AA Educates seeks to empower students to thrive within and beyond the school environment through our accredited, award-winning programme. Our mission is to ensure that all students, regardless of background or socio-economic status, have the tools, support and opportunities to reach their fullest potential.

The Shaping Futures Programme is our flagship offering, supporting students to build essential life and career skills while fostering self-confidence and motivation.

“I deeply understand the challenges faced by underserved communities because I have lived it.

By the age of three, I had already experienced significant change—moving from Jamaica to the U.K. My family settled in Lambeth, the 9th most deprived borough in London, where a third of families with children receive benefits. Growing up, deprivation and disadvantage became my norms.

However, at the age of 16, everything changed for me when my friend ended his life due to his fear of the future and inability to cope with a life that I mistakenly thought was perfectly normal. His tragic end ignited my mission to make a difference, to make a change. I became the first in my family to attend university, qualified as a teacher and dedicated my career to changing foregone conclusions for students like my friend.

After a long and committed teaching career, I transitioned to become a social entrepreneur. I founded AA Educates, a personal development programme designed to bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement for underserved young people, who show early signs of low aspirations and underachievement.

My philosophy is rooted in empathy, resilience and empowerment. I believe in meeting students where they are, understanding their unique challenges and providing the support and resources they need to aspire and achieve.”