Mark Agnew
Can you guess which Arctic animal I'm talking about?
I am giving free talks to state schools in London - a welcome break from double maths
I posted on my social media, I will give free talks to states schools in or near London. I have been astounding by the response. Apparently, a lot of teachers and kids want to hear what I have to say.
I have delivered talks to plenty of schools in the past, to a variety of ages. I cover:
- Exciting stories from the Arctic, packed with polar bears, sea ice and storms
- Bouncing back from failure - I failed to row the Atlantic twice before going on to achieve two world firsts in the Arctic with my Arctic Cowboy teammates
- Mental health - I experienced a mental health crash in 2019, and I share the details of how I felt and how I recovered
- Doing what you love - if you focus too much on the outcome you can forget to enjoy what you do in the here and now
- Enjoying the journey - I give specific tools to give meaning to the old cliche "enjoy the journey not the destination"
- How to build resilience
These are important lessons for school kids to prepare them for exam season, life after school and even school life itself. Above all, the talks (I hope) are entertaining and a welcome break from double maths.
I'm offering free talks to state schools in London.
I'm sure a child psychologist could explain how to bounce back from failure. Perhaps they could do it more concisely. But I believe stories matter. They make the material relatable, interesting, memorable. Wrapping my message up in my own journey and in the tale of the Arctic, hopefully, will leave a lasting impression. Maybe, one day during their own tough spot, one of the kids will remember what I said and feel empowered.
Or maybe, the link will be more tangible. They'll simply feeling inspire to chase a big dream.
When I write it down like this, it really does sound like I'm blowing my own trumpet a lot. At it's core, I tell an exciting story that kids of all ages can enjoy. And I want that to be available to everyone.
Now I caveat all this by saying, you should take the word "motivational" with a pinch of salt. I think it would be patronising to say "I've done this amazing thing and you can to, as long as you believe in yourself". It's more complicated than believing in yourself - I had a privileged upbringing and still enjoy the benefits of a massive support network that enables my adventures. Not every kid has that. My messages are more self-aware and nuanced than that.
Which brings me to my final point - this is my job so why am I doing this for free? I had so many helping hands in life that I want to pass on some of that privilege. I know state schools do not have the budget for extra curricula activities like an adventure speaker. Just because they can't afford it, doesn't mean they don't stand to benefit (or at the very least, enjoy it!) like anyone else.
So, if you know anyone working at a state school who'd be interested in a free talk from an adventurer, let me know. Get in contact here.