Supporting Children and Young People in Torbay and Devon with Therapeutic, Alternative Provision

🚧 Please Note: This site is currently undergoing a makeover to showcase our impact, partnerships, and the full range of options available. However, here’s a sneak peek at who we are, how we work and what we can offer.

Welcome to I Am More

I Am More Academy is a student-led, trauma-informed provision, offering quality-assured unregistered alternative provision across Torbay and Devon.

We are proud to be one of the Therapeutic Framework Alternative Provision providers commissioned by Torbay Council, working in close partnership with professionals, schools, and families to deliver flexible, relational support. We are also commissioned by Devon County Council, Torbay Virtual School, and a range of independent organisations in both education and business.

We work with young people experiencing a wide range of circumstances, whether they are navigating challenges linked to SEND, SEMH, EOTAS, ACEs, or who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET, building confidence after periods of disengagement, or looking for extra support to prepare for adulthood. Post-16 provision is available.

Our approach is grounded in relational practice, the belief that trust, respect, and authentic connection are the foundations for any meaningful progress.

What We Offer

At I Am More, adaptability, flexibility, and meeting each young person where they are are at the heart of every session. We are built on lived experience, side-by-side working, and a global network of inspiration and ideas. No dream is too small or too big. Together, we find the next step forward however that looks for each individual.

Our Flexible Sessions Combine:

Life Skills & Employability: CV writing, interview preparation, budgeting, and real-world training, including practical hospitality experience and training, and community work opportunities. Basic cooking skills, options to grow produce, emotional intelligence, understanding personal strengths, and how to find a job that fits your personality, all things life, mindset, and thriving beyond the classroom.

Emotional Wellbeing & Personal Development: Healthy relationships, effective communication and body language, trauma-informed mentoring, mental health support, grief and loss understanding, and tools for emotional regulation.

Entrepreneurship & Business Skills: Learn what you need to start a company, set goals, understand money, and find inspiration through exclusive content from leading entrepreneurs helping young people dream big. (Steven Bartlett and Simon Squibb have created content just for our students)

Creative & Community Engagement: Art, projects, games, opportunities to connect with nature, and step into our wide network of local employers and community offerings. All subject to the interests of the individual.

Above all, we create a safe, equal, and non-judgemental space where young people are heard, respected, and empowered to explore their stretch zone step by step and at their own pace. #ChooseYou with I Am More.

(Acronyms aren’t always useful please get in touch if you’d like to discuss any of the terms we use.)

AWARD WINNER

Celebrating True Victories at I am More Academy

We’re honoured to receive accolades that reflect our commitment to coaching and mentoring. Yet, the real triumphs unfold in quiet moments, away from the spotlight.

It’s when a student shares their story after a workshop or when dreams find a voice in our supportive environment. These are the victories that truly inspire us. As we celebrate this accolade, know that it’s the personal stories, journeys, and transformations that fuel our passion every day.

The STRENGTH to fight on

The strength to fight on, no matter what life throws at us. The strength to push through barriers and know it will be ok. Not just physically but mentally. To work on ourselves to support our minds.

To RESPECT yourself

To respect yourself, to know your boundaries and to respect others. Not just people you know, respect with no boundaries. To show empathy, consideration and willingness to help.

The TENACITY to go all the way

The tenacity to go all the way, to use your mental or moral strength to continue with sheer determination. To maintain persistent in our goals and aspirations. ‘Winners find a way’

INTEGRITY to honour your word

To live in accordance with your deepest values, to honour your word and be true to yourself and others. Remain gracious, honest, hardworking, trustworthy and patient.

ACCEPTANCE and COMPASSION to all

Using self-awareness to observe our thoughts, practice empathy, be accepting and to show compassion to all. We do not know what others are going through. Be kind.
Keely Pierce
Keely Pierce
Founder and CEO of I am More Academy
Exciting News & Recent Highlights: I Am More Academy continues to go from strength to strength, with no age barrier to who we can support. We are proud to share that we have: ✅ Been awarded a major contract with Torbay Council as one of their Therapeutic Framework Alternative Provision providers for children and young people on EOTAS packages. ✅ Secured a contract with Devon County Council to support a group of young people through Year 11 and into their Post-16 transitions. ✅ Been commissioned by Torbay Virtual School to deliver Preparing for Adulthood training days. ✅ Won another award in 2025 recognising our innovative, trauma-informed approach. ✅ Received a letter from His Majesty the King, acknowledging our contribution to young people and communities. ✅ Pitched directly to multi-millionaire entrepreneurs Steven Bartlett and Simon Squibb, who have both recorded exclusive inspirational videos for the young people we work with. ✅ Delivered coaching across Cornwall, supporting start-up businesses to build confidence and skills. Thank you to everyone who continues to believe in our mission.
Sarah Newbrry
Sarah Newbrry
Youth and Families Manager
We are profoundly grateful for the exceptional mentorship provided by Keely to one of our students. From the moment they began working together, it was evident that she was not just a teacher but a beacon of guidance and support for Laila's educational journey. Keely's dedication to Laila's growth, both academically and personally has exceeded all expectations. Keely has an incredible knack for identifying Laila's unique strengths and weaknesses, tailoring their approach to ensure maximum growth and development. Beyond academics, Keely serves as a mentor and role model, imparting invaluable life lessons and instilling important values such as perseverance, integrity and self confidence. In a world where exceptional mentors are rare to find, Keely stands out as a shining example of dedication, passion and excellence. Her influence on her mentees life is immeasurable, and as a youth charity, we are deeply grateful for the positive impact she continues to have.
Melissa
Melissa
Assistant Head of School
The students who have attended the sessions have had more hope about the future and more confidence about the next steps of the educational journey. The students who engaged most in the process grew in confidence. One student in particular engaged with Keely really well – this is extraordinary because this is the first adult outside of education and one of only a very small number of adults (full stop) who this student has interacted with and stayed with to engage in a process. This has been simply life changing for that student and their family.
Associate Principal
Associate Principal
Dartmouth Academy
Great energy, flexible and adaptive to the needs of the audience.
Pastoral Team Lead
Pastoral Team Lead
Medical Alternative Provision
The sessions I sat in on with Keely were great with the students. She was very friendly, approachable, interested in their stories, and their aspirations for the future. I never thought I would be able to get L into school, but she did it for Keely’s group, which is a huge achievement for L, who has had a negative experience in her old mainstream school. It has shown L that she can go back into an educational setting, and it is okay and safe. I feel Keely was friendly, calm, happy, and fun. She was very knowledgeable and supportive, and she was also flexible with the students. I have seen a huge change in L over the last six months. She has grown in confidence, and she is happy to attend Keely’s sessions without me needing to be there now. L didn’t come into our centre for her lessons—she was an online student—but she came into the centre for Keely’s sessions, which is huge, based on her experiences from her previous mainstream school.
Teacher
Teacher
St Cuthbert Mayne School
You are a very relatable and inspiring speaker. The session is very beneficial to students, very up to date information and really interesting to hear about your life. There were nice opportunities for students to reflect and think deeply about themselves. Thank You!
Teacher
Teacher
Teignmouth Community School
I thought you were wonderful! You had a great presence with the students. Watching the students think about what they want to do when they leave school and then have a moment when they realised it was okay to be different. Thank You!
Teacher
Teacher
Teign School
The session was was easy to follow for the year 9 students, they listened and interacted with Keely well. I personally learnt about myself and was pleased to see my career was aligned to my values. It would be good to have longer to allow for further exploration for the students.
Teacher
Teacher
Teignmouth Community School
I thought Keely was fantastic, her story and session was really interesting and it allowed me to remind the current year 7's about working hard at school to help achieve your dreams and goals in life.
Client Love
Client Love
Small Business Owner
You're like the missing jigsaw piece! The Ant to his Dec, you ask questions which gives me space to explore rather than talking at me telling me what i should be doing. You help me understand how i can achieve it with a plan in place, and i know you do this because you know i know it! Youve created a way of how to make me realise it. I want to add that i have worked with coaches over the last 7 years and spent thousands and thousands of pounds and nobody came close to what ive achieved with you, despite all the effort and work id put in. Im now living life on my terms. I hope you realise how amazing you are and how powerful your message is. I bloody love you Keely Pierce, keep smashing it. Thank you x
Student Mentoring Programme
Student Mentoring Programme
Plymouth Discovery College
LOVED my mentoring programme! it helped me with a variety of things including my self confidence. I feel more confident when applying for jobs as well as talking to people. At first i struggled with making decisions as well as maturity but now i know how to deal with situations. My mentor helped me to get the job i wanted as well as feel more confident. I felt confident to be open and honest with her.

Building Futures Side by Side

The world has transformed, and as a parent, observing how children now connect with peers and families compared to 5-10 years ago is both enlightening and concerning. In an age where AI and platforms like ChatGPT have revolutionised communication, and endless YouTube content, along with technical platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok, have become the norm, the technological advancements bring both wonder and challenges. Even my eleven-year-old now ends conversations with a simple ‘Just search it up.’ The digital era has brought a new way of life, yet it also presents its share of trials. The ability to be still without distractions or sustain concentration for longer than a TikTok video has become quite rare.

This is where I am More steps in. We’re here to provide support in areas children may not fully understand—the essential building blocks of growing up and living a fulfilling life. Our mission is to remind them that there’s a world beyond technology, to embrace their uniqueness, and to help them understand that they are truly enough.

At I am More, we understand the challenges faced by teachers, administrators, and parents in an ever-changing educational landscape. Our collaborative approach seeks to complement their hard work within schools and colleges, offering tailored workshops and mentoring programs for individuals or specific groups. The bespoke nature of our offerings ensures that your students receive precisely what they need. We work hard to ensure our workshops are student led and adapt to our environment and the needs on the day. 

What sets I am More apart is our unique approach. With over a decade of personal development experience and successfully running businesses, we’ve learned from the best mentors worldwide. Our aim is to infuse the joy of curiosity and deep thought into learning and growing up. The life skills we impart are not only in high demand today but are also applicable to future careers, relationships, and social and emotional intelligence. We understand that non-judgmental support during times of change is crucial for transformation.

If you didn’t know, I’m Keely, the Founder and a rare Manifestor in the mere 9% of the population, with a special ability to catalyse change. I’m on a mission to spark transformations that go beyond words and bring genuine happiness and harmony to families. As the founder of ‘I am More Academy,’ I extend my vision to schools, igniting young minds through motivational workshops and aspirational mentoring. Being honoured with the Southern Enterprise Awards ‘Most Empowering Youth Development Coach of 2023’ and 2024 is a testament to my commitment to creating authentic impact.

With a relatable approach and a touch of humor, we guide individuals and families through significant transitions and challenges. Whether supporting young people as they navigate adolescence and education, or helping adults re-enter the workforce or explore self-employment, our work builds stronger connections, trust, and communication. Using proven frameworks and a trauma-informed approach, we empower individuals to master identity, relationships, and emotional well-being, creating pathways for lasting growth and resilience.

"We are profoundly grateful for the exceptional mentorship provided by Keely to one of our students. From the moment they began working together, it was evident that she was not just a teacher but a beacon of guidance and support in their educational journey. Keely’s dedication to the student's growth, both academically and personally, has exceeded all expectations."
Sarah - YMCA
"Our young people thoroughly enjoyed their day with Keely and reported on her session being the BEST session on our course so far. Keely tailored the workshop to our young people's needs and ensured the workshop was led by the young people. Her wealth of knowledge, warmth and engaging personality enabled our young people to ask questions and find out more to develop themselves. It was an unforgettable day. Our young people gained so much from Keely's workshop and have used her session content to help them plan their futures. I would highly recommend working with Keely."
Tori - Princes Trust
"The work that Keely and colleagues have already been responsible for via ‘I Am More’ Academy is outstanding. Her knowledge of the sector, her understanding of need and her drive to support young people is admirable."
Jo - Strategic Lead
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