Hi! My name’s Molly, and I’m so excited to finally get to be a part of MindJam. Currently, I’m studying towards a Level 3 BTEC in Esports, and I have found myself invested in a variety of ways to the competitive video game environment. From the things I have covered, my knowledge of staying healthy and safe whilst taking part in gaming on any level is great, and I know the importance of this if we want to encourage a positive wellbeing externally to gaming too. 

Over the past year I’ve found myself to be an advocate for the Women in Esports association- helping to increase education and involvement for women and femme-presenting non-binary people to Esports. I’ve also had the opportunity to play competitively alongside many other young people, and from that I’ve seen first hand the way that gaming can be a healthy outlet for people who struggle in the pressure of other environments. I have been fully DBS checked and have received training on PDA and Autism. 

Growing up, video games have always been an important part of how I expressed myself. As a kid with a big age gap between me and my sisters, looking up to them playing the Oddworld series and SSX Tricky on our old Xbox was a pivotal part of my childhood. Joining in allowed me to show off my personality, learn new skills and socialise in a way more understood. Even as I got older, I met some of my best friends from around the world playing Minecraft and it really allowed me to have the kind of friendships that I struggle with in real life. Currently, I have an Xbox One and a gaming PC, and I adore both of them. 

I believe that the work MindJam is doing for children with SEN is so important for our future, and hearing about the real-life changes that have been happening has made me so excited to join in. 

My favourite games are Minecraft, Valorant, Spore, Multiversus and the whole sims franchise, my favourite colour is green, I like listening to Surf Curse, Hozier and Lovejoy and I enjoy streaming. Outside of gaming I get my joy from knitting, reading, watching fantasy series and keeping up with professional Esports tournaments. That’s me!