About Us
Our founder, Elise Pacquette, started Funpact as a reaction to her own experiences of guiding her children through adolescence.
“As a parent trying to raise my children in a world vastly different to the one I grew up in, it wasn’t until their teen years that I started to feel out of my depth.
I didn’t want to be ‘googled’ out of my role as a mum. I had been a volunteer for parenting courses and was involved in my community as a governor at the local primary school. If anyone should have felt confident steering children through their teenage years, it should have been me, but all I felt was daunted.”
While appreciating the great work PSHE and parenting courses already provided, Elise noticed that most courses spoke to children or parents separately, and what she really wanted was an environment where she and her children could explore and work through the challenges they face in the same room.
After a sleepless night in 2013, she created ‘Bridging the Gap’, an interactive workshop course for parents and their teens to attend and learn about the social, emotional, and practical aspects of growing up, together.
“During the development stage I went to Ofsted and had a meeting with the national lead of PSHE. She really encouraged me to run the course and I was amazed by the response from families, they just loved it!”
Growing on this success, Elise was soon asked to create a course for pupils struggling to engage in education (Ambition 2 Success) and then a two-part course focused on helping parents and children moving between primary and secondary education (Transition to Secondary).
With the support of like-minded parents, youth mentors, local organisations and funders who have supported Funpact on our journey, we hope to continue to inspire parents and their children to overcome the challenges they face by helping them to explore their paths to independence together.
And our journey is soon to continue with our upcoming Study Money-Wise course due to launch in 2023, in partnership with Citizens Advice, aimed at supporting 6th formers with their transition to college/university.
Our Team
Elise Pacquette- CEO
Elise is a social entrepreneur passionate about empowering parents and carers to support their children by learning together. A parent herself and a passionate supporter of families, she has been a school governor and before starting Funpact volunteered at other parenting courses.
“It brings me so much joy see families having fun, talking together and sharing their ideas. It’s real honour and privilege to be part of Funpact and work with an incredibly dedicated and talented team.”
Roma Fiseha - Community Engagement Lead
Roma is a freelance community engagement specialist with a background in youth-work strategy and community organisation.
Aisling Forde - Course Development Lead
Aising works in family support and as a group leader for parents.
She has a degree in Criminology and Psychology and has co-developed sessions for the Ambition 2 Success Bridging the Gap and Transition to Secondary Part two.
Our Trustees
Nigel Jacques
Nigel has supported Funpact through SOBUS (a community development agency for H&F) with business strategy, support and development and funding applications since 2015 and became a trustee in 2019.
“I have been connected with Funpact from the very beginning. And, with me coming from a background of helping adults learn it was so fantastic to see adults and young people learning together. Funpact really is a template for numerous opportunities for both young people and adults. It is just so inspiring to see.”
Zainab Awaleh
Originally a facilitator for Funpact, Zainab is a mentor for young people 11-24 years old in schools and social care services (LAC).
“I'm a trustee because I truly believe in the positive impact of parents working with their children to improve their academic and social progression.”
Saba Hammad
Saba attended the Bridging The Gap course with her sons in 2017 and has supported Funpact ever since, she has now become a trustee supporting Funpact with her experience as a Financial Officer.
Marie Ange Kanyange
Marie Ange has recently become a trustee for Funpact.
Lottie Morley Fletcher - Education Advisor
Lottie has over 25 years experience in education.
Youth Mentors and Ambassadors
Isla - Youth Mentor
Isla has recently become a youth mentor and supported both year 6 pupils and their parents as they prepare to start secondary school
Adrianna - Youth Mentor
Adrianna recently became a youth mentor having attended the Bridging the Gap course with her mum and has supported both year 6 pupils and their parents/carers as they both prepare to start secondary
Aleks - Youth Mentor
Aleks attended the Bridging the Gap course with his mum at White City Place and will be supporting Funpact in the near future as a youth mentor
Monika - Ambassador
Monika attended the Bridging the Gap course with her son in 2023 and recently became a parent ambassador for Funpact
Jayden - Youth Mentor
Jayden attended the Bridging the Gap course with his mum in 2023 and has already been involved supporting Funpact as a youth mentor by co-running a stall at a local Fun day and telling other about the course
Manon - Ambassador
Manon attended the Bridging the Gap course with her daughter in 2023 and recently became a parent amabassador for Funpact. Manon is also a very active member of the Wormholt (W12) community
Hanan - Ambassador
Hanan has worked as a community leader for over 15 years supporting local families. She attended the Bridging the Gap course with her daughter in 2016.
Wafa - Ambassador
Wafa is an active member of the local community in W12 and attended the Bridging the Gap course in 2015 with her daughter. She then becamse a trustee for Funpact and has now become an ambassador supporting Funpact to grow.
Facilitators
Jane
Alongside her many years working in various youth clubs Jane also visits primary schools with her trained therapy dog, Thwaite.
Christine
Christine has 20+ years experience in mainstream education, including leading PHSE, SRE, MHWB, EAL and SpLD. Christine also loves to dance.
Eddie
Eddie has a vast range of experience and qualifications working in a PRU as an SEN tutor and mentor.
Sahba
Sahba has a masters in Psychological Wellbeing & Clinical Practice, and a BA in Criminology & Sociology.
Karen
Karen has a degree in Psychology, an interest in autism and dyslexia, and aspires to be an educational psychologist.
Melissa
Melissa has managed a gang prevention mentoring programme across Croydon, Southwark and Lamberth, she loves pizza, coffee and dogs.
Adebusola
Adebusola is an occupational therapist with over 9 years experience working in mental health care from CAHMS to higher education.
Alison
Alison has a diploma in mental health practice and works in mental health support teams in schools.
Radhika
Radhika has worked as a camp manager at Supercamps UK, and teaches riding to 150 young people with SEN / additional needs every week.
Shaneh
Shaneh is a psychology student at KCL, aspiring to be a Clinical Psychologist, who loves singing and is learning to crochet.
Aisling
Aisling works in family support and as a group leader for parents and has a degree in criminology and psychology.
Financial Capability Facilitators
CA facilitators from Hammersmith & Fulham lead our session ‘The Language of Money’, which forms part of our Bridging the Gap course.
Join the Team
We have a number of ways in which you can get involved with us at Funpact.
Become an Ambassador
We would like to welcome any parents who have completed one of our courses to become ambassadors.
In this role you will be a helper on the course, supporting the facilitator and team leader during the sessions and welcoming attendees into the space.
You’ll also be invited to come to events and speak with families interested in attending future courses or those who might be interested in funding us.
If you haven’t attended a course before it might still be possible for you to get involved, please contact us and we’ll explore what options are available.
Become an Youth Mentor
For youth alumni of the Bridging the Gap and Ambition 2 Success workshops a brand new opportunity is being developed with The Kids Network.
Funpact highly values the lived experience and knowledge that youth can bring to the workshops, and the support they can offer to the team to ensure the workshops and resources are fit for purpose.
Youth alumni are welcomed to become part of the team both attending the Transition to Secondary sessions to offer their advice and experience to those a few years younger and also during session and workshop development activities leading the way to ensure information and activities are current, engaging and useful to attendees.
Become a Facilitator
Are you a qualified mentor or trainee psychologist? If so we’d be interested in hearing from you!
We provide training to all facilitators who join us. This requires them to observe sessions before they join the team and learn from experienced facilitators, shadowing and co-working with them, before leading the courses themselves. DBS certificates and other necessary training is provided. Working for Funpact has a real family-feel. Everyone who works with/for the charity is involved because they are genuinely passionate about its causes, which makes for a lovely environment. Shifts are flexible and varied, I would really recommend applying for a role”.
Facilitators receive a fixed fee as well as travel expenses.
Support Funpact with a Donation
If you’d like to donate directly to us you can via our JustGiving page!
Our Supporters
