being both child and carer in a single parent family, and a woman of colour in a white, male dominated culture and profession. I continue to experience God’s love and redemption as I learn to walk closer with him and practice as best I can the ways and lifestyle of Jesus, in every area of my life and work.

And finally a word about Claire’s credentials as a Coach:

I am a coach accredited at Practitioner Level with the EMCC. I have a Level 7 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring for Executives and Senior Leaders, and I am a member of the Christian Coach and Mentor Network. I am committed to regular supervision that keeps myself and my clients safe and well cared for. I provide both a life coaching service to people through the Fulfilled Life Suite on www.clairebankole.org as well as this leadership and executive coaching for individuals and teams through SYC Bespoke Training…. and I hope we get to work with you.

My name is Anika Parker, an Australian by birth, but I have been living on this side of the world since 2005. I originally trained as a classical musician both teaching and playing to make a living. But at the age of 25 I decided to enter into full time Christian ministry. I trained at Ridley College in Melbourne, earning a Bachelor of Ministry with a major in youth ministry and also training for ordination in the Anglican Church. While studying I was employed at a church in Melbourne as the Youth Pastor and eventually the Evangelism Pastor as well. It was while I was there that I learnt about the value of training up and releasing others into ministry and that I started training and equipping leaders myself.

In 2005 I landed in Bristol, employed as a Youth Minister in a local Church of England. Having skipped out of my ordination in Australia – a real Jonah moment, I soon found myself ordained in the Church of England, still employed as a Youth Minister but now with oversight of an evening congregation. After a slight issue with immigration and 12months back in Australia, I found myself in Germany heading up the European part of International Christian Youthworks. It was during this time that I found my love of working cross culturally.

I joined SYC in 2012 drawn by the community I found there, as well as the focus on mission and young people. Over a number of years, I have battled some mental health challenges. This has led to a whole new ministry (the Dealing with Depression course), as well as giving me a greater understanding of the challenges many in our communities face.

I am involved in the leadership team of my church, where I find myself preaching regularly as well as volunteering with the youth work.