About Us

Connect to Purpose is the shared ambition of a group of highly motivated education and mental health and wellbeing professionals connected by their passion

for working with children and young people.

group photo of people behind the organisation

Our Mission

Here at Connect to Purpose, we see the value in everyone.

We want to be a catalyst for positive systemic change

- we are driven by the belief that every child and family matters.

Connect to Purpose has emerged out of a pursuit to

improve the life chances of children and young people

struggling with life's challenges whatever they may be.

This is a love-led, purpose-driven approach

rooted in radical inclusion, where every voice matters

and every story belongs,

and as a way to transform society from the inside out.

"If we can heal the family, we can heal the world."

Virginia Satir

Our Timeline

2006–2015: Witnessing Need

Trustees pilot a therapeutic alternative provision for children not attending school
Model includes family outreach

2011–2012: Early Engagement with Family-Centred Practice

Founder joined Every Family Matters as trustee and Parent Champion Coach
Advocated Ethos of Empowerment programmes in schools (Patron: Sir John Whitmore)
Founders piloted 8-week programme for teachers, parents and pupils together

2013–2019: Strategic Leadership Rooted in Systemic Ethos

Continued embedding therapeutic principles within education leadership roles
Refined understanding of trauma-informed and family-inclusive education

2021: Establishment of Connect to Purpose (C2P)

Founders created charity to support families in crisis to prevent escalation into care
First project: retreat for families in crisis, supported by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
Founder became Executive Headteacher for national provider supporting care-experienced children and witnessed systemic failures and fragmentation across education, care, and health sectors

2021–2025: Founder’s Deepening Clinical and Systemic Capacity

Completed Intermediate Certificate in Systemic Practice (self-funded, 2 years)
MSc in Systemic Family Therapy to build leadership capacity
Volunteered at:
- Hampshire Children’s Services (family support for school-refusing children)
- CAMHS (Jan–July 2025, unpaid)
- Home-Start (2023, working with families with complex emotional/cultural needs)

Meet The Team

Georgina Saralis

Founder

Georgina has over 30 years experience as a teacher and leader in education, most recently as regional executive headteacher for Compass Community, managing schools for children in residential and foster care. Since 2021, she has building her capacity to work with families, studying at the Tavistock & Portman NHS attaining a PG Cert in Systemic Practice and now doing an MSC in Family Therapy. She is a Family Support Volunteer for Hampshire Children's Services and Home-start, and a Student Mentor for Eikon. She has just completed a six-month clinical placement at Salisbury CAMHS.

Neil Clark

Founder

Neil has over 40 years of experience in education, 17 years as head of Treloars, nationally renowned special school and 11 years as head teacher of stepping stones, a charitable trust for pupils with special needs.

Ali Grafton

Founder

Ali Grafton is a special senior pediatric occupational therapist with varied experience working with physically and emotionally challenged children.

Joe

Volunteer

Jonathan

Volunteer

We welcome enquiries from individuals interested in joining our board of trustees and being part of shaping our organisation, especially young people (16+).