What if my child is a bit younger than 13 or older than 17?

The suitable ages are a guide only.  If you feel that your child would benefit from this course then by all means, book them in. 10am – 5pm is a long day for some 12 or 13 yr olds (well, it’s a long day for us all!) but something to keep in mind. What we’ve always found in the past is that, even though it’s quite a broad age range, we always get the perfect group – sometimes it’s quite a young group, sometimes it’s mostly older students but it always seems to be the perfect blend – the older students are wonderful mentors to anyone a bit younger and the younger ones enjoy listening and learning from the older ones. We’re facilitating the space together all of the time, except for a longer lunch break so we do our best to make sure the conversation is always appropriate for the group and have enough support mentors there to spend some time one-on-one with someone if they bring up a more mature topic. 

 Is food provided?

The retreat runs from Monday to Friday from about 10am – 5pm each day.  We provide all food – morning tea, afternoon tea and lunch and you will be asked to share any dietary requirements on the booking form. All food provided will be vegan. There is a full kitchen at the venue so they are welcome to bring anything additional and use the facilities.

What if we don’t live where the course is being run? Is accommodation provided?

Accommodation is not provided.  We always have a few students attending who come up from other states and they make a family holiday out of it.  As this is becoming quite a common occurrence, we have a document with a range of local accommodation that is convenient for the venue.  Please get in touch after you have booked in and we’ll send this through to you.

Is there public transport nearby?

Yes.  The venues we choose are always near public transport.  Please get in touch for a link or timetable.

I’m paying just a deposit today. How do I pay off the remainder?

Your payment plan will continue with payments taken automatically from the card you include on the same day each interval from the day you make the first payment. If a payment doesn’t go through, our system will try again in 2 days.

We live somewhere else and would like the course to be run in our hometown.  Is this possible?

We have arranged workshops in other towns or cities but require assistance in the local community.  If you believe the young people in your area could benefit from this course (or a modified version of it) and are happy to assist with the arrangements, please get in touch by phone or email here.  We have been training up lots of wonderful youth mentors all over the world so you might like to check out our directory of Certified Youth Mentors to see if they are running anything in your local area.

I’m not sure if my child wants to do this.  Should I still book them in?

Most students turn up to our workshops or courses a little unsure of what to expect and nervous to be in a room full of strangers. We quickly get to know one another and, to this date, we’ve always received positive feedback from them after the retreat. Within the first 2 hours they have gotten to know each other a bit, have settled in and are having a good time. They’ve realised this isn’t like school and they’re not just sitting down and being talked at, they’ve felt that we hold a very calm and relaxed space and that there are spaces they can go to if they need a moment on their own. They’ve realised that this is a space where they can feel heard and where they can create new friendships.

Simply turning up is a great exercise in feeling a bit of fear or nervousness and moving through it anyway to find a fun week ahead. It’s great practice in getting comfortable feeling a little stretched or uncomfortable. In saying that, there’s no point a student coming along who absolutely loathes the idea of being there so of course we leave it to your discretion as to whether you think you should book your daughter/young person in.

Please feel welcome to book in a 15 minute Zoom call with Amanda to chat about this and then we can book an additional call in with your child too to tell them more about it, answer any questions they have, etc – no pressure or obligation. 🙂

What does a typical day during the course look like?

Each day is different and each course is different (depending on what we feel this particular group needs and wants) but this will give you an idea:

10am arrival and ice-breakers

10:30am first morning session of the day (e.g. a class all about natural skin care where we go through some theory and then get practical by doing a facial, making body scrubs and essential oil spritzers!)

11:30am second morning session (e.g. a discussion around friendships, boundaries and relating to others)

12:30pm lunch and free time

1:30pm – afternoon sessions begin (e.g. we may have a guest teacher come in to lead a particular class)

3pm – afternoon tea

3:30pm – second afternoon session begins (e.g. meditation or yoga down on the beach and a group discussion)

5pm – finish up for the day.

Usually on the Thursday we have a full day of learning how to do our own make up, styling and doing a photoshoot together (some group shots and some individual shots – you’ll receive a folder with edited full-res images a few weeks after the course finishes).

My child is worried that they won’t know anyone there. Do people normally book with a friend?

99% of the time, everyone is a stranger. It’s very rare that someone comes with a friend or sibling. They come along on their own and often end up forming some lovely friendships that extend beyond the retreat. Our 3 months of follow up community via Zoom after the retreat will continue to foster these relationships, no matter where people come from to join the retreat.

Haven’t answered all of your questions?  Book in a chat here or email us here: info@shinefromwithin.com.au