From gaming to juggling, circus skills, and parkour my key approach to life is through the eyes of play. Outside of Mindjam, I coach Parkour, if you haven’t heard of the sport, it’s summarised greatly by “using obstacles creatively and freely” which beyond physical exercise is a great metaphor. In coaching both students and others/my peers I’ve found that with the right level of care and encouragement through a systematic exploration of play, you can see individuals perform actions that they didn’t ever believe they could achieve. I find no greater pleasure than seeing someone surprise themselves and find a new level of belief in themselves. Having someone become confident in who they are and what they’re capable of is essential for them to flourish into their greatest self. Play is, as I’ve found, a great medium for this metamorphosis. Play has no expectations and no demands, it can include goals and objectives yet need not weigh heavy on not achieving them. I’ve taught over 40 people to juggle yet I still love the joy captured in the face of someone getting their first juggle.

Gaming is a hobby I have had since I can remember, and I have the fondest memories of exploring the Jak and Daxter trilogy in my early gaming days. I remember the release of Minecraft and first started playing when it was only in its alpha 1.2 phase! Seeing the development of gaming from the blocky open worlds of Spiderman 2 to now the crystal-clear realism coming from modern unreal engine productions is mind-blowing and keeps me eager to see new releases (Elder scrolls VI needs to hurry up lol). I have experience in Blender creating spaces and architecture, a skill I find quite intuitive, and with Blender being free yet industry standard makes for an awesome utility to explore.

I’m the eldest of 7 and there’s a larger age gap between me and my youngest sister (nearly 20 years) than there is between me and my mum. The role of big(gest) brother has granted me the wonderful opportunity to be there for, guide, and teach my younger siblings through a range of ages that all require a different approach. From learning to write and making a first snowball to high school troubles and moving out of mum’s house, each of these opportunities has gifted me the chance to be there for someone in a way that matters to them and impacts their growth. My family life wasn’t easy (whenever is it?) and I’ve experienced first-hand childhood bereavement in the loss of a sister and the pain of abandonment by a parent, such experiences have humbled me and gifted me a degree of compassion I bring to every one of my relationships.

I currently study Philosophy, my degree is an opportunity for me to practice my naturally open-minded nature and explore the infinite ways in which we can look at the world. I grant myself to be an open doorway for people to explore their thoughts, feelings, cares and excitements with thus I find myself being someone whom my friends and family can openly turn to, whom students can contact without fear of judgment and whom people can drop their juggles around and not have to be overwhelmed by humility. Mind jam is a portal for service to those that need it and as a mentor, I give my patience and presence to be someone unbiased, caring, and above all fun.

I am fully DBS checked, have safeguarding training, have completed an accredited counselling course.