Charity

Proud to support the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation

The Sanjay Mortimer Foundation (SMF) is a charity established to find and assist those with neurodivergent minds to realise their potential through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics).

Kate, Founder and CEO of Gaia Learning and Teula, CEO of SMF met in January 2025 and instantly bonded over a shared goal to engage and empower neurodivergent young people.

Through shared values and collaboration, the two parties now support each other through enabling SMF to fund or co-fund young peoples education and share the experience of Gaia Learning with other families. Whereas Gaia Learning promote the work of SMF to their own audiences and run fundraising activities.

Could your child benefit from SMF support?

SMF are a registered charity in England and Wales with the ability to support young people who...

Aged 11+ years.
Resident in England or Wales.
Are neurodivergent or are on a waiting list to be diagnosed.
They should have a palpable interest in and gain a sense of enjoyment from engaging in engineering &/or making.

Read the full qualifying criteria here.

What next?

If you believe your child is eligible to receive support from SMF and you are looking to work with Gaia Learning, please speak to the Gaia Learning team to understand required costs & commitment and then engage with SMF via their website. SMF will only be able to support any funding applications for educational support once a plan of action has been agreed with Gaia Learning.

Please note, funding is not guaranteed through SMF, if you are unsure of funding options please speak to Gaia Learning who may be able to advise pathways via schools or Local Authorities.

Interest Based Learning

At Gaia Learning, we know that kids are naturally curious and love exploring the things that excite them. That’s where interest-based learning (IBL) comes in! It’s an approach that taps into their curiosity and guides them through a fun process of asking questions and finding answers based on what they’re really interested in. And the key part? It’s guided—so it’s not just about getting better at hobbies, but about turning that curiosity into real, meaningful learning.

In IBL, learners take a more active role in shaping their own learning journey. By giving them a say in what they learn, we’re encouraging them to be more engaged and curious. It’s all about letting them connect what they already know to new ideas in a way that feels natural and exciting.