About Us | Vital Skills Academy

At Vital Skills Academy, people are at the heart of everything we do, the people we train, the organisations we support, and the team who deliver our programmes. Led by two experienced directors with deep backgrounds in health, wellbeing, leadership, and organisational development, we take a warm, person-centred approach grounded in professionalism, integrity, and evidence-based practice.

Our training is delivered by a trusted team of specialists who bring real-world experience and a shared commitment to high-quality, evidence-based practice.

Organisations choose Vital Skills Academy because they trust our expertise, our compassion, and our focus on helping people feel confident, capable, and cared for. When you work with us, you get a team that leads with heart, delivers with professionalism, and puts people first every time.

Meet The Team

Natalie Parker-Stuart

Owner & Training Director

I am a Registered Mental Health Practitioner with over 17 years of experience across the NHS and the private sector. Throughout my career, I have worked within a diverse range of services, including acute clinical settings, community-based support, and strategic commissioning and quality governance.

My professional journey has always been rooted in a core set of values: supporting people, improving complex systems, and championing compassionate, evidence-based care.

Today, I translate that clinical depth into the corporate and public sectors. As an accredited training instructor through the Royal College of Psychiatrists i-act programme, I specialise in delivering two nationally recognised courses:

Understanding and Promoting Positive Mental Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace
Managing and Promoting Mental Health & Wellbeing

By combining my clinical background with practical workplace insight, I help organisations move beyond awareness and towards action. My focus is on helping leaders and teams build psychologically safe, supportive environments where individuals feel empowered and resilient.

I believe that when mental health is integrated into the fabric of an organisation, everyone thrives. If you are looking to elevate your team’s wellbeing strategy with training that is grounded in clinical credibility and real-world experience, I would welcome the opportunity to connect.

Mark Stuart

Non-Executive Director & Strategic Growth Leader

Mark Stuart is a serial entrepreneur and business leader known for founding, scaling, and transforming high-growth organisations. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence while helping organisations achieve sustainable, long-term success.

A passionate advocate of servant leadership, Mark believes that great businesses are built by investing in people, empowering teams, and creating high-performance cultures. His experience in leadership, strategic planning, and business development enables him to support organisations through periods of growth and transformation.

Mark’s leadership impact has earned national recognition, including features on Sky News, a place on the 2025, LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders – Ones to Watch, and being named an Insider 42 Under 42 for the North West.

Mark is a passionate advocate for mental health. As a Non-Executive Director in the training and health sector, he champions wellbeing across construction, high-risk industries, and the wider workforce. He is particularly committed to improving men’s mental health, breaking stigma, and ensuring workers in demanding roles have access
to early support, practical training, and psychologically safe cultures.
With strategic insight, commercial expertise, and a people-first mindset, Mark helps organisations strengthen performance, accelerate growth, and build workplaces where both people and businesses can thrive.

Our Team Values

People First

We create safe, supportive learning environments where individuals feel respected, encouraged, and genuinely cared for.

Professional Excellence

Every trainer representing Vital Skills Academy is skilled, qualified, and trained in our approach to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery.

Integrity in Everything

We are honest, reliable, and accountable always acting in the best interests of the organisations and individuals we support.

Care & Understanding

Our training is grounded in empathy, lived experience, and a commitment to supporting wellbeing in a meaningful, human way.

Continuous Growth

We invest in our team so they can invest in others. As we grow, we develop dedicated trainers who share our values and deliver the Vital Skills Academy way.

Impact That Lasts

We don’t just deliver training we build confidence, strengthen cultures, and support safer, healthier workplaces.

About Vital Skills Academy