Testimonials

“Mentivation Services have provided our Year 6 pupils with four engaging, thought-provoking sessions. Each themed session allowed the children to reflect and engage in real-life issues which can cause barriers in the lives of children and young adults. The mentors were excellent in allowing the pupils to share their thoughts and reflections and all sessions were well pitched and age appropriate. These sessions are a crucial part in our pupils’ transition programme across the school year. We have used Mentivation Services for several years and will continue to do so in the future for our pupils. I would strongly recommend any primary school to take up this fantastic offer that Mentivation Services provide.”

“The programme's content is engaging and relevant, capturing the interest of the students and making learning both fun and effective. Each workshop is meticulously designed to address key areas such as emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and social skills, which are crucial for the holistic development of children. The activities are interactive and hands-on, ensuring that every child is actively involved and can relate the lessons to real-life scenarios. Moreover, the facilitators of the Mentivation programme are highly skilled and compassionate professionals who create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. They are adept at fostering a sense of confidence and curiosity in the students, encouraging them to express themselves freely and think creatively. I have observed significant improvements in the students’ self-esteem, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities as a direct result of participating in these workshops.”

“Leaways school has some of the most at-risk pupils from across Hackney and other London boroughs. Many of our pupils come from traumatic backgrounds and have been excluded from mainstream education. This, along with their different diagnosis, means that they are particularly vulnerable to gang involvement, county lines, grooming and online abuse. The workshop programme offered by Mentivation Services has helped Leaways School support the delivery of our PSHE curriculum and tackle some of the issues facing our pupils at home, in school and in their communities. The programme has always been engaging, well prepared and fully interactive. The presenters have been extremely approachable which has helped the students engage and promote discussion in the sessions. Staff, supporting the sessions, speak highly about the quality of delivery and the relevance of the subject matter. They also have seen a positive impact on the pupil's behaviour around the school, and, when discussing with external agencies, there has been improvement in some behaviours at home.”

“Mentivation Services delivered a series of workshops to our of Year 6 pupils here at Mandeville Primary School. These workshops were focused upon the transition to secondary school, with a particular emphasis on the challenges that children might face at home, in school, and within the community as they become increasingly independent. The sessions were interactive and well structured, with a clear theme for each session that was linked to the children's experiences. Having the opportunity to discuss, debate, and reflect upon these issues helped to broaden the children's understanding of their role in managing their own positive behaviours as they continue to mature. It was encouraging to observe how engaged the children were throughout, often asking perceptive questions that demonstrated their grasp of the subject. This has provided a foundation for discussions more widely within the school environment.”

“Thank you for delivering the Mentivation Workshops at Morningside this term. They have been thoroughly enjoyed by pupils and staff have commented on the excellent context and delivery. Micheal and his colleague were polite, accommodating to children’s needs, flexible and very well prepared for the sessions. They asked staff about the needs of the children and were able to adapt their delivery so that all children could access the session and with the personal experiences of key children in mind. They were focused on ensuring that the sessions were engaging for all children so that the children got the most out of the sessions. Both Y6 teachers have commented how the children have been displaying increased gratitude towards their teachers and families since the session. Staff also commented that they felt more confident to talk to the children about the issues covered in the sessions such as screen time and aspirations for the future.”

“Mentivation services came to the academy to work with a group of 10 year 9 and 10 students of mixed gender over a period of 6 weeks. These sessions ranged in subject but included areas on the law, substance misuse, social media, consent, and the positive value of education. Maashes and Michael prepared and presentenced these sessions in a focused, informed and engaging way, which the students enjoyed and engaged with really well. One of the most valuable things about these sessions were Maashes and Michalels knowledge of the subject area, and the experiences they had working with young people which they shared with the students; tangible, real-life examples really helped the sessions feel relevant and meaningful to the students. The sessions were carefully planned and well resourced, with current data, information and examples which were relevant to our students. One of the most inspirational sessions was ‘Achieving Through Educations’, which was the last session. This really focussed on the potential of all young people, and included examples of real people with sometimes challenging backgrounds who had gained huge success in their later lives.”

“In my role as Senior Mental Health Lead at Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy, I have worked with Mentivation for 3 years. I have been impressed with Michael and Maashes' communication prior, during and post each intervention support session. MVPA have been able to work with Michael and Maashes to tailor the programme Mentivation provide in order to really support the specific needs the students attending. Michael and Maashes are always early, well organised and proactive in ensuring the workshops run smoothly. Mentivation form a good rapport with the students. They present the material, and themselves, in an authentic way. Michael and Maashes check in on the students and it is evident they have a genuine wish for the young people to develop and succeed. The delivery of each session is highly engaging, and adjusted along the way, to ensure they are delivering what best meets the needs of the students they are working with. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mentivation, and particularly Michael and Maashes, to any school or organisation. My experience has been only of the highest professional standard.”

“I would like to thank you both for your amazing work with our students in the Astraea girls unit at New Regents College. As you are aware, the girls in my group are vulnerable and have a range of sensitive needs. They have enjoyed your sessions, and have been engaged with the numerous topics studied. The girls have particularly benefitted from sessions on relationships, county lines and gangrelated topics. Your manner with the girls was calm, encouraging and formative, they were able to open up in your sessions and they have all learnt lots of new knowledge, which will help them to make healthy and safe choices in the future. You tailored the sessions to the girls’ needs, and this meant that all students ‘got something’ valuable from your sessions.”

“We have worked with Mentivation for a number of years, and Michael and Maashes have delivered many excellent workshops over this time. The six-week Gang Awareness Programme was very well received by students in both KS3 and KS4. Staff commented on how professional, informative and engaging the sessions have been. I cannot speak highly enough of Mentivation. They manage to deliver some very tough messages in a student friendly way. All of our students have been excluded from mainstream settings, and it is fair to say that not all visiting professionals are able to connect with and inspire our young people. This is not the case with Michael and Maashes. Students are responsive and genuinely interested; Michael and Maashes are excellent at democratising the information and presenting it to students in a manner that is accessible and encourages them to engage. The use of videos, screenshot images of actual real-life examples of individuals from the area was especially effective. Students appeared to be increasingly aware of the real dangers represented by gang affiliation as the sessions progressed.”

“The workshop programme delivered by Mentivation Services has had a positive impact on our students, both in terms of their academic growth and their behaviour. Prior to the Fix Up! programme, many students had exhibited disengaged attitudes, struggled with poor behaviour, and were frequently placed in detention for disruptive actions. However, since the workshops were implemented, we've noticed a significant positive shift in their conduct and overall outlook. The content of the workshops has been both engaging and educational, equipping students with valuable skills and knowledge that they had previously lacked. Their increased understanding of key areas has boosted confidence and motivation, translating directly into more focused behaviour in the classroom. There has been a marked decrease in detentions, with fewer incidents of disruption or defiance.”

“The cohort of young people we engage with on a weekly basis: Are on the cusp of being influenced into the gang culture, Live within a gang affiliated area, Are gang members. These sessions were vital to breaking down various barriers that are faced by these young people within a major city, and it allowed them to explore various opportunities and other avenues instead of being influenced by gangs. SkyWay Charity have worked with Mentivation Services on several occasions. There work involved gang and knife crime workshops, detached and outreach sessions in Hackney and monthly IGU meetings. We would recommend Mentivation Services to any organisation that works with young people and needs assistance with gang intervention.”

“‘‘The children at St Matthias have had a series of excellent sessions run by the Mentivation Services. They have been invaluable in educating our young people on how they can be responsible members of our community, who know how to service themselves and others. We shared thus learning with our families on our social media platform too! Following our programme of workshops, the students wrote a self-help guide for other young people on how to look after their well-being and mental health. Our children can now walk confidently about the rules, consequences and positive choices that they can make. Thank you!”

“We found the sessions to be extremely engaging and honest. We appreciated how you spoke to the children
on their level and made things relevant and accessible. The students liked that you did not shy away from
showing the harsh reality of life and choices. You seemed to tailor the programme to suit the needs of our
students which was great. The sessions led to discussions amongst the students and opened up conversations
that may not have happened otherwise. Your sessions gave the students a greater understanding of how their
behaviour impacts themselves and also the wider community. The way you presented the dangers of being
involved in gangs and the importance of good friendships was really impacting.”

“The Mentivation Services Programme held at the Urswick School was of great quality, each session was delivered to high standards, and the facilitators were very friendly and flexible. The students who participated thoroughly enjoyed each session, and they have verbally praised the sessions on several occasions since it ended. The students found the intervention useful and beneficial to them, and they got the opportunity to share their views and opinions on topics that they might not have felt comfortable to do in another environment or setting. The programme has a positive impact on every single boy who participated, and each boy left with a greater understanding of risk factors that they may be subjected to in the wider community. The subject material used was/is extremely relevant in today’s society, in particular in relation to young boys who may be easily influenced and sometimes succumb to peer pressure, which can have detrimental effects on their lives and the lives of those around them.”

“As a part of Haringey Prevent programme Mentivation Services delivered their 6-session workshop programme, entitled ‘Gang Activity and Extremism’ to our level-one student’s… The feedback from the students were very positive indeed. The information was presented in a non-judgemental or condescending way that allowed students to discuss and think more critically about the choices that lead to negative and violent activities and their consequences. Our students found the material and subject matter relevant and current and relatable. The students on the programme were fully engaged and felt comfortable to discuss, debate and share their opinions with the facilitators from Mentivation Services. This is testament to the facilitators professional yet young person-centred delivery style.”

“Mentivation delivered 3 sessions as part of Hackney's Weapons Awareness Programme. Their content was relevant and engaging and sparked curiosity in the young people's minds, which was evident in their feedback of the sessions. Mentivation are clearly experienced in engaging with young people and promoting a respectful culture and atmosphere. They used a good mix of visual aids and discussion to make sure the session supported the different learning needs of the young people and kept their focus. Their sessions included exploration of youth violence and gang culture, victim awareness, joint enterprise and understanding the law in not just a legal context, but in terms of rules at home, school etc. I'm incredibly grateful for the support that Mentivation have provided for the programme. I thoroughly recommend them and hope we can work together in future.”

“I would like to say a massive thank you to yourself and Maashes on behalf of us all at Feltham for delivering your programme, sharing your personal experiences with us all, and getting the message across in such a productive way. You definitely had an impact on the boys and empowered them to make the right choices in life. I want you to know that we appreciate the time and effort you made in coming here and encouraging these young adults to take notice of what really matters in life, how important their futures are, and how discipline, determination and dedication will help them progress in times ahead. You really hit home on the importance of education, and how learning equals earning a legit way of life in so many ways.”

“The Fix Up Community Safety Awareness programme was an excellent resource for our school. The choice of topics was very relevant to the issues in the lives of our young people and the media stimuli selected were hard-hitting and effective. Consequently our students engaged throughout the programme. The facilitators had a great ability to quickly connect with students and were able to draw out details of student’s own experiences and connect these to programme material. I believe that the impact of the learning not simply felt during the course of the programme, but I am sure that many of the key moments and lessons will be remaining with the students a long time into the future. I would not hesitate to book Mentivation again for our school.”

“The students at Haringey Sixth College were very fortunate to take part in 3 two hour workshops that were facilitated by Mentivation Services. The workshops were very informative and at times very hard hitting, as they had to get the point across that the streets are no joke. They were very realistic in their delivery and made the young people know that they themselves are in touch with young people who are or were involved in ongoing court cases that include murder. I learnt very much about what is going in society and the tough choices some young people are being forced to make. I really had no clue about the adverse circumstances that some youngsters are living in or facing. They also focused on getting the young people to make the right choices in their lives and that what they are now is not who they will necessarily be in the future. I believe that the Mentivation Services should be mandatory in all schools and colleges."

“The feedback from the young people, coaches and executive head teacher who attended the group workshop programme was very positive and encouraging. The young people responded very favourably to the content, format and delivery style of the facilitators as Mentivation Services. Their skill at engaging young people, some of whom are deemed as being hard to reach, was especially impressive. The programmes delivered by Mentivation Services has made a significant impact in changing many of the young people's attitude, decision making mindset around issues that could negatively affect their lives.”

“I’ve always been surrounded by friends and family who have been involved in criminal activity. My area has a lot of gangs and there have been a few serious incidents close to where I live. I was referred on to the Mentivation gang awareness programme by one of the Arsenal coaches, who told me that it would be good for me to attend. At first I wasn’t really interested in going to another programme that basically tells young people not to join gangs. But out of respect for the coach, I said I’d go to the first session. When I went, the facilitators stated they’d worked with young people in some of the more gang-affected areas: Southwark, Lambeth, Lewisham and Hackney. They also said that if we felt they were talking rubbish we could leave at any time. Within an hour I could see they knew what they were talking about – it was clear they’d worked with some of the most dangerous and influential gangs of the last five years. I ended up going to all six sessions, which were two hours each over six weeks. They knew how to relate to young people and how to keep us engaged.”

“Mentivation's workshop on 'Road and Radicalisation' for staff and parents, facilitated by Michael and Maashes, was an entirely engaging and enlightening experience. I have worked with young people in Hackney affected by these issues for the past two years, and learnt so much more than I thought I knew in one single workshop. I felt like I got right into the mindset of some of the reasons why someone might join a gang and remain in a gang, no matter how negatively it affects their and their families' lives. Radicalisation as a psychology concept made so much sense to me as presented in bite-sized building blocks by Michael and Maashes.”

“Mentivation's workshop on 'Road and Radicalisation' for students, facilitated by Michael and Maashes, was truly outstanding. I had already attended the staff/parents eversion of this session so knew the content, but was amazed at how different it was delivered to hit all the right notes for the target audience. The workshop was well paced, slowly presenting small splices of information that students could comprehend. These pieces of information were built upon and built upon until the whole point of the workshop is revealed: being in a gang is a form of radicalisation.”

“Mentivation Services has been working in collaboration with the Concorde Centre in supporting our young people by educating them about the perils of gang culture. Their approach has been second to none. They talk with a confidence that both professionals and young people can fully understand, without it sounding forced or contrived. The material they used in their Fix Up! Gang awareness workshop programme was all relevant and current, with references that the young people could relate to. They also communicated to the young people by talking with them and not at them.”

Mentivation Services have proved to be a valuable resource for the Well Centre and our young people over recent months. We originally commissioned Mentivation Services to support our young people during a period when our core service was short staffed. The team at Mentivation Services did an excellent job of understanding the needs of our service and our young people’s needs, with excellent communication between us we were able to provide an integrated service providing a high level of support of young people. Although our service is now fully staffed, we still continue to use Mentivation Services on an occasional basis. We particularly recognise their skill and experience at working with young people with low self-esteem who can be challenging to engage into a service without some regular ongoing support.

“Mentivation Services recently visited Whitefield School and delivered a 4 hour workshop, to 15 of our more vulnerable year 10 students, entitled Gang Awareness. This was the second time they have delivered this programme and again the impact was significant. Like most schools our students work in a supportive and harmonious multi-cultural environment, however, they are exposed to negative gang influences in their local communities and in their interaction with the media. The Gang Awareness programme aims to challenge some of the misconceptions which young people may have about the gang lifestyle. Student evaluations of the programme have been very positive. Response have commented on its importance in informing them (such as legal matters) and also making then reconsider some of the risk which they may at times expose themselves to.”

“The staff team felt that the workshop program was enlightening, well presented and delivered, covered all the relevant content and encouraged staff participation. Due to their vast knowledge and experience in working with young people the facilitators at Mentivation Services were able to use real life examples to illustrate key points and offered practical solutions. The staff-training programme was very educational and dealt with not only with the issues surrounding young people but also challenged our own perceptions thus allowing us to work more effectively with our client group.”

“Hackney Integrated Gangs Unit has commissioned Mentivation Services since 2015 to deliver specialist interventions to people who have been identified as either being engaged in, or potentially becoming involved in, street gangs. They were commissioned to deliver a variety of services, ranging from workshop programmes to primary schools, secondary schools and pupil referral units, as well as one-off workshops and one-to-one support for young people. Mentivation Services have also been very proactive in engaging with young people in the community to deter them away from gang activity as part of the IGU’s Outreach programme. Mentivation Services deliver their services in a variety of settings including primary and secondary schools, youth clubs and one-off workshops to parents and professionals. They have a particular strength in designing for and delivering to an array of age ranges, being able to adjust their delivery accordingly.”

“Mentivation Services have been working with Lambeth Young & safe since 2009 when they were a number of suppliers selected through a competitive commissioning round. Mentivation Services were commissioned to deliver the six week Fix-Up Gangs Awareness Programme but have also delivered adapted version of this, one off workshops and follow on one to one support when required. They have consistently shown their ability to engage with the young people, and this is evidenced by attendance and feedback reports from participants. We have consistently positive feedback from communities and professionals about the impact of the programme on the young people attending, their reflective reaction, improved behaviour and understanding of their impact on others.”