Why Shine?

Many girls and women in our communities do not know or believe they are valuable and unique. A common mindset amongst young people is that ‘If I am not of much value then life doesn’t have much purpose’. This inevitably creates a sense of living for the moment with little regard for consequences or the future. The impact of this ‘meaninglessness of life’ and loss of hope is made apparent by the fact that Australia holds one of the highest youth suicide and heroin addiction rates in the world.²  This lack of purpose instils negative mindsets in the lives of youth subsequently influencing the way they perceive their future. The break-up of the family unit and young people believing they have little worth or nothing to contribute can have far reaching implications – both immediate and long-term. 

High levels of concern for young people are body image, mental health issues and alcohol and physical/sexual abuse.³ The statistics of those suffering from eating disorders in Australia are alarming with the mortality rate between 10-20%. Sexual abuse, major trauma and low self-esteem can contribute to the development of disordered eating.⁴  These concerns require recognition as priority issues for intervention. ShineGIRL is an effective tool to help girls navigate the complexities of adolescence without being sabotaged by unhealthy behaviour patterns.

Women with low value and self-worth, can allow too much of themselves to be negotiable, struggle to care for themselves holistically and experience life stress. Accordingly, this can be transferred through to families, communities and generations producing substantial consequences such as domestic violence, substance abuse, unemployment and social isolation.⁵  To address these issues of personal enrichment, treatment needs to be placed on empowerment, self-esteem and spiritual well-being.⁶ ShineWOMEN seeks to address these issues through holistic personal development.