Jimmy is responsible for the design, development and funding of innovative, evidence-based social service and education programmes. Jimmy’s work currently includes; self-regulation and oral language initiatives for preschool and primary school children, speech language communication programmes for youth and adults, virtual reality education tools for prison-based and community learners, transitional housing models for young people, data-driven capability building initiatives for social service providers, and modified e-therapies for supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Jimmy is leading the rollout of the ENGAGE self-regulation programme to 1,830 early learning services across New Zealand over the next four years (fully-funded by the Ministry of Education).
ENGAGE was developed by Associate Professor Dione Healey (University of Otago) and uses games and intentional play strategies to develop the self-regulation skills of children aged 3 – 5. ENGAGE is fun and adaptable, and has been used by teachers at over 400 early learning services since 2018. In ECE research trials in New Zealand, ENGAGE has consistently demonstrated statistically significant gains in children’s self-regulation skills.
