Bridge Mentoring CIC

Amanda has dedicated over thirty years to supporting the autistic community, witnessing significant changes in understanding and approaches to autism. She began her career at the RNIB before spending seventeen years at a specialist autistic school, where she earned her degree and P.G.C.E. After her sons went to university, she launched her own creative business, broadening her work with neurodiverse and neurotypical learners of all ages.

Since 2017, she has specialised in mentoring and study skills support, becoming a qualified dyslexia tutor in higher education in 2019. More recently, Amanda completed a PGCE in Autism Adults – Inclusion, further strengthening her expertise in inclusive support.

She has a strong interest in inclusive employment and in improving communication between the neurotypical and neurodivergent world. Passionate about empowering students, Amanda tailors her support to individual needs, helping them navigate university life with confidence. She continuously expands her expertise through ongoing professional development, fostering a positive and holistic learning environment where students can thrive

Archie supports learners of all ages, specialising in EOTAS and Transition Mentoring to help students grow in both school and social environments. He also provides English mentoring, supported by his TEFL certification, guiding learners in developing clear communication and stronger language skills.

With a varied background across education and the wider workforce, Archie brings practical insight and real-world understanding to his mentoring style. His experience allows him to connect especially well with neurodivergent individuals, offering strategies that help them navigate challenges with confidence.

Archie is passionate about making a positive and meaningful impact. He focuses on empowering students, strengthening their resilience, and giving them a head start in managing everyday situations. His goal is to create a calm, supportive space where every learner can develop their strengths and move forward with greater independence and self-belief.

Having been a student of Bridge Mentoring over the last eight years, I  benefited from their support services during my time at university, and  now it is time to give back to others. I offer tutoring in German,  based on my German BSc degree as well as lived experience studying in  Germany at two different universities and navigating the country and its culture.

My approach as a neurodivergent educator is tailored to  individual needs and interests whilst ensuring syllabus and vocabulary  are taught to the curriculum requirements. During my sessions, we also  explore exam readiness such as revision techniques, meaningful  strategies to learn vocabulary and grammar. I enjoy delivering German  tuition in a dynamic and creative way.

University of Exeter teaching associate with degrees from Cambridge, SOAS and Exeter, and ten years' professional experience in international development. I teach undergraduates in politics and humanities at Exeter. My values as a teacher are formed from my experience with neurodiversity, as one of my children is autistic with a PDA profile and I myself identify as an AuDHD-er. I am therefore a teacher who prioritises a learning environment of mutual respect, trust, and discovering together. I also work to the particular strengths and needs of each individual student, their own learning styles and preferences, and focus on listening and really understanding their struggles. My positive feedback from Exeter students has proven that these values are reflected in my teaching

As part of Bridge Mentoring’s person‑centred and neuroaffirming approach, I offer flexible, strength‑based tutoring in Polish, Spanish, and French. My sessions are shaped around each young person’s pace, interests, and communication style, creating a supportive environment where learning feels accessible, enjoyable, and meaningful.

I use a relational, confidence‑building approach that helps young people explore language through:

• real‑world conversation

• creative activities

• interest‑led topics

• gentle structure and clear scaffolding

• sensory‑aware, low‑pressure learning

Whether a young person is reconnecting with education, building foundational skills, or exploring languages as a special interest, I tailor every session to their unique needs. My goal is to help them feel safe, capable, and proud of their progress — in whichever language they choose to learn.

I'm an autistic writer, mentor and educator with five years of classroom experience and 14 years as a personal tutor. 

My specialisms are in English, EFL, MFL and the humanities, especially for neurodivergent and disabled students. I have taught KS2-KS5, including GCSE, A-level and University. 

As an English language teacher, I have multiple years' experience from A0 to C2, including 3 years of Pre-sessional EAP teaching. 

Karen has worked with the Bridge team as both a specialist mentor and study skills tutor since 2021. 

She is a late-diagnosed autistic woman and mother to two neurodivergent teenagers. 

Karen brings all the skills and experience of her past teaching career to her role, having spent over 10 years in the classroom, tailoring learning to the individual needs of her students. Her background in the Early Years and child-led education, alongside having her own children and subsequently reframing the world through the lens of neurodivergence, has led to a passion for supporting learning through an interests-led and strengths-based approach. 

Karen has also worked in delivering training and facilitating peer support for autistic adults across the wider community, an experience which has given her valuable insight into the many different aspects of being autistic/ ADHD, allowing her to approach support with curiosity and without judgement.

As someone who is autistic herself, Karen offers an understanding and supportive space where students can feel comfortable to share their experiences and explore the challenges that may come up for them with kindness and compassion. She encourages open and honest communication and aims to enable a collaborative approach towards building a relationship, identifying goals, tackling problems and developing skills. 

Karen hopes that students will develop their sense of self-awareness and understanding over the course of their time in education, in order that they will be able to advocate for themselves with increasing confidence as they navigate their lives going forward.

Since her diagnosis, Karen has been re-embracing the interests that bring her joy. These include a wide variety of crafts and, most recently, a deep dive into the delights of modern cross-stitch. She also has a love of stationery and journalling, enjoys cosy gaming (Animal Crossing and Disney Dreamlight Valley) and has become a Pokemon Go-playing ‘Swiftie’ through the influence of family members!