Shine From Within have been running programs for teen and tween girls since 2012, reaching thousands of beautiful girls in our tween courses (10-12 yr olds), teen retreats (13-17 yr olds), one-on-one mentoring, mother-daughter retreats, schools curriculum, and even teach adults how to be great youth mentors in their community through our Youth Mentor Training.  And we now have a book in stores around Australia and New Zealand, Shine From Within; a teen girl’s guide to life which you can find in Big W or any good bookstore (buy online here).  At the heart of it all, we exist to support YOU, the parents, so that you can feel confident that your daughter is receiving the absolute best support and advice during these tumultuous teen years.  We’ve even got a podcast for you!  The number one thing we hear from parents is this:

“You’re telling them what we’re telling them at home, but they just need to hear it from someone else.  Thank you!”  

We’re not here to be their parent, teacher or coach.  We see our role as a mentor in their life who can educate them with important life skills and provide a space for them to feel heard and valued.  At the heart of everything we do, we just want all girls (and boys) to realise how special they are, just as they are.  We’ve found that often with our students the magic is in removing them from their usual environment (amazing family, friends and regular support network) to give them an opportunity to express themselves in a new environment and learn new skills without judgement.

What we know…

Body image is one of the top three personal concerns of young people aged 15-19 in Australia.*

Coping with stress is the NUMBER ONE personal concern of young people in Australia, alongside school or study problems.   Young women in particular, are increasingly overwhelmed with more than half saying they are either extremely or very concerned about coping with stress.*

*Mission Australia Youth Survey 2014

Our approach…

We take an holistic approach in all of our programs and courses.  With a background in teaching deportment and personal development courses spanning over 10 years, as well as qualifications in life coaching, positive body image and even mental health and technology in young people, our founder Amanda Rootsey believes it’s important to teach skills such as job interview skills and presentation skills alongside wellness and self-esteem subjects.  

Our Values…

Compassion for self and others, wellness, presentation and professionalism are the core values behind Shine From Within.  When we are truly happy within ourselves then we will treat our body, mind and spirit with respect.  We will feed our bodies healthy, nourishing foods, we will present ourselves beautifully to the world and we will have the confidence to chase our dreams, blitz through job interviews and take care of the people and world around us with pride.

Current insights, tips & research about teens from the front line for parents, educators and mentors.

Articles for parents..