Crafting Success: A Mentor's Role in My Social Enterprise Journey

News
Written By Ellie Finch

Over the past few years, I've been working hard to establish a social enterprise derived from my business, focusing on training professionals to use videogames and digital tools therapeutically. A social enterprise is a business created to address a social or environmental issue. The issue I'm addressing is how to make mental health services accessible and engaging for children, young people, and families. I achieve this by providing training to health and social care professionals and organisations to work safely and competently with children and young people when using videogames therapeutically. This creates a new and innovative therapy pathway for children and young people in their comfort zone—videogames they know and love.

When starting a social enterprise, support and mentorship are crucial. In Autumn 2021, I was fortunate enough to be awarded a place on the Cambridge Social Ventures Incubator. The Incubator, part of the University of Cambridge's Judge Business School, provided invaluable support from a team of highly experienced professionals. I owe much of the initiation of my journey to them, with special gratitude to my mentor, Leonore Lord. Here we are visiting the Minecraft Education stand together during BETT 2022.

My interaction with the Minecraft Education team at BETT 2022 marked a pivotal moment. It resulted in a blog post on the Minecraft Education website detailing my work using Minecraft as a therapeutic tool, which you can read here: https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/blog/therapeutictool

For those interested in the support and opportunities provided by Cambridge Social Ventures, I shared insights in a podcast interview last year, accessible here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/270953/12921551?fbclid=IwAR2JvwnXu0p0EHzq7e2yHtosXQSfOF8BIGgDvKlQhrBwV8hQBTfEJHvd

Stay tuned for an upcoming announcement about a recent social enterprise support award I've received. As I anticipate sharing this exciting news, I want to take a moment to express my deep appreciation for the crucial role Cambridge Social Ventures has played in my social enterprise journey. Thank you, Cambridge Social Ventures!

Ellie Finch

Ellie Finch, MA MBACP (Accred), is a clinical supervisor, counsellor, and social worker specialising in support for neurodivergent clients and families of children with additional needs or complex conditions.

Her work is rooted in a neurodiversity-affirming approach, which values neurodivergence as a natural variation in human experience and focuses on building supportive, respectful environments rather than 'fixing' difference.

Ellie is known for her innovative use of creative digital tools and videogames like Minecraft in therapy to create accessible, engaging support. She is founder of PlayMode Academy, a non-profit social venture that trains professionals in the therapeutic use of creative digital tools.

PlayMode® Academy is part of Ellie Finch Counselling, Consultancy and Training Ltd, a non-profit company limited by guarantee (a structure often used by social ventures in the UK).

Ellie is also part of the University of Cambridge research team behind Bridging the ChASM: Creating Accessible Services using Minecraft - a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) that explores the therapeutic potential of videogames and how they can be used to create more inclusive mental health support.

NOT AN OFFICIAL MINECRAFT SERVICE. NOT APPROVED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH MOJANG OR MICROSOFT

https://www.playmodeacademy.org
Previous

We're on the Counselling Tutor Podcast!
Next

Over 14K views of our article 'Difficult Parent or Traumatised Parent?'