Michael Maisey

Meet Michael Maisey

Michael was a gang member, addict and suicidal convict. His youth and teenage years were shaped by abuse, turbulence and trauma. He has suffered extreme feelings of loss and guilt.

His subsequent recovery has been shaped by an exhaustive journey of self-reflection. Michael has built an award-winning business and created from scratch a not-for-profit organisation, the CIP Project. This supports over 2000 people every year suffering from addiction, mental health, PTSD and childhood trauma.

The way Michael has transformed his life is an inspiring story on its own. His autobiography, Young Offender, published in 2019 by Pan MacMillan, won two literary awards and featured as a best seller. But his power as a speaker and motivator are based less on what has happened than his deep understanding of the why. He reflects that this is down to:

• Harnessing the power of kindness
• Demystifying resilience
• Reframing ‘community’ from a cliché into a medicine

He talks passionately about all three subjects in three different talks. Each is brought to life by Michael’s own story, but also by insights from the worlds of sport, the military, business and local communities, each of which is relatable to people from all walks of life. His TEDx talk has been hailed as a masterpiece.