Meet the team - Matthew Smitheman

My role as Engagement Manager involves empowering teachers and school leaders to make the most of their Lyfta subscription. I keep abreast of what is happening across the sector and look at how I can best support schools with their challenges and goals across the academic year. I provide advice and answer any queries around embedding the content and resources into lessons, assemblies and school curriculum. Alongside this, I facilitate technical support and endeavour to provide an excellent customer experience to each of our Lyfta global education schools.

I love planning, writing and circulating Lyfta Weekly; our regular newsletter to Lyfta users to help them get the most out of the platform and to engage meaningfully with important topics across the whole year. I share recommendations of content and resources relating to key dates such as Fairtrade Fortnight, Storytelling Week, Earth Day and Anti-bullying week as well as around important themes across the year like remote learning, diversity, equity and inclusion, the recovery curriculum and how to bring PSHE and RSHE to life. We also use this newsletter to share examples of success from our amazing Lyfta global education schools.

Throughout my career I have worked to make a difference for the life chances of children and young people. For the last 10 years I have worked in the education sector: initially training as a secondary RE teacher, then working in educational content and relationship management at SSAT; the schools, students and teachers' network. Prior to this, alongside studying my undergraduate degree in Theology and Religious Studies, I mentored several teams of 16-17 year olds on the national citizen service programme. I take a keen interest in innovative technology, user participation and school collaboration.

My favourite Lyfta storyworld is 'Beachcomber'. I have a personal commitment to environmental issues. This came while working on organic farms in the UK and India following studying for my degree. It feels like the number one concern to develop sustainable lifestyles to ensure the health of the planet and future generations. Rob is the artist and activist we meet in the Beachcomber storyworld, who shares his powerful story in such a compelling way. We know from the schools that use this resource that it inspires students to take an interest in sustainability and the issue of ocean plastic, and to take action themselves.

My favourite person in a Lyfta storyworld is Enaney. Her story about self-sufficiency and resilience has inspired me to work hard, take responsibility and have the confidence to turn around challenging situations as they arise. As Enaney says, "If we work hard, the gold is in our hands".

I'm looking forward to the upcoming release of The hip hop star, in which students will meet Si-G from Molenbeek, in Brussels, a young teen who wants to be a hip hop artist. I feel Si-G and her experience of growing up in an urban environment will strike a chord with many students.

My favourite food is shepherd's pie. It reminds me of my mum's cooking and enjoying meals with my family as a child.

Outside of work I enjoy a variety of hobbies. I'm a keen percussionist and have played in several Brazilian bands across the UK at carnivals and gigs. I enjoy keeping fit through Aikido martials arts and relaxing by practising mindfulness. I've recently been sharing mindfulness tips with the rest of the Lyfta team as part of our #DailyLyfta channel where we share health and wellbeing tips and positive stories to help us connect and support each other while we're away from the office.

My trip to India to work on community and environmental projects while I was in my early 20s inspired me to follow a career where I can help others and make the world a better place. One particular project I joined was around reforestation. Its aim was to introduce a growing number of people to sustainable living, food security through ecological transformation, wasteland reclamation, and veganism. I was inspired about the difference we can make when we work as a team and strive towards shared goals.

Axé (pronounced ah-SHEH) - taken from the Brazilian culture and communities I participate in. It comes from the Yoruba peoples of Western Africa. It is the name they gave to the life force. Today, axé has come to mean something like 'energy' - saying something has good vibes and powerful energy.