Beth@ngagedltd.uk

I am a qualified careers advisor who has had the absolute privilege of being able to work with young people for a little over 15 years now in a variety of different settings.  Providing a solid mix of Information, Advice & Guidance, Careers Advice and a Preparation for Adulthood curriculum as well as social and emotional literacy; I have been able to play a key part in helping these young people see their potential and support them in their journey to achieving it.  

Not only have I have worked with mainstream schools and individuals but I have worked closely over the years with BESD, SEMH and PRU settings too.  My experience covers those with EHCP's, SEN, Autism and Aspergers, ADHD and PDA.  I am a qualified Lead Safeguarding Practitioner, have completed Lead Professional Training, MAYBO training, Asessor qualifications, SEN and Autism training to name just a few,  and regularly undertake CPD  in order to keep developing myself and keep current with all new developments in education and making the curriculum accessible to vunerable students.

I love delivering careers education and guidance and have enjoyed roles such as Lead IAG within a large Academy in Bournemouth for many years, as well as careers coach for the Goverment's recent Kickstart Scheme and also have completed auditing for CEIAG in schools that have fallen short in this area in their OFSTED.  I am currently completeing a mental health qualification.

On a personal level, I am the mother to 4 beautiful children aged 17, 14, 10 and 2 and we live with their wonderful father and my very supportive partner, who himself is a qualfied PSHE teacher. We enjoy spending time together and like to get out on our bikes, explore new areas and binge watch gameshows like The Wheel or House of Games on a wet weekend.

Claire@ngagedltd.uk

I have been fortunate enough to work with young people for over 10 years now.  I have a diverse range of experience with young people of secondary school age and have enjoyed roles such as Pastoral and Behaviour Support, Lead First Aider, Exams Officer and HR and Admin at a local BESD school to name but a few posts along the way!  

After working with young people in the community for a while, Beth and I decided to create a company which offered the support, guidance and confidence building that many young people need.  We and our small but perfectly formed team mentor highly vulnerable students who have become disengaged with education and their community.  Most of our students have EHCPs and suffer from social anxiety and low self-esteem.  Some have not attended school for a long time, others are between schools or just holding on.

I have certified training in MAYBO, Safeguarding, Safer Recruitment and First Aid, CBT, DBT, Mental Health Awareness, Specific Learning Difficulties, Counselling and OCD.  

I am best known by my friends for my sense of humour, listening ear and problem solving mind.  I have a daughter who is very nearly 21 years old who I am very close to and enjoy time spent with my family.

Dave@ngagedltd.uk

Dave Astill – Staff Liaison & Safeguarding Officer

After a short career as a solicitor, I moved into youth work some 30 years ago, and in 2000, completed a PGC in Youth & Community Work. Throughout this, my focus has been encouraging young people’s development & interdependence, despite & through vulnerabilities, risks and disadvantage.

Initially working for a local church, most of my career has been with Bournemouth local authority, followed by self-employment. In 2021, I joined a SENMH secondary school as their youth mentor.

I have been part of and led a number of teams and projects including 1–1 intensive support. I have extensive experience in designing, delivering & leading staff development. This has included introductory courses, accredited youth work qualifications at Levels 2 & 3, and contributing to degree modules. I have held all necessary safeguarding, teaching & assessment qualifications. I’ve been a qualified Mental Health First Aider since 2017.

I was part of church-based youth work for many years, including 8 years as Deputy Safeguarding Lead. Married for 34 years, my wife and I enjoy hill walking & camping. Our two adult sons join us when they are able. I enjoy music, play bass guitar in church and am a regular gig-goer. Sport remains important, especially AFCB!

In joining the Ngaged Ltd. team – which is an immense privilege - I’m excited to be contributing to high quality support for young people.

Lucy@ngagedltd.uk

I have had the privilege of teaching children for over 25 years, exclusively in the primary sector, and

have always enjoyed the interaction and shared learning experience between myself, the child and the family. There is nothing more special than being part of a child’s journey, be it achieving a particular goal in an academic subject or learning the songs of garden birds!

I have mainly taught upper key stage 2 children but during my career I have also been part of school

leadership, SENCo, county moderator for writing, and SATs maths marker.  This gives me a wide

range and depth of experience, working with many different organisations and people, helping me to devise and share individualised learning journeys with the children I teach. I am first aid trained and have been the safeguarding lead in school.  I was very fortunate, in my youth, to compete up to international standard in Tetrathlon, moving onto Modern Pentathlon for many years. Although I do not compete anymore, I still swim and horse ride every week. Horse riding gives me a great excuse to get outdoors (rain or shine!) and to share my other passion which is the natural world. 

At other times you can find me trying to tame my garden and grow some vegetables or buried deep in a great book.

Peter@ngagedltd.uk

I have been working in education for nearly ten years and pride myself on being able to build excellent relationships with those around me. I believe in a holistic view of education and prefer a tailored approach. If we ensure that the pastoral care is right, then success will come. 

I am a qualified teacher and started my teaching life in The Bahamas. I enjoy exploring other cultures and have learnt a lot studying different education systems. I have a Masters in Bioethics and Medical Law alongside my Bachelors degree in Philosophy, Religion and Ethics. I specialise as a teacher in RS, but have also taught History, PSHE, Citizenship and Geography.

I have been a Head of Year, vulnerable student lead and managed a students’ union. I love supporting others, helping them to thrive and achieve their potential. I look forward to being able to create bespoke plans and curriculum design to support our students. 

Outside of work, I live with my wonderful wife and miniature schnauzer, enjoying the Hampshire countryside. I love to travel, meet new people, explore cuisines around the world, alongside spending time with my friends. 

Conserva.ltd@gmail.com

Chris Tapley is a qualified Social Worker (Dip SW) with forty years’ experience of working with young people, children and families in a range of settings and capacities which include; the management of local authority and private sector children’s homes in London and Manchester, the management of a household within a therapeutic community in the Cotswolds, roles as a Specialist Social Worker and Project Lead for Hampshire CAMHS, acting as a Children’s Guardian for CAFCASS in Dorset and Wiltshire, numerous roles including Team Manager, Advanced Practitioner an Senior Social Worker within statutory local authority safeguarding, MASH and LAC teams and completing assessments and court reports for local authorities as an Independent Social Worker. Chris is passionate about safeguarding and advocating for young people, he strives at all times to ensure that their voice is heard and that their wellbeing and best interests are central to his work and those organisations he is engaged by.

Carol@nagegdltd.uk

Alex@ngagedltd.uk

After leaving school, I went to Marion University in Plymouth and studied football coaching and sports development. During my time there, I worked with and coached many different ages ranging from KS2 to KS4, the youngest being 6 years and the eldest being 17 years.  For the last few years, I have worked full-time in an SEN secondary school in Dorset, which has given me an amazing insight and some invaluable experience of working with vulnerable children who all display different behaviours and a plethora of individual needs and all of whom need very bespoke and tailored support.  

I am a keen sportsman, offering coaching and SEL through all sport-based activity and enrichment however, I do specialise in football.  I have played at a high level and have encountered many different coaches and coaching styles which I believe has impacted me and helped me shape and develop my own coaching style and consider the way I interact with young people and clients.  

I think it is important to be active and to engage children and young adults in a wide range of sports as it is a proven way of boosting mood, promoting good wellbeing and increasing self-esteem and self-worth.  Sports based activities can dis-arm even the hardest or most challenging personality and present an avenue for change and personal growth.

Sam@ngagedltd.uk

Hi! My name is Sam and I have been working for Ngaged Ltd. for a little while now. However, I first trained as a mechanic for a major car company where I gained practical and problem-solving skills.  I'm really enjoying branching out and working with young people.  I have trained to Safeguarding Level 2, as well as having completed several CPD courses and training through the Education and Training Foundation including Radicalisation and Extremism, Staying Safe Online, Who Can You Trust? and British Values.  Previously, I also completed study on LGBQT Awareness, Modern Relationships, Mental Health, Friendship, Racial Discriminationand Disability Awareness.  Additionally, I have completed an Covid-19 Awareness course in light of the recent pandemic.  

In my own time, I am an outdoors-y person who is a little car obsessed.  I have always enjoyed playing video games and I am into tech stuff as well. I love art and music.  I find a lot of my hobbies make for good rapport building with young people and allow us to find some common ground in which to start building a professional relationship.  Something as simple as this can be just the thing to break down barriers and begin some really rewarding work with a young person.   

Jo@@ngagedltd.uk

I qualified as a teacher 26 years ago, and have worked with children and young adults in a variety of settings. I initially taught English as a Foreign language at summer schools in Kent and Eastbourne, then went on to teach PE and Art and also take on the role as Head of Year in secondary schools.  I have spent much of my career working with vulnerable students, many of whom find the school setting extremely difficult or find that they are unable to access mainstream at all.  I enjoy seeing children and young adults overcome hurdles and see the progress they can make whether this be socially or academically. I enjoy building a rapport with young people and opening their eyes to what they can achieve.

I have a wide range of interests. In my spare time, I continue to enjoy all aspects of sport . I was a county squash player in the past, and now play regularly after not playing for about 15 years! I am a Level 2 qualified coach, coaching both children and adults.  I also enjoy paddleboarding and kayaking but mainly in the summer when the weather is a bit warmer! I am a bit of a foodie, I love trying new things and am always on the look out for new places to test out.

Katherine@ngagedltd.uk

Over the last 10 years I have had the privilege of supporting young people in the community, in schools and in residential care. After gaining my degree in primary education I spent 3 years working in a primary school, adapting the curriculum to make it accessible for children with additional needs. I have also worked as a support worker with a variety of young people- enabling them to participate in holidays abroad, days out, drama groups, kayaking and sailing.

For the last 5 years I have worked with young people aged 5 to 19 in residential care, supporting them within the home and in the community to develop their life skills and their independence. In this role I have enjoyed many different activities with them - from forest walks to flip out, and I will always give new things a try. I am first aid trained, complete regular safeguarding training and I am currently nearing the end of completing my NVQ level 4 in children, young people and families.

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my two young children. At the moment we enjoy swimming, taking our dog called Bear for walks and lots of baking!  

Lewis@ngagedltd.uk

For the last four years i have been working in a specialised SEN school supporting pupils in groups and 1-1 breaking down barriers and building relationships with young people in the hope that they will go on to lead a happy and successful life after education and providing academic support. Before this I worked as an activity leader in holiday parks doing Climbing, Archery, Fencing and Target shooting.

I love all sports and am a huge Arsenal Fan! I have been playing football since I was able to kick a ball and during the summer I play cricket. When I'm not playing I'm usually watching any sport I can find or listening to Podcasts.

Kye@ngagedltd.uk

For the last 8 years I have been working with people with mental health problems, with the last 4 of these being with children and young people in hospital. I am passionate about supporting young people and helping them to develop skills to manage their wellbeing and emotions. I also love working with young people to help them learn and improve upon their life skills and think it is important for everyone to develop these as best as they can to prepare for becoming more independent. I am a firm believer that being productive and feeling competent are important for everyone’s mental health and try to promote this where I can. I also think it’s very important to have fun so love being a bit silly with the young people I work with, putting on funny voices and making people laugh. I find that humour really helps when talking to young people about difficult things or when trying new tasks. 

I love animals, especially dogs. I am also a big movie fan and it’s hard to find a film I haven’t seen. When I’m not at work I like to spend time with my wife, going for walks, cooking, and planning trips. We have had lots of adventures together so far and hope to keep doing this for a long time.

Fiona@ngagedltd.uk

Hi, my name is Fiona, I am a proud wife and mum of three beautiful children. Over the past 4 years I have cared for my daughter who has SEN. I enjoy seeing children and young adults overcome hurdles and gaining confidence in themselves. 

Since leaving school I gained qualifications in performing arts, completed a nail technician course and I'm a qualified beauty therapist level 2.  I have also just completed my advanced safeguarding children level 2, IDAS Domestic Abuse, and Prevent Awareness course. 

In my spare time I love going shopping, spending time with my family, creating lots of memories and listening to music. I also enjoy doing beauty treatments in my beauty room. 

Serena@ngagedltd.uk

Hi,

I’m Serena and I am a 58yr old Mother to five (grown up) children and Grandmother to six wonderful Grandchildren. I have had a varied working life with a background in banking, administration and office management. I finally found my vocation five and a half years ago when I re-trained and began working with secondary school SEN children. What an absolute delight and rewarding career pathway this has been and continues to fulfil what I enjoy doing – supporting, teaching and mentoring young people to discover their highest potential both academically and vocationally. 

This role never ceases to amaze me and even now, often reminds me that we are all (constantly) learning something new about ourselves, which I always share with the students I have the privilege of mentoring.

I look forward to meeting you soon.

Rosie@ngagedltd.uk

Deciding to train to teach was one of my best life decisions.  My teaching career has given me rewarding opportunities to facilitate learning journeys and a wide range of achievements for many young people. Helping young people feel good about learning and their achievements is very important to me. I trained as a secondary school teacher and have taught KS3 up to KS5. My main subject is Computer Science but I have had the privilege to teach Maths, Psychology, Geography, PSHE, English and Religious Studies. As well as a classroom teacher I have been a Head of Year for KS4 and a Curriculum Leader for an Alternative Provision School. I stepped into teaching following a career in IT where I loved learning about networks. I was lucky to be around when the Internet was emerging as a global platform and this was an incredibly exciting time. I have also lived in Charlotte, North Carolina in the US where I experienced Southern hospitality and beautiful landscapes. My degree is in Psychology and I feel this helped to provide me a good foundation for working in education. 

Outside of work I watch a lot of films and like a Netflix binge! I try to make decisions from a sustainability approach as our natural world is beautiful. For me nature nourishes both body and mind and is my go to when things get tough. I am also a Trustee of the Pitton Nature Trust  and a Reading Coach for ReadEasy Wiltshire South.

Danielle@ngagedltd.uk

My name is Danielle and I am a qualified teacher with a music specialism. For the last 4 years I have worked as a primary school teacher creating a calm, encouraging and nurturing environment for my students. One of my favourite parts of teaching is seeing children's confidence develop and watching students have those 'I get it!!' moments. I love making learning fun by creating engaging, memorable activities. My favourite subjects at school were Drama, Geography and English. 

A bit about me- I love spending time with my family, exploring the world, watching Disney movies, eating delicious food and making beautiful memories! I look forward to working with you soon.

Talisa@ngagedltd.uk

During the last 16 years I have had the privilege of working in various sectors from  private nursery’s, NHS hospitals, rehabilitation centres and supporting the elderly and their families with palliative care.

Throughout my career I have also brought up my own 4 children who are 19, 16, 11 and 6.  With two of my children being neurodiverse, I have  always had to learn something new each day and understand all their different processes and think on my feet in order to support their ever changing needs. Throughout these times I came to realise how dependent people are on the services in the community and how lucky we are to meet these wonderful individuals who don't just support neurodiverse children but support families holistically so they can all still lead independent, healthy and fulfilled lives.

I have now found myself in a position where I am able to use my experience and knowledge to give back to other families and feel so proud to be able to join Ngaged Ltd.'s fantastic team and mentor young people who are in similar positions and bring my knowledge, empathy and understanding to the role.

C.ogilvie@ngagedltd.uk

Hi! I’m Clare. After leaving university I knew I wanted to live abroad. My first job was teaching in an international school in Kenya where I thought I would stay for two years. This rolled into twelve happy years in the sunshine. Returning to the UK I have taught in the classroom, every age from Early years to Year 8.

I developed an interest in teaching children with SEN which led me to my previous SEN secondary school. I got a real buzz knowing that I wasn’t just supporting academic lessons

but the wider learning essential for adulthood. I enjoyed the smaller classes which meant getting to know my students and families well.

I am loving working with Ngaged Ltd, being able to tailor my teaching to the interests and passions of individual students and being able to chat about everything without the

restraint of a school timetable.

Moving to Hampshire eight years ago was a fabulous move, being so close to the forest and beach is perfect for my two dogs, Teddy my Dalmatian and Charlie, our cheeky black

Labrador. I love cooking (and eating!), gardening when the weather is decent and am an avid listener of audiobooks!

Emily-jane@ngagedltd.uk

I’m Emily. I have been lucky enough to work in a variety of places, ranging from specialist care, NHS Accident and Emergency and more recently as a teacher. When I went back to university, I was a mature student, during my time there, not only did I learn about my subjects (Philosophy, Religion and Ethics) but I was also diagnosed with ADHD, and this is where my passion for supporting people with a variety of SEN really took off. During my last year of university, we went into lock down, and I began not only my dissertation but also home-schooling my son (now 9). This experience was incredible, adapting learning to suit his needs and engaging him in new exciting ways and involving all of his interests inspired me to go into teaching. Now I realise that my true enthusiasm is tailoring learning to support people who may find traditional education settings do not work for them.

I am a creative person who loves writing (poetry mainly), drawing, paintings and essentially anything creative I can get my hands on! This has led to me getting involved in a range of community activities and events where I either participate or help run! Including workshops, fairs, poetry readings and open mic nights, these all help build my techniques and things I can incorporate into a learning environment. I also love to be outside in nature and will often find me out somewhere with my paddle board!