Staff Spotlight: Imrana Ali
This month we are spotlighting Imrana who joined our team in July 2025 as a Progression Coach in Swindon and Wiltshire.
With a degree in Interior Design, she brings a creative approach to her coaching, helping young people visualise their future pathways. Alongside work, her interests in photography, fitness, horse riding and baking all reflect the curiosity and creativity she brings into her role each day!
What first drew you to Villiers Park?
I was drawn to the organisation because of it’s strong values and how well they align with my own. This was along with the welcoming and supportive team culture, where colleagues encourage one another and recognise each other’s achievements.
What does your role involve, and how does it contribute to Villiers Park’s mission?
I am a Progression Coach for Swindon and Wiltshire, regularly visiting schools to deliver one-to-one coaching sessions with students in Years 10, 11 and 12. I also help support events like Leadership challenge or insight days for universities.
My role is to support young people in developing motivation and shaping their aspirations for the future. Having once been a young person questioning my own path, I am passionate about reassuring students that, with the right guidance, their ambitions are achievable.
What did you do before coming to Villiers Park?
I have always found myself drawn to working with young people, particularly those who seek support with worries and decisions about their future. My previous role as a youth worker enabled me to build strong connections with individuals of varying ages, from children to teenagers, and to understand their perspectives on the world.
How do you see your work making a difference for young people or colleagues?
In my work, I frequently support young people who feel that achieving their dreams is difficult or unrealistic. I aim to challenge this mindset by helping them recognise their strengths and potential, while offering guidance towards pathways that align with their passions.
This support helps young people gain confidence, see possibilities more clearly, and understand that there are many opportunities available to them.
What is a book you always will always recommend?
Psychology books are my top priority! “How emotions are made by Lusa Feldman Barrett” is so intriguing learning about the secrets of the brain and how to develop better emotional intelligence.
If you could spend a month anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you hope to experience?
I’d love to spend a month travelling between Istanbul, Qatar, Riyadh and Malaysia. Call me boring, but my idea of a great time would be to professionally photograph their architecture and learn more about the thinking and culture behind each design.
To balance that out, I’d finish the month in the Maldives by soaking up the sun, switching off completely, and indulging on a large and fresh supply of coconut juice!
Go-to comfort meal?
Good old jacket potato, beans and cheese – Always warms my heart.
