My first roles in the Navy.
My first role was a Radar Operator. This was an entry position as a Junior Seaman serving in Iraq in 1990/91. I then qualified as a Ships Diver in 1992 and served in the former Yugoslavia in 1995. Following this, I was selected to undertake the rigorous Physical Training Instructor training and became a qualified PTI in 1996.
In 2000 I was part of the Royal Navy’s Physical Training Team. I visited schools and colleges throughout the country promoting careers in the Royal Navy. The course I delivered was designing activities which challenged, rewarded and developed self-confidence. The course highlighted the values of teamwork with young people aged 16 – 24 from diverse backgrounds
A one year secondment.
My next role was a one year’s secondment as a Sports Development Officer. This role was with the Federation of London Youth. This organisation was responsible for 540 youth clubs within London Boroughs. My role was to help young people interact in sport by identifying and creating pathways into the sporting world. The aims of this position was also to highlight a career within the Royal Navy.
Unfortunately, due to my injury, I was eventually medically discharged from the Royal Navy in October 2002.
A teaching career
All of this experience highlighted the skills I had to offer and that I had an aptitude to support children. So I moved into teaching with my first role being in Islington London in January 2003. In this role, my primary focus was on young people who were at high risk of exclusion from formal education. The programme I delivered was through an organisation called SkillForce. This was aimed at giving young people the skills and aspirations to be successful at school and in life.
In 2007 I was appointed a Cheshunt Extended Schools manager and Assistant Head at Turnford School. Extended Schools was a government initiative aimed at providing opportunities for children and their families outside of normal school hours.
“My personal experiences, especially around my own journey through school and my late diagnosis of dyslexia, had such an impact on my self-esteem and confidence. My decision to use these experiences as motivation to create a programme to help children reach their full potential is my greatest achievement.”
The way the Royal Navy supported, educated and gave me the opportunities to develop as a person was pivotal to my development. My drive to offer this type of support to other young people and to enable them to feel proud of their achievements and give them the confidence to ask for support when needed is what motivates me.
These experiences are the very foundations from which CHEXS was created. To help children, young people and their families.
