We’re on a Mission to Transform Education for Every Learner
At Empowering Creative Minds (ECM), we believe that education should be inclusive, supportive, and accessible for all. Our mission is to reshape the educational landscape by advocating for neurodiverse and multilingual learners, ensuring that every student and teacher feels seen, heard, and valued.
Meet the Team
Ged Blenkharn
Business Strategy Consultant and Neurodiverse Advocate
Ged is a very successful business consultant and senior member of several boards across the globe. Ged contributes to the growth of ECM as a whole with the aim of expanding reach to suppport all neurodiverse learners.
Lucia Cifres Campos
Volunteer Research Assistant
Volunteer Research Assistant for our blog section. Lucia draws on her knowledge of Autism and Neurodiversity from her BS in Neuroscience from the University of Bristol.
Nikita Joshi, MA
Marketing Consultant and Neurodiverse Advocate
Niki is a very successful Marketing consultant with an MA in Marketing and Business Studies. Niki contributes to the growth of ECM aiming to reach a wider audience and brand awareness.
Isabel Villanueva Archer, AS
Lead Student Ambassador
Empowering Creative Minds Lead Student Ambassador. Isabel is a high achieving A level student and dyslexic thinker. She contributes to ECMs growth by drawing on her personal experience and knowledge to inspire other neurodiverse learners and spreading awareness throughout the education sector.
Vanessa Nagy MA CCC-SLP PGCEi
Bilingual Speech Pathologist
Vanessa is an experienced teacher and highly qualified and dedicated bilingual speech pathologist, working in English and Spanish. She collaborates with ECM to impart her knowledge and support, schools, teachers and parents on their journey and spread awareness.
Naomi Carter PGCE MA
Dyscalculia Specialist Practitioner
Naomi has over two decades experience as a secondary maths teacher both UK and International school settings. Additionally, she is a dyscalculia specialist and neurodiverse advocate. Naomi collaborates with ECM imparting her expertise to schools, teachers and parents in an aim to spread awareness and create inclusive practices globally.
Get to know Shona
Shona O’Callaghan, a neurodivergent educator with over 20 years of experience across Europe, is a specialist in inclusive education. With a Master’s in Education focused on multilingual learning and a neurodiverse specialist teacher. She’s dedicated to helping students and teachers realise their potential. Shona has led English departments, trained university teachers, advised on IGCSE materials, published and presented her research internationally. Now pursuing a PhD in Dyslexia and Multilingualism, she combines practical expertise with research, advocating for a neurodiverse-friendly approach in education and inclusivity for all.
Published Articles
- Post-graduate Training in the Competence Development of CLIL Teachers (2023)
- Identifying 'good practice' in English as an Additional Language (EAL) classrooms in Spain. The Chartered College of Teaching 'Impact': Issue 15. 2022
- Poster presentation NALDIC Annual Conference 2021'Identifying ‘good practice’ language acquisition in English as an Additional Language (EAL) classrooms in Spain. A Cross Case analysis of British Schools Overseas (BSO) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) settings.
- Identifying good practice in CLIL and BSO schools in Spain: a case for more collaboration' EAL Journal 2019.
Qualifications
- PHD Researcher Linguistics Department, Lancaster University
- Autism Certification. PESI
- British Dyslexia Association Level 5 Certificate in Dyslexia; Literacy, Support and Intervention (BDA ATS accreditation)
- Certificate in Dyslexia and Foreign Language Teaching (Lancaster University)
- Certified Social Media Specialist for Educational purposes (Digital Experts)
- Master’s in Education (with Distinction) focusing on Multilingual Education in the Mainstream Classroom University of Nottingham
- International PGCE University of Nottingham
- QTS Buckinghamshire Trust
- DELE Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera Universitat de Valencià
- TEFL English Language Teaching Cert i-to-i
- BA Hons Theology and English (2:1) Liverpool Hope University
Providing schools with the strategies to ensure every student can thrive
ECM offers consultancy on all matters relating to neurodiversity in schools, particularly those with multilingual students. We work with schools throughout Europe and the UAE to provide a full range of specialist services to empower teachers, support schools and educate parents including:
Development and training for all educators institution wide with integrated support for all departments and companies;
Neurodiverse difference awareness training;
Dyslexia literacy and neuro diverse difference awareness in an EAL/multilingual setting;
Screening, plan intervention curriculum and deliver personalised one to one learning. Parent support plans;
Simple step by step guidance in companies for inclusivity and optimized productivity;
Consultation and developmental support for integrated inclusivity policies.
Tailored Support for Schools Empowering Every Learner
Each of our comprehensive services is tailored to support your school, teachers, parents and learners. Our vision is to create a community of educators who are empowered to help multilingual, dyslexic and neuro diverse students feel seen, heard and supported in their education. We also aim to create a community of likeminded business people to create more neuro diverse friendly workplace environments for everyone.
Workshops And Conferences
At the annual association of national British schools in Spain (nabss), teachers conference 2023, we were so inspired by the teachers that attended and they way they all participated so well playing full out!
It’s truly inspiring to see educators and staff members eagerly embracing new strategies and methods to support their students with various learning needs. The enthusiasm and dedication demonstrated by this school community is a testament to their commitment to inclusion and nurturing the potential of every child, regardless of their neurodiversity. We dove into understanding the unique challenges and strengths of students with dyslexia, and EAL, as well as exploring practical tools and techniques that can be implemented within the classroom to foster a more inclusive learning environment.
Our goal is to empower teachers to not only recognize the diverse talents and abilities of their students but to also help them reach their full potential. Together, we are paving the way for a more inclusive and compassionate educational landscape, where neurodiversity is not only acknowledged but celebrated. We cannot wait to witness the transformative impact this training will have on the educators and students alike, as we continue our journey towards empowering creative minds.
Teachers can Stay on Track All Year with Our Neurodiverse-Friendly ECM Teaching Planner
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to transform your teaching experience! Get your Neurodiverse-Friendly ECM Teaching Planner on Amazon today and equip yourself with the tools to stay organized, inspired, and successful all school year long!
