Why Goldfish Academy

You’ve heard the saying, “The attention of a goldfish” and that’s what digital life is training in today’s young people. The majority of teens are online for extended periods and their relationship with technology is a double-edged sword. I know this, because this was me. My relationship with technology was an unhealthy one and it impacted my relationships, physical and mental health, sleep, learning, focus, and motivation to engage in anything outside the screen. I did my learning the hard way and that’s why I’ve created Goldfish Academy.

I want Australian secondary students to hear from someone age-relatable, someone who has lived experience of a screen addiction, and someone who now has all the education and research to help them to avoid some of the dark places I found myself. Knowledge is power and it’s a gift I am able to give.

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Goldfish Academy equips secondary students with essential skills and knowledge to take control of their lives.

Practical and engaging workshops based on research and lived experience provide a powerful learning opportunity that changes attitudes and behaviours.

About Us

Isaac Waddell

Although I dabbled in the world of online gaming from when I was a young boy, it didn’t quite grab me until I was 14 when I took a deep dive right in to the heart of it. I didn’t know it at the time, but that is where my journey started.

Throughout my schooling years, I was considered a bright kid and very athletic. I participated in many sports, played multiple instruments, and consistently scored straight A’s throughout primary school and early high school, even being placed in honours classes. However, at 14, as my home life fell apart before my eyes, video games provided me with a comfort and dissociation from the real world that changed the course of my life.

By the time I was 18, school and sports were a distant memory as I played video games upwards of 8 hours a day with the dream of playing professionally. Competitive games had enveloped my life and become a first priority while my physical and mental health were a mere afterthought. As a consequence, I was riddled with depression and a gaming addiction that was not easily broken. My relationships suffered, my motivation and drive was at an all time low, and future prospects were nowhere to be found. Eventually, at 20 years old, I broke the addiction and clawed my way out of depression.

Wanting to stay in the world of gaming I knew so well, but not be a direct part of it, I turned my attention to coaching where I spent all of my time researching the neuroscience and biology behind peak performance. It was during this time that I discovered my passion for neuroscience and uncovered the answers to all my questions about mental health and gaming addiction. Cut to the current day, I am 22 and studying biomedical science and neuroscience while creating a gaming well-being program for young people and their families in the hopes of helping them to avoid the pitfalls of which so many I fell in to. While gaming is still a part of my life, it is not controlled by it, a relationship I wish to foster in young people across the globe.

Bayley Waddell

During my later years in high school, I became acutely aware of the addictive nature of social media and gaming, both in my own life and among those around me. This unique perspective gave me insight into the pre- and post-digital age school experience and its impact on my health and well-being. I also observed the detrimental effects of technology on my brother Isaac and his relationships, providing me with an outside perspective on these challenges.

These experiences have equipped me to guide Australian students through the complexities of modern technology and its effects. Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree in neuroscience to deepen my understanding and enhance my ability to positively impact the lives of the students I reach. My goal is to empower them with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate these challenges successfully.