Elspeth Yates, career coach at Happier Humans and head of people at Change Agents

Elspeth Yates, career coach at Happier Humans and head of people at Change Agents

Author: Host Sandra F January 10, 2026 Duration: 33:06

This episode drops in January, traditionally the month when people quit their jobs or evaluate whether what they are doing is the right thing for them.


As an independent career coach alongside working as head of Change Agents UK's People and Placements team, Elspeth Yates helps people find their purpose in green careers.


She encourages them to look at their existing skills and examine how they might use them in a company more in line with their values, or enables them to bring their values to the workplace they're already in.


In this episode, Elspeth talks about the importance of not ignoring those values, because we spend so much of our time working and deserve to be happy there. She remembers how a chance meeting at a careers fair boosted her own start in working life when she was fresh out of university and her surprising path to a role that now does so much for sustainability professionals.


Elspeth reveals how her own happy nature and positive outlook were labelled a negative because it made her look less professional and why she’s an optimist.


Find out how Elspeth came to recognise the new opportunities she could bring to other people by delivering talks, and combining working at Change Agents with one-to-one coaching and business workshops.


Passionate about the environment and sustainability, Elspeth shares how she maintains her own energy when she's juggling all her different roles and whizzing around the country and internationally.


Listen out for key tips for finding your way if you're looking for a change of direction and job.

Even if you’re not seeking change, there’s plenty in Elspeth’s experience to leave you feeling uplifted and positive about making a difference, however small.


Mentioned in this podcast

Elspeth Yates Coaching Happy Humans

Change Agents UK

University of Leicester Geology

Time Team

Simon Sinek – Start with Why


Group GTI graduate careers hub


You might also like to listen to:

Shaheer Hafeez, ACA, Director of ESG and Climate Risk, KPMG S3 E2

Sarah Flynn, psychologist, author and human sustainability coach S5 E8

Matteo Menapace, serious ethical games designer S5 E7

Glen Burrows, photographer, disrupter, regenerative food entrepreneur S2 E5

Duncan Goose, founder of Global Ethics and One Water S1 E10


About ProGRESS:

Host Sandra Fraser discusses pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities with her guests and asks for their real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to their purposeful life.


Instagram: @progress_green_careers_podcast

LinkedIn: ProGRESS, the green, values-led careers podcast

Original content © Sandra Fraser

Original music © Lyze Kessell

Email: hello [@] mypro-gress.com

Progress's guests talk about their pathways to a career in a values-led job.


We've interviewed all kinds of people in interesting roles.

You'll hear from sustainability consultants and managers, researchers, green and ethical entrepreneurs, environmentalists, ecologists and conservationists plus others working and studying in architecture.

You'll also hear about jobs you may never have known existed, such as green comedians, serious games creators, city planners, garden planners, and green data centre champions.


Subscribe to Progress wherever you usually listen for inspiring stories and insights into brilliant career ideas.


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Host Sandra F guides ProGRESS, a podcast built on conversations with people who have chosen to align their work with their principles. This isn't about generic career advice; it's a deep dive into the daily realities of building a life in green, ethical, and socially responsible fields. Each episode features a direct, unscripted talk with someone navigating this landscape-from sustainability consultants and environmental researchers to ethical entrepreneurs and conservationists. You'll also hear from voices shaping our world in less expected ways, including city planners, campaigners, architects, and even a philosopher or a comedian, all offering their unique perspective on what it means to work with purpose. The discussions are grounded in personal experience, covering the challenges, breakthroughs, and practical insights gained from their eclectic paths. Listening to this podcast feels like pulling up a chair to a candid coffee chat with someone who's actively building a career that matters to them, offering genuine inspiration and actionable understanding for anyone curious about where their own skills and values might intersect.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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