Our Mission

IRL is the collective effort of leading educators, industry experts, parents and students coming together to design engaging experiences which inform, inspire and equip young people with real world skills.

We're passionate about youth empowerment, education and the future, and aim to deliver meaningful experiences to young people everywhere.

Our story

Hannah Mitchell - UK Director

Hannah graduated with a BA (Hons) in Business and French from Newcastle University and spent over a decade living and working in France and Australia before returning to Scotland. Her professional background spans organisational leadership, learning and development, financial management and community engagement.

Prior to establishing IRL Education CIC, Hannah spent two years mentoring young people through ProjectScotland. For the past four years, she has specialised in delivering employability, wellbeing and transition support, helping young people build confidence, develop practical skills and progress into positive destinations in education, employment and training.

Drawing on both her professional and international experience, Hannah is passionate about helping young people navigate the transition to adulthood and create fulfilling, independent futures.

Ben Middleton - Founder

IRL Education was created in Australia by Ben Middleton, led by his passion for education and his desire to address the gap of what was required to teach in school, and the skills needed to live happy, successful and balanced lives.

Ben has worked at the coalface of innovation and technology, from the development of Australia's first banking App to Artificial Intelligence in department stores. He’s experienced first hand the huge changes to the way we live and work which are just around the corner, together with the skills young people will need to succeed in the modern world. Ben’s currently studying Philosophy, bringing the best ideas and advice from around the world and through the ages into IRL’s courses.

Why 'IRL'?

IRL is an initialism often used by young people on social media for the phrase 'In Real Life'. From ordering food to booking a holiday, our modern world has become so online that young people often forget that the skills which lead to long term personal and professional success are still found in real life.

We like the name because it’s part of the digital jargon used by today’s young people, giving them a sense of ownership and familiarity that’s important to us too.