We’re delighted to introduce Leah Iles, mdeducational foundation’s new CEO, who joined our board in September 2022.
We spoke to Leah about her new role, her vision for the future, and how mdeducational foundation plans to help even more young people in schools across the UK.
Hi Leah, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you came to be part of mdeducational foundation.
I’ve worked with mdeducational foundation’s founders, Miriam and Tarquin, for several years on other projects. I’d always been aware of the amazing work the foundation was doing, so when the opportunity arose for me to join the team I leapt at the chance.
My background was originally in events, but over the years I’ve worked across many other disciplines and managed disparate teams and complex projects. Working with people to achieve a common goal is what drives me. I don’t want to be that person who just directs people and tells them what to do – I want to help solve problems and get my hands dirty.
Although I don’t come from a charity background, I’ve been involved in lots of volunteer work in the past. During the pandemic, I watched a TV report on the declining mental health of young people and saw Prince William and Princess Kate manning the phone lines for the charity Shout. It was enough to make me want to find out more, and shortly afterwards I began training to be a Shout volunteer.
Shout is the UK’s first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. It made me realise how simple things can make a big difference to people with mental health challenges.
Why is the provision of additional support for young people’s mental health vital?
When I was in sixth form, it felt like there was no such thing as mental health. We’ve come a long way since then – but even though mental health is discussed much more openly now, there’s still a real gap in mental health provision for young people in the UK.
The NHS is wonderful, but when you’re a young person suffering from a mental health issue which is affecting your learning and impacting your future, you don’t have time to wait months for a referral. mdeducational foundation offers a fast track of sorts – the first port of call a young person can turn to for advice.
In my volunteer work with Shout, one of the questions we’re trained to ask is: “Do you have a support network?” And that’s exactly what the foundation provides – a dedicated person or place within a school offering mental health support.
What are you most passionate about in your new role?
The foundation’s work impacts so much more than mental health. We’re supporting 16 to 18-year-olds’ overall wellbeing and education, ensuring they feel mentally healthy and supported enough to achieve their full potential at school.
I’m passionate about offering young people the support and guidance they need to make the right choices about their future.
What does the future hold for mdeducational foundation?
I’m in awe of the work the team has done so far to get our first Wellbeing Leads into schools. I want to see these Wellbeing Leads continue to make an impact, help students flourish and for us to be able to support more schools.
Ideally, I would love to see a Wellbeing Lead in every UK school. To do that we need to support schools to overcome any barriers to working with us, and ensure the process is as smooth as possible – including recruitment and resourcing.
As mdeducational foundation is just getting started, most schools are still unfamiliar with us and what we offer. I would love to reach the point where we are the Oxfam of school communities, with teachers and school leaders approaching us to implement wellbeing support in their schools.
We’re also hoping to branch out to Irish schools in the near future. The school system there is quite different to the UK, but we hope to work with a pilot school initially and grow from there.
There’s lots to do and lots to come – so watch this space!
To find out more about mdeducational foundation, and how we’re supporting young people in their wellbeing, check out our mission.
Are you looking for extra support for your students? Find out more and apply for the mdeducational foundation’s salary funding here.
