Yes!

If your learner is self-motivated and certain of their goals we will help them towards those goals. We will work with them to push them outside of their comfort zone at times, help them see how their goals fit together, and over time unearth more goals and create a broader action plan for their self-direction.

Over the years I have worked with many young people who have started not sure of what their goals are. The five questions central to the self-managed learning approach help to start to clarify what those goals might be.

As a mentor I have developed tools and processes to help young people tap into their desire and create tangible goals from broad interests.

It is part of the process to get stuck or not know how to progress at times. The main part of the learning process is learning how to move through these times, more than the tangible outputs of any projects themselves. We are developing the meta-cognitive skills required to self-direct our education and that can start at any time. The only requirement is that there is interest from the young person to engage with the process.

I have years of experience working with neurodiverse young people in consent-based, neuro-affirming ways, whether supporting them in learning maths, self-direction and goal setting, or conflict and relationships in community.

This work always honours a young person’s autonomy and way of being and showing up in the world, and I will always meet them where they are, whilst gently challenging them to get to where they want to go.

I have experience of doing this work with young people from the ages of ten and above, and some of the processes with people younger than that.

A young person’s age is not a primary consideration for me when doing this work, though it does often work best with those who are older. However, as a parent you are best placed to decide if your young person would benefit from mentoring of this kind so please feel free to book an introductory call so we can discuss this together.

When creating a learning plan we don’t focus just on “academic” subjects, though they will form a part of a young person’s learning journey.

We ask questions that are more broad. We focus on interests, projects and hobbies, but also relationships, values, life goals.

We offer thoughts and invite reflections on how the parts of someone’s journey fit together.

For example, if you prioritise a career in music and have strong need for family then how do those fit together? What paths in a career in music will take you away from the goals of being rooted in a place near family. How much travel is required? How can you bridge these two goals which can work together or against each other.

Every learner is an individual and every learning plan is bespoke, so everyone’s learning journey is completely unique.

I have helped people get G.C.S.E’s in maths, some people have worked towards learning to cook family meals, some learners have focused on building computer games, others have focused on joining a local football team to make more friends. There is no right or wrong thing to add into a learning plan and we will support people with whatever goals that they have.

Through the process of working towards the personal goals they set themselves young people will develop a host of skills: self-confidence, trust in themselves, development of executive function, growth mindset, opportunities to reflect on how navigating sleep hygiene, screen use, and habit formation helps or hinders their progress.

They will develop greater self-direction, intrinsic motivation, and fulfillment as a student and person in relationship with others, as they discover their interests and purpose.