Who We Are
We are Bounce Forward – a charity that are the experts in delivering practical training for adults and providing high quality teaching materials to develop the psychological fitness of young people.
Psychological fitness combines mental resilience and emotional intelligence, the critical skills of the future.
We believe that teaching these skills is essential and should be a core feature of education. Yes in schools, colleges and universities, but also within any development journey.
Founded in 2009, Bounce Forward (formerly How to Thrive) was incubated in its early years within Hertfordshire County Council and became an independent charity in 2016. In 2019 we transformed our approach, working intensively with educators, psychologists, academics and young people to deliver practical, relevant and flexible solutions.
Our core principles:
- Psychological fitness combines mental resilience and emotional intelligence, key attributes needed for success in the 21st century.
- Sound research, theory and evidence informs everything we do.
- We teach skills and strategies that work in the real world.
- The adults matter: their role is vital in helping children and young people to be psychologically healthy.
- The personal development of young people is as important in society as academics.
Create the conditions for a radically reimagined 21st century where young people drive the change towards more helpful and less harmful behaviour.
Central Team
Lucy Bailey
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Lucy Bailey is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Bounce Forward. She is proud of her beginnings as a youth worker and her 17 years of experience of working in, developing, reforming and managing children’s services. Over the last twelve years Lucy has focused on education and has been instrumental in embedding resilience curricular in schools and services across the UK. Her passion is to drive a movement to influence UK policy around education to form a positive system of change. Lucy directed the Healthy Minds research project, has an MSc in Practice Based Research, a BSc in Social Policy and Criminology, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education. Lucy's top five strengths are
- Honesty – authenticity, being true to oneself, sincerity without pretence, integrity
- Love – both loving and being loved, valuing close relations with others, genuine warmth
- Hope – optimism, positive future-mindedness, expecting the best & working to achieve it
- Bravery – valor, not shrinking from threat or challenge, facing fears, speaking up for what’s right
- Perspective - wisdom, providing wise counsel, taking the big picture view
Dr Julie Harris
Head of Research & Evaluation
Julie is an applied social researcher who specialises in evaluation research and is Principal Research Fellow and Evaluation Manager with the University of Bedfordshire. She has a particular interest in theory driven approaches that recognise the importance of individual agency, capture complexity and emergence in systems change and that prioritise partnership and iterative learning throughout the evaluation process. Julie has a Professional Doctorate (D Prof) in Children and Young People’s Services and a Masters (MA) in Management in the Public and Voluntary Sectors. She has particular experience in evaluating local authority children’s services, local safeguarding systems and the role that the third sector brings to social welfare intervention and support. Julie has a special interest in co-produced approaches to measuring the outcomes of intervention that support bi-directional learning between those providing services and those engaging with them.
Elisha Hamilton
Project Development Manager
Elisha is a skilled events and project manager with experience across a range of sectors. She is a PRINCE2® Registered Practitioner, with experience of working for global organisations in international roles, skilled in business strategy development, lead generation and recruitment. Elisha is fluent in Spanish, and an exceptional communicator who thrives when developing relationships both internally and externally. Initially Elisha reached out to Bounce Forward to volunteer because she is passionate about helping children, young people and the adults around them, thrive. She quickly become an integral part of our innovation, growth and operations. Elisha brings business experience, flexibility of thought, energy and a creative approach to respond to her demanding management role. Elisha's top five strengths are
- Kindness - generosity, nurturance, care, compassion, altruism, doing for others
- Love - both loving and being loved, valuing close relations with others, genuine warmth
- Hope - optimism, positive future-mindedness, expecting the best & working to achieve it
- Perspective - wisdom, providing wise counsel, taking the big picture view
- Social Intelligence - aware of the motives and feelings of oneself and others, knows what makes others tick
Rob Stevens
Marketing Executive – Pro Bono
Rob is experienced at running target-driven direct and digital marketing campaigns. Rob is helping drive Bounce Forward’s step-change in public awareness, increasing member engagement through the creation of innovative and effective communications. "Supporting Bounce Forward with marketing has three fold benefits for me; not only am I making a valuable contribution to a charity dedicated to improving children’s mental health, I am also getting to develop new marketing skills outside the corporate world whilst improving my well-being by learning about resilience. If Covid taught me anything, is that we could all do with being more resilient."
Jenny Ashworth
Fundraising & Grants Executive
Jenny has worked in education for twenty years, most recently as a senior leader at one of England’s largest Further Education Colleges. Jenny has extensive experience of teaching and learning at all ages and stages (including within prisons) before moving into leadership roles. She has held Governor and Trustee roles in local schools, providing her with insight and experience across all aspects of the education sector. Jenny recently took the decision to spend more time with her two young children and was delighted to be able to take the opportunity to volunteer for Bounce Forward and has been vital in writing grant and funding applications. Jenny has seen first-hand the impact on young (and older) people the impact of a lack of resilience and is delighted to be able to support the charity in their work building these skills.
Shenel Shefik
Bounce Forward Ambassador & Trainer
Shenel has 13 years experience as teacher of psychology and lead on personal, social, emotional learning in a variety of settings, including state and private schools, faith and secular environments. Her proven track record of running outstanding departments is underpinned by her belief that to raise attainment, you must teach social and emotional skills. Shenel volunteers her time to advocate for Bounce Forward, creating connections and links to strengthen our position. Shenel has a Masters of Education from the University of Cambridge and a BSc in Psychology from London University. She has practical experience of embedding mindfulness in schools, delivering training and support to teachers, and facilitating workshops on how to develop healthy minds. Shenel is passionate about empowering teachers to mediate social emotional learning as a core purpose of education, which will enable future generations to empathise with their diverse and changing worlds. As a mum of two young girls Shenel knows only too well the role parents play in building resilience and social and emotional development in their children. During the pandemic she has supported 100s of parents.
Daniela Sarti
Marketing Consultant – Pro Bono
Daniela is a Marketing Director and is providing pro-bono consultancy to assist with our growth plans. Throughout her career she has volunteered in the not-for-profit sector , giving charities the tools to build their business and manage their own successful communication strategies. “Throughout our lives, we experience hardship and stress. Having the mental strength to cope and overcome is a vital life skill we should be teaching our kids. Bounce Forward have a key role to play in our children’s development and I am honoured to help Lucy and the team make the biggest impact possible."
Lucienne Miller
Armed Forces Associate
Lucienne delivered business training on behalf of the Princes Trust for almost a decade. Her work here set her on the path to finding evidence based and science backed to help people in everyday situations take control of their mental well-being. Lucienne has a degree in philosophy, a long background in youth work, is a military spouse, a mum to four young children and is working toward a MSc in Positive Psychology. Lucie is passionate about taking resilience and well-being education into the very heart of the military, and she has been instrumental in Bounce Forward's award of funding to reach military families. The project will use resilience education to teach essential skills to the children and families of all those serving both at home and overseas and to create Resilience Champions from within the community. Lucienne runs her own business, Ebb&Flow Global from her home, currently overseas in Naples.
Voula Tsoflias
Ambassador for Corporate Sponsorship
BSc, MA, Chartered Psychologist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychology Society Voula has been an Ambassador for Bounce Forward in different guises over many years. She is currently supporting us to build corporate relationships as part of our next phase of growth. Voula told us "during my career I gained training and experience in a wide range of psychological change methodologies. In 2005, when a colleague asked me to join the Bounce Forward (then How to Thrive) team, I agreed, impressed and inspired by their vision of good mental health for children. I had no idea, at the time, how the method would impact me so powerfully, both personally and professionally. Over the years I adapted and used the methods extensively in my leadership work, where the power of the material has never ceased to impress me." From 1989 – 2018 Voula was the Founder and CEO of Grand Shearman Consulting Ltd, a successful business and leadership psychology practice. During this period, she consulted to international businesses, providing 1:1 coaching, and leadership development programmes to Senior Executives in multi-national business corporations, for example: Diageo, Direct Line, Firmenich, National Grid. Voula retired from her professional life in 2018, when her brother died suddenly, prompting her to change direction and follow her other passion in life: creative writing. She is a novelist and a psychology non-fiction writer, combining her passions for psychology and writing in two non-fiction titles currently in development:Resilience for Writers and Grieving for Tino: Resilient Bereavement an application of contemporary psychological theory to grief.
Kayleigh Burr
School Engagement and Support
Kayleigh has joined Bounce Forward for 7 months before she heads off to university to achieve her ambition of becoming a primary school teacher. She has already shown herself to be enthusiastic, diligent, self-motivated and determined to do well. She has excellent communication skills and is organised and confident in trying new things. Kayleigh left school with an impressive array of qualifications and has already gained lots of work experience through her childminding and role in customer service at Van Hage. We are delighted to have her on the team where she will be our first point of contact, helping our schools and parents join our courses and receive our evidenced based resources.
Stuart Lindars
Education Executive
Stuart has worked in education for 20 years. Most recently as a senior leader at The Leigh Academy where he led on key whole school strategies including, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development and Teaching and Learning, and was the Designated Safeguarding Lead. Stuart successes include reducing challenging behaviour, fixed term exclusions and the persistent absence of students. He pioneered the mental well being programme, contributed to the accreditation of ‘Area of Excellence’ by the external ‘Challenge Partner Team’ where he was specifically highlighted in the report. Stuart has extensive experience of working with the police, social services, and external charities to meet the needs of children across the school. Stuart led The Leigh Academy, as one of the first schools to be awarded the Healthy Minds Kitemark from Lord Richard Layard. He is extremely passionate about reshaping education so that psychological fitness becomes a key measure of education. It is this passion that is behind his move to join Bounce Forward, where is will play a strategic role in our ambitious growth plans. Stuart has a Physical Education BA(Hons) with QTS, which included 'outstanding' placements at both National and International schools including a placement at the 'Bergen International School' in Norway. Stuart is a dad to three girls, and he recently completed the Three Peak Challenge for charity, finished is first triathlon and currently in training for his first marathon.
Tom Cattermole
School Engagement and Support
Tom has been working within the education sector for many years including primary schools, youthwork and the peripatetic teaching sector. He has a big passion for all things educationally progressive that can give children and young people the tools to thrive in life. Most recently Tom has been instrumental in engaging hundreds of schools to enhance their music offer, creating enrichment opportunities that make music more accessible for all children. Previously Tom has worked as a Teaching Assistant and a Youth Worker. He holds a BA (Hons) Humanities with Music Specialism, a NVQ Level 2: Youth Work, a BTEC Diploma in Popular Music Arts and Applied Performance and certificates in Outdoor education, Youth affairs and Youth Work. These collective roles mean Tom understands the needs of young people and is experienced at building and developing positive relationships with senior leadership teams. Tom believes that children need help to gain skills that go beyond the academic sphere. Tom is passionate about music and plays bass in a band. He loves to cook and travel when he can.
Trustees
Martin Bellamy
Trustee Chairman
Martin Bellamy (Chair) founded Salamanca Group in 2002. Since the start, Martin has been at the helm of the Group, where he led on the regeneration of the Mediterranean’s leading superyacht marina and Bulgaria Mall, one of the largest developments completed in South-Eastern Europe when launched. Initially, Salamanca invested Partner Funds into Real Estate, Mining and Infrastructure related projects. In 2005 Martin co-founded Salamanca Risk Management, which was sold to Management and XL Insurance in 2016 and is now known as S-R-M. In 2008 Salamanca was repositioned as a Merchant Banking Business. In 2012 Martin acquired Investec’s Trust Business from the Bank, which over £10bn under Trust; this business was subsequently sold to Management and an external investor. In 2017, Martin became Chairman and Co-CEO of Gravity, the UK’s first commercial smart campus – a blueprint for a smarter, cleaner future underpinned by clean growth. Home to where companies make a difference socially, economically and environmentally. In 2019 Martin, in response to what he sees as a seismic change to the global economy similar to the industrial revolution, focused the Group on Clean Growth opportunities. Martin is also the founder of the Clean Growth Leadership Network (CGLN) and the Chairman of our charity. In 2021, Martin was appointed as director of Wildfox Resorts, which will bring to fruition the UK’s first ‘Active adventure resort’ based in Afan Valley, South Wales. In 1997 he became one of a few people to row the Atlantic Ocean with his good friend Mark Mortimer. Martin holds an MBA from Reading University and is a fellow in the Royal Geographical Society. Click here to listen to Martin discuss our Principal Investment’s push towards sustainability and Clean Growth on BBC Radio Five Live’s ‘Wake up to Money’ programme.
Sharon Waterman
Trustee
Sharon Waterman is Managing Director of Waterman Coaching and Consultancy. She is an experienced executive leader with over 28 years in education. Her successful career in education spans senior leader and executive positions in schools in Northampton, Kent and London including Education Director for Leigh Academies Trust (2017 - 2021) and Principal at The Leigh Academy (2011 - 2017), one of the strongest non-selective secondary academies in Kent and the founding academy of the Leigh Academies Trust. Sharon has been a Bounce Forward Trustee since the beginning, bringing her passion for enabling people to be the very best version of themselves, to help shape and grow the charity. She has been instrumental in the roll out of Healthy Minds, training for trainee teachers, and in shaping the Mastering Resilience for Leaders in Education programme that is accredited by Kent University. Her extensive experience in leading schools and creative approach to breaking into new ground are just a couple of reasons why we are delighted to have Sharon on the board.
Lord David Triesman
Trustee
Lord David Triesman has an expansive career; as a politician he was responsible for the Prime Minister’s political organisation (2001-2004); served as Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office; and later in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills; and held ministerial roles in Energy, Business and Higher Education, and Europe. He took the 2004 Energy Act through Parliament. Lord Triesman was also appointed as a Lord in Waiting to HMQ in 2004. Currently a Group Director at Salamanca Group, focused on developing business opportunities and building academic links to a major real estate development site in Somerset. David, currently sits as a non-executive director at Havana International Bank, and leading the development of a new investment business in Cuba. Previously, he served as Chairman of the Advisory Board at Templewood Merchant Bank, a Board Member of Wembley National Stadium, Chairman of the Football Association and an Advisory Board member at UBS. He has held academic appointments as an economist at London University, London South Bank University, The University of Cambridge and two American Universities.
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board experience spans:
the number of teachers that Bounce Forward has trained to date
“We have been teaching resilience since 2014 and reached 1,500 students. We have embedded lessons firmly into our year 7 curriculum so that students are able to manage themselves in their new environment and are learning skills that will be useful as they move through the school. We have seen the impact of the resilience lessons for students first hand; they have greater confidence, more accurate and flexible thinking styles and a greater willingness to talk about their concerns and feelings.”
the number of schools that Bounce Forward has trained to date