Travels from London, United Kingdom
Jaz Ampaw-Farr's speaking fee falls within range: $20,000 to $25,000
As a teacher, speaker, and “resilience ninja”, Jaz Ampaw-Farr is a catalyst for change. Hailed as “the British Oprah” for her contagious empowering energy, Jaz was born into a despairing environment of poverty, abuse, and neglect. Thanks to the care of five teachers, whom Jaz credits with “transforming and saving” her life, she was able to break the abuse cycle and thrive as an educator, wife, and mother-of-three.
Jaz is the Executive Director of Why First Ed Ltd. Her training programs and inspirational keynotes for teachers have received rave reviews across the U.K. She has appeared on the BBC spelling show Hard Spell Abbey and the ninth season of The Apprentice UK. She’s received international attention for her raw uplifting talk at TEDxNorwichED.
Jaz’s 2018 book Because Of You, This Is Me details how her teachers helped her turn her life around with simple but powerful actions. Both her autobiography and keynotes drive home that even if you don’t feel prepared, you can be a hero and leader in your community.
Whether in her role as a keynote speaker, author, stand-up comedian or broadcaster, Jaz has audiences spellbound with her storytelling and galvanises them beyond simply being inspired to take action!
Her own journey—from navigating a challenging childhood between life in foster care and on the streets to becoming a Z-list reality TV star and multi-award-winning international speaker—is a testament to the power of resilience. Jaz brings a unique blend of authenticity, humour, and deep insights that resonate with audiences on a profound level.
Jaz has a unique ability to help people and organisations reframe their stories and situations, bringing transformation to their work, life, and communities.
Nicknamed “The British Oprah” by her US audience, Jaz has an uncanny ability to galvanise people into thinking deeper, reconnecting to their purpose, and being 10% braver.
She is a resilience ninja, just like you.
Jaz’s spectacular Shero’s Journey from Fear-Fighter to Resilience Ninja and Positive Disruptor has inspired thousands of people to be 10% braver.
Today, Jaz is a global reframer & keynote speaker. But it wasn’t always that way.
Jaz’s life is an extraordinary chronicle of defying the limits of what is possible. You’ll not find an Olympic medal, ultra-endurance event or un-supported climb of Everest on her CV – what you will find is pure unadulterated truth, passion and some seat-of-your-pants observations from one of the most genuine, hardworking and riotous keynote speakers in the business.
From broken to Beyonce (if it’s dark and you squint a bit) a handful of teachers stood with Jaz and helped her to overcome huge adversity. They didn’t think they had any power to change the world but to Jaz, they were Everyday Heroes.
Here’s how their impact changed her trajectory…
1 – Fear Fighter Jaz was six years old when she realised adults couldn’t be trusted. By 11 Jaz was an ill-equipped mum to five siblings battling poverty and abuse at home. For years she let her past be the script for her future. Fear drove her bus until she tried being just 10% braver, swapping fear for curiosity.
2 – Mistak Artist Saying yes more got Jaz through education, into teaching and beyond to advising international governments but it didn’t always work out. Like that time she was fired in the first week of The Apprentice! Jaz learned to pick herself up after mistakes, reframe and go again.
3 – Resilience Ninja Jaz stopped turning the volume down on herself. Instead, she opted for being professionally vulnerable and personally authentic. Her inner mantra of “I’m not good enough” became “I am enough”. That shift allowed Jaz to show up as my full-fat self and led to a record-breaking TEDx Talk, a book deal and invitations to speak all over the world.
4 – Positive Disruptor Jaz started living life as the human she was designed to be, rather than the woman the world said she had to be. That decision inspired a new level of authenticity which, through her keynotes, workshops and coaching, frees people to unlock their own potential.
Inspirational speaker and educator Jaz Ampaw-Farr reminds us how an ordinary person can be a hero with her bittersweet account of how five teachers helped her go from being emotionally broken to extraordinarily empowered. Ampaw-Farr’s childhood was marred with abuse and neglect, so much so that she couldn’t imagine surviving into adulthood; she was convinced that her life would probably end at the hands of her stepfather during one of his fits of rage.
She describes the moment she had a mental shift, when one of her teachers steered her life in a different direction. “Mr. Williams was under the impression that he was in charge of our class, which made it very difficult for us to get on,” she jokes. On a serious note though, Mr. Williams noticed Jaz’s bruises and asked her about them. “I did what I always did and lied, but he leaned into me and he said, ‘I think you’re protecting someone and what you need to know is that I’m here to protect you. I’m here to look out for you.’”
Veteran educator, abuse survivor, and motivational speaker, Jaz Ampaw-Farr empowers individuals so that they can move from where they are to where they want to be. Jaz’s keynotes and workshops are funny, poignant, and relevant, drawing from her experiences in the classroom as well as her childhood in a broken system. Whether you are looking to find your “why”, awaken your inner hero, or boost literacy skills in a disengaged class of elementary school students, you’ll leave Jaz’s programs fired-up and ready to be a lifelong influence in your workplace and on your community.
Being 10% Braver
Change comes as a result of inspiration or desperation. Why wait for the latter?
Courageous conversations, whether at work or in life, require you to show up as your full-fat self. It’s never easy to go against the tide, address conflict or challenge the status quo, which is where being 10% Braver comes into play.
We all want things to be better but many of us are afraid of change.
This keynote allows you to have your cake and eat it by swapping fear for curiosity.
Jaz focuses on the power of WITH-ness, human connection, and the importance of taking ownership of the story we tell ourselves about what’s possible.
Leadership – By The Led!
Discover how to avoid undermining your own influence by being a Human-First Leader.
Human-First Leadership values authenticity, connections, professional vulnerability and intentional work-life balance.
What’s it like to be on the other side of you as a leader?
In this keynote, Jaz boosts your human hacking skills while delivering proven strategies to galvanise your people beyond inspiration into taking action.
Embrace the unique strengths of a multi-generational and neurodiverse workforce by calibrating the right amount of support and challenge for your everyday heroes.
Ambitious Resilience & Wellbeing
You haven’t worked this hard to live a mediocre life!
This keynote is an invitation to stop living as if you have spare lives hanging up in the wardrobe.
Upgrade vanilla-flavoured resilience for a more ambitious minty choccy chip variety!
Ready to stop living as if you have spare lives hanging in the wardrobe?
This keynote will help you recognise the stepping stones from surviving to thriving to driving real change.
Jaz shares her journey from foster care to becoming Speaker of the Year to help you turn the dial up on your resilience: – Stop trying to be ‘the best’ and be ‘your best – Show up as your full fat self in work and life. – Swap ‘work life balance’ for ‘work-life blend’ – Create ownership by focusing on ‘with-ness’ rather than working ‘to’ or ‘for’ others. – Rebrand Failure – You win or you learn. Stop letting fear drive your bus and celebrate your brilliant Failure CV!
Impactful Storytelling
You know the power stories have to connect, inspire and build belonging, but not everyone conveys their message with clarity.
World class storyteller, Jaz uncovers your secret weapon for turning every member of your organisation into amazing advocates with unstoppable communication skills.
Discover how to connect, inspire and enrol others by mastering the art of impactful storytelling.
The Power Of Everyday Heroes
You came into education to make a difference. This keynote is a positive reminder to each and every member of the school family that You Work Changes Lives.
This keynote will help you stand on the truth about what you do and the impact you have.
You came into education to make a difference but often feel that the daily demands of the education sector leave you wondering about your impact.
Jaz shares more of her journey in this powerful and positive keynote as a reminder to every member of your school family that their work changes lives!
Re-Story Your Life
As humans, we are hardwired to connect with stories. The problem is that we forget to upgrade the stories we tell ourselves – about ourselves.
Jaz’s new keynote has been inspiring audiences this year and will equip you to ditch any self-limiting beliefs to live and tell a more compelling story.
Re-story Your Life is more than a keynote. It’s a transformative experience for anyone looking to make meaningful change.
Jaz takes your audience through their own (s)hero’s journey, resulting in a transformational shift in what they think, feel and take action on. Most importantly, your people will leave empowered with a more compelling (& honest) story about who they are and the power they have.
Strap yourself in because Jaz goes way beyond inspiration – she is in the business of changing your mind about what is possible.
“In-person or online, Jaz takes audiences from laughter to tears and back again in the space of two sentences!”
“The presentation from Jaz Ampaw Farr was genuinely moving and made me think about children’s lived experience and the power of hope.”
“Jaz Ampaw-Farr is the British Oprah.”
“Hard messages were delivered well. Memorable with a true connection to the audience. The impact is immeasurable.”
“Thank you so much for reminding us all of the real difference teachers make to children’s futures. We could have listened to you all day.”
“YOU are a hero to have shared your story. The emotions, the laughs, but, most of all, the honesty.”
“I just need you to know that your impact is far wider than you can ever imagine, and that you change lives. Thank you for being the catalyst.”
“More Jaz Ampaw-Farr – a fantastic woman and a true beacon for hope.”
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Because of You, This is Me: The stories we tell, the stories we change and the power of everyday heroes
Growing up in poverty, and neglected and abused by her own parents, Jaz Ampaw-Farr was destined to become a statistic. Her story was changed however, by five teachers who made the point of putting human connection first – despite the challenges of the education system. Because of these people, Jaz went on to become a teacher, writer and award-winning international speaker who, through celebration and provocation, engages educators and galvanises them into embracing the difference that they can make when they, too, put being a human first. In Because of You, This is Me Jaz shares her story – often harrowing but always uplifting – to show how the everyday heroes in our schools can transform the lives of the children who need their help the most.
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