A Community for
Challenge-based Learning
Get the skills and mindset to thrive in life
Al Humes, co-founder Dark Swan
Energise your 'Why'
The strength of your relationship with your 'Why' makes a difference in your life. We provide the guidance to make this happen.
Build the Right Mindset
Identify and develop the skills and ability to choose and control your mindset, frame a situation or challenge, and build optimism.
Feel Inspired!
Belong to and be inspired by the Dark Swan community by sharing your discoveries and supporting other people's journeys.
Embrace Uncertainty
Build strong foundations of self-awareness and identity to develop personal resilience in a fast-changing world.
FREE - ThriveAbility:Reflect
Most development courses aren't designed to help you take a really honest look at your life. To discover what's working or not working for you and identify areas where you may want to make changes.
It shouldn't be this way.
This module will challenge you to create a rich and detailed picture of where you are right now so that you can start to plan, take action and create change in your life.
It's time for you to take back control and get equipped with the skills and mindsets you need to thrive in a messy world.
It shouldn't be this way.
This module will challenge you to create a rich and detailed picture of where you are right now so that you can start to plan, take action and create change in your life.
It's time for you to take back control and get equipped with the skills and mindsets you need to thrive in a messy world.
Explore our courses
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FEATURES
You're in control
Tailored learning
Bite-size learning at your
own pace and in your own space.
own pace and in your own space.
Free journals
FREE creative learning journals
to capture your reflections.
to capture your reflections.
Community
Be inspired and supported
by our incredible community.
by our incredible community.
Access anywhere
Convenient learning - do your
courses anywhere and on any device.
courses anywhere and on any device.
Video based
Bite-sized video for
bite-sized learning. Easy!
bite-sized learning. Easy!
Practical
Apply the knowledge and skills
you learn back in your own life.
you learn back in your own life.
What people are saying
A great course! Dark Swan stand out for me because they have these real-life backgrounds, real life stories and you really feel it's genuine and authentic. Highly recommended!
Eleanor Cooper
Production Assistant
Belong to a community
who want you to succeed
Thank you!
Frequently asked questions
What courses can I take?
We have a catalogue of courses based around our three lenses of Purpose, People and Performance. Our courses set the foundation for our challenge-based learning or challenge-based coaching programmes, allowing you to do much of the groundwork before working with our great team.
What can you offer that I cannot get at other online schools?
With us you will have the opportunity to learn with some of our amazing coaches from around the world. We only work with coaches who have the requisite knowledge, experience and practical insights to deliver engaging and exciting content.
Which courses can I do?
We offer a number of different learning paths which you are invited to choose the one that best meets your needs. However if you need any advice or clarifications, we are here to help you anytime you need.
What if I am dissatisfied with my course?
We have quite a few courses to choose from so if a problem occurs – which is extremely rare – we can switch you over to one of our other courses free of charge. If you're still not satisfied then you can request a full refund - no questions asked.
Al Humes & Dan Cooke
Co-founders, Dark Swan
About us
Al Humes (top) spent 30 years in the British Army while Dan Cooke is Operations Director for the humanitarian response charity Serve On.
Al became a recognised leader in the development of human performance training for the Army, in the public sector and later for elite athletes with UK Sport. He believes that the extraordinary is possible to achieve in the most daunting challenges when you can trust, support and encourage each other. True in sport, business and personal life, that belief underpins his vision for Dark Swan.
Dan deployed on many missions around the world and experienced first-hand the impossible odds that people face after natural disasters. He is an inspiring leader who sees purpose as the key factor allowing people to thrive under pressure. He is a high performance coach and works with elite international sports and multinationals.
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