As an educational speaker, one of my greatest privileges is being invited into schools and colleges to contribute to their PSHCE, health & wellbeing and life skills programmes. These days are often packed with essential topics, such as resilience, mental health, positive choices, relationships, exam stress and preparing for adulthood. But the real magic happens when those messages become real, relatable and grounded in lived experience.
A powerful example of this was my work with Hayes Secondary School, where I was invited to speak to 240 Year 10 students as part of a full-day health and wellbeing event. It remains a standout moment, not just because of the size of the audience, but because of the immediate engagement, honesty and emotional connection that took place in that room.
Connecting With Students
The day at Hayes was designed to support students in understanding the foundations of health – physical, emotional and mental. My motivational talk naturally works well with this theme, as I bring a broad range of personal experiences from childhood through to adulthood. I share my journey honestly, not to shock, but to demonstrate what determination, resilience and inner strength can look like when life feels overwhelming.
Sam Lane, Head of Year 10, described the students as instantly engaged with my open and down-to-earth approach. This is central to my work. Young people can spot inauthenticity a mile away. When a speaker stands in front of them and simply recites information, they switch off. But when they feel someone is speaking to them rather than at them, everything changes.
At Hayes, as I shared the challenges I faced growing up, alongside the life lessons I learned, the impact was visible. Students listened intently. Some were surprised. Some were reflective. But all of them stayed engaged, because they recognised elements of their own struggles in my story.
Reinforcing Key Messages
One of my aims when working with schools is to complement the overall learning objectives of the PSHCE programme. At Hayes, my session strengthened the messages students were exploring about:
- Fitness and physical wellbeing
- Nutrition and healthy habits
- Mental health and emotional regulation
- Exam preparation and dealing with pressure
- Confidence and personal responsibility
- Longterm resilience and life skills
By threading my personal journey through these topics, I helped students understand why these skills matter, not just for school, but for life.
Creating A Safe And Supportive Environment
One of the most memorable parts of the visit happened after the talk. Instead of rushing out for their next activity, many students stayed behind to ask questions. Some wanted to know more about my story. Others wanted advice about challenges they were personally facing at home, in friendship groups, or with their own mental wellbeing.
For a young person to approach a speaker, a stranger, after a session takes immense courage. It means they’ve not only listened; they’ve connected. They’ve felt safe enough to reach out. These moments matter, because they show that the work we do on PSHCE days isn’t just theoretical. It reaches students in a practical, emotional and sometimes deeply personal way.
Why Real-Life Speakers Matter In PSHCE
Schools do incredible work delivering PSHCE internally, but bringing in external speakers adds something uniquely powerful. Here’s why:
Lived Experience Breaks Down Barriers
Students relate to stories far more than slides or statistics. When they hear from someone who has walked through challenging situations and come out stronger, they see that resilience isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a possibility.
A Fresh Voice Makes An Impact
Teenagers often hear important advice from the same trusted adults, teachers, heads of year and support staff. A new voice reinforces the message, adding weight and variety.
They Learn There Is Strength In Vulnerability
When speakers model openness and emotional honesty, students see that talking about mental health and difficult experiences is not a weakness, it’s a strength.
It Encourages Students To Reflect On Their Own Lives
A well-delivered session doesn’t just inform; it prompts students to think, evaluate, and speak up.
A Partnership Approach
Whether I’m speaking to a single year group or the entire school, my aim is always the same: to support the existing pastoral and wellbeing framework in place, reinforce key lesson themes and give students real-world tools they can use immediately.
I work closely with staff beforehand to tailor each session to the needs of the cohort; resilience building, managing emotions, handling stress, developing confidence, or preparing for life beyond school. The goal is to make PSHCE meaningful, memorable and transformative.
Inspiring The Next Generation
The feedback from Hayes Secondary School captures what I strive for in every school I visit. As Sam Lane said:
“It is rare to find a speaker who has such diverse experiences in life who is able to engage a large teenage audience. Chris understands more than most what young people face on a day-to-day basis and the struggles they can come up against in balancing home, school and friends.”
That understanding is at the heart of my work. Every young person deserves to feel seen, heard and empowered and PSHCE days are the perfect space to make that happen.
If you would like to find out how I can help your education setting deliver a PSHCE day, staff training or INSET day why not contact me.
Alternatively connect with me on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/christuck-maat-acma/