 Danielle Cormack launches SHINE for Kids' 2014 Christmas Appeal
4 December 2014
SHINE for Kids Ambassador, Danielle Cormack, has launched the organisation's annual Christmas Appeal. Danielle plays the formidable Bea Smith in the hit TV series Wentworth."My time in the show and the research involved has taught me much about life in prison, but like so many of us, I knew little of the plight of the children of prisoners – which SHINE for Kids so accurately describes as 'the invisible victims of crime'," Danielle said today."These children have done no wrong, yet they still face the stigma, shame and isolation that so often accompanies parental incarceration."
Get the media release PDF » Donate to the 2014 Christmas Appeal » SHINE Wellington volunteers acknowledged
21 November 2014
A thank-you dinner will be held in Wellington tonight for volunteers who work with SHINE for Kids, helping the children of prisoners. The CEO of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman said: "An organisation like ours could not exist, nor survive, without a dedicated group of volunteers who help us with our services to children of prisoners." Tonight's dinner, at the Lion of Waterloo Hotel in Wellington, is one of a series of dinners held for the 300 volunteers working with SHINE for Kids in NSW, Victoria and the ACT. Dinners were also held this week in Sydney and Bathurst. The Mayor of Wellington Council, Rod Buhr, will attend tonight's dinner and make presentations to the volunteers.
Get the media release PDF » SHINE for Kids' AGM tells the story of 2013–2014
11 November 2014
Details of SHINE for Kids' finances were provided in its Annual Report, tabled tonight at the organisation's AGM in Sydney. A total of 4,473 children of prisoners were supported by SHINE for Kids' programs during the 2013–2014 financial year.
SHINE for Kids CEO Gloria Larman said that there are an estimated 50,000 children of prisoners across Australia. "We currently operate in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT but clearly there is scope for much more to be done," she said.
The annual report shows that 56 per cent of SHINE's total revenues in 2014 came from governments. A further 30 per cent was donated by philanthropic trusts and corporations.
Get the media release PDF » SHINE Central Coast volunteers acknowledged
6 November 2014
Central Coast volunteers who work with SHINE for Kids are being thanked and honoured at a dinner tonight at Central Coast Leagues Club in Gosford. The CEO of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman said: "An organisation like ours could not exist, nor survive, without a dedicated group of volunteers who help us with our services to children of prisoners. So each year, SHINE for Kids acknowledges their contribution with a series of Volunteer Recognition Dinners in NSW, Victoria and the ACT," She added. "Tonight we will acknowledge and thank twenty volunteer mentors who have been crucial to the success of our 'Stand As One' mentoring program at the Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre at Kariong," Ms Larman said.
Get the media release PDF » Call for recognition of "hidden children"
6 November 2014
SHINE for Kids says it is time for governments to recognise and include the children of prisoners in their policies. The chair of SHINE for Kids, Helen Wiseman, said that around 40,000 children across Australia were currently suffering the devastating impact of a parent's incarceration. "We call these the Hidden Children," Ms Wiseman said. "They simply do not figure in the justice and corrections policies of governments – yet they have to endure humiliation and stigma, despite the fact they have done nothing wrong." Ms Wiseman will be a speaker at a breakfast at the NSW Parliament in Sydney today.
Get the media release PDF » SHINE Victoria volunteers acknowledged
30 October 2014
SHINE for Kids volunteers who staff the organisation's Victorian centres are being
honoured at a special dinner in Melbourne tonight. "An organisation like ours could not exist, nor survive, without a dedicated group of volunteers who help us with our services to children of prisoners," the Chief Executive Officer of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman, said today. "So each year, SHINE for Kids acknowledges their contribution with eight Volunteer Recognition Dinners in NSW, Victoria and the ACT." Assistant Commissioner of Corrections Victoria, Brendan Money, will present Certificates of Appreciation to the volunteers.
Get the media release PDF »  TV star becomes SHINE for Kids Ambassador
27 October 2014
SHINE for Kids says that the organisation is delighted to have 'Wentworth' star Danielle
Cormack as its Ambassador. The CEO of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman, said that the agreement by Danielle to act as Ambassador was a breakthrough. "Danielle has a high public profile as a leading character in 'Wentworth', which explores the issues faced by women in prison," she said. "As a performer and a mother, she will bring great value to our attempts to raise awareness of the issues that kids face when a parent is sent to prison.
Cormack plays the role of Bea Smith in 'Wentworth', the acclaimed TV prison drama shown on Foxtel.
Get the media release PDF » SHINE volunteers acknowledged
16 October 2014
Volunteers who work for SHINE for Kids are being thanked and honoured at a series of dinners starting this month. SHINE CEO Gloria Larman said: "An organisation like ours could not exist, nor survive, without a dedicated group of volunteers who help us with our services to children of prisoners. So each year, SHINE for Kids acknowledges their contribution with our Volunteer Recognition Dinners in NSW, Victoria and the ACT." The series of eight dinners kicked off last week with a dinner for SHINE's Kempsey Centre volunteers, held at South West Rocks.
Get the media release PDF » Fathers Day a challenge for thousands of Aussie kids
5 September 2014
Thousands of Australian children will be denied close contact with their fathers this Sunday, through no fault of their own. SHINE CEO Gloria Larman, said that while Father's Day is a joyful celebration for many, the fact remained that for Australia's 40,000 children of prisoners, it means another day of humiliation. "These kids have done nothing wrong but have to live with the stigma of a father in prison," Ms Larman said, adding that SHINE had today published on its website an inspirational video interview with a SHINE volunteer worker whose own father was sent to prison. "It's a man in his years of retirement, looking back at how the experience affected him in his teens," Ms Larman said.
Get the media release PDF »
See the interview with Dennis van Someren »
SHINE for Kids welcomes NSW Government funding
4 September 2014
Funding of $585,000 announced by the NSW Government today will allow SHINE for Kids to continue existing programs as well as launch new initiatives aimed at helping the children of prisoners. "We thank the State Government and in particular the Attorney General and Minister for Corrective Services Brad Hazzard for today's announcement," the Chief Executive Officer of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman said today. "This funding will ensure the continuing operations of our Child & Family Centres, Prison
Invisits Program and our Child/Parent Activity Days."
Get the media release PDF » SHINE for Kids congratulates WIPAN on funding win
1 August 2014
SHINE for Kids has congratulated the Women in Prisons Advocacy Network (WIPAN) on its new funding lifeline from the NSW Government. The NSW Attorney-General, Brad Hazzard has announced $250,000 in funding for WIPAN, saying he had been persuaded that the group reduced women's recidivism rates and helped their children avoid the cycle of crime. "We commend the Attorney-General for this decision," the CEO of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman, said today, noting that eight out of ten women prisoners who had taken part in a recent WIPAN mentor program for one year had not re-offended. "These women are out of prison and looking after their children – a great result."
Get the media release PDF » Queensland targeted for help for children of prisoners
31 July 2014
SHINE for Kids is involved in talks this week aimed at extending its services into Queeensland. Senior officials of the organisation have been
meeting with Queensland prison authorities, government advisors, academics and non-government organisations."We are keen to explore ways in which we can assist the children of prisoners in Queensland," the Chief Executive Officer of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman said today.
Get the media release PDF » Crowd-funding campaign aims to save axed program
30 July 2014
SHINE for Kids has launched a funding campaign through social media, aimed at saving a
successful program which has been axed in the Federal Budget."We need $72,500 but no individual donation is too small if enough people contribute," the Chief Executive Officer of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman, said today. The Belonging to Family program is tailored to Aboriginal prisoners at Kempsey and their families and has supported 79 inmates and 459 children."Out of these 'medium- to high-risk habitual offenders' just under 65 per cent have not reoffended or returned to prison since participating in Belonging to Family," Ms Larman said.
Get the media release PDF »  'Out and about'
The Daily Advertiser, 8 July 2014
AS PART of local community celebrations during NAIDOC Week 2014, Wagga Art Gallery, in partnership with SHINE for Kids, is proud to be showcasing an exhibition of indigenous artwork created by the talented participants of the Colourful Dreaming Program.
See the photos in this section »  'Time to shine at gallery'
The Daily Advertiser, 28 June 2014
AS PART of local community celebrations during NAIDOC Week 2014, Wagga Art Gallery, in partnership with SHINE for Kids, is proud to be showcasing an exhibition of indigenous artwork created by the talented participants of the Colourful Dreaming Program.
Read this article » Baden-Clay case highlights tragedy of children of prisoners
16 July 2014
The plight of children of prisoners has been brought to stark attention following the outcome of the Baden-Clay murder trial, the Chief Executive Officer of SHINE for Kids, Ms
Gloria Larman said today."We feel deeply for the young girls at the centre of this tragedy," Ms Larman said. "When a parent is sent to prison, these children suffer terribly—and it's through no fault of their own." She said that the advice of SHINE for Kids was available for the children and their family, should they wish to seek assistance.
Get the media release PDF » Colourful Dreaming exhibition to launch today
3 July 2014
An exhibition of artwork by children and their imprisoned fathers will open today at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery. The Indigenous artwork has been created by participants in the Colourful Dreaming program.
The exhibition will be launched at 6pm today by the Federal member for Riverina, the Hon. Michael McCormack MP.
On Saturday 12 July, the exhibition will host a Family Fun Day, with Elders Aunty Kath Withers and Aunty Pat Simpson.
Get the media release PDF »  NSW Raffle 2014 results
3 July 2014
Two great Breville coffee machines and other great prizes have been won!
See the winners »
 Victoria Raffle 2014 results
30 June 2014
Three nights' accommodation right at the beach on beautiful Phillip Island, and other fantastic prizes, have now been won!
See the winners » Appeal to Canberra to reverse Kempsey funding cut
17 June 2014
SHINE for Kids has appealed to the Federal Government to review its decision to cut off funding for a ground-breaking crime-prevention and family support program on the Mid North Coast of NSW. Since 2010, 'Belonging to Family' has been assisting the families and children of
imprisoned parents in the Kempsey region.
Get the media release PDF »  'Federal Budget axes program for Aboriginal children with parents in jail'
ABC News, 17 June 2014
Federal Budget cuts will see the end of a program for Aboriginal children in the Macleay Valley who have parents in jail. The Federally funded ... Belonging to Family project [has been delivered] to the Kempsey area since 2010. Since then 80 Aboriginal inmates have participated in it, and it supported over 400 children.
Read more on the ABC News website »  'They want to make sure kids can shine'
Western Advocate, 5 June 2014
MORE than 300 children who have a parent in Bathurst Correctional Centre will be assisted
thanks to a new funding boost.
Read the text of this article »  SHINE speaks to BBC Radio Worldwide
31 May 2014
SHINE for Kids' CEO Gloria Larman spoke recently to BBC Radio Worldwide in a segment 'The Forgotten Children' which reported that in the UK, over 200,000 children have a parent in prison.
Play the interview and read a transcript »  'Grant to help break cycle of generational crime'
Wellington Times, 26 May 2014
SHINE for Kids says a $10,000 donation from Westpac Foundation Community Grant is a vote of confidence in SHINE's programs.
Read the text of this article » SHINE raises concerns over budget cuts
14 May 2014
SHINE for Kids says it is concerned that some of its programs may be adversely affected by last night's Federal Budget. "We have initial concerns that cuts to support for Indigenous programs may adversely affect our 'Belonging to Family' program in Kempsey," SHINE CEO Gloria Larman said today. "This program has been very successful in giving young people and their families the support they need to build productive lives."
Get the media release PDF » Children with a mother behind bars
9 May 2014
SHINE for Kids says that Mother's Day this Sunday will be a chance for the wider community to reflect upon the plight of children with a mother in prison. "Through no fault of their own, these children will feel alienation and shame on the very day they should be in the warm embrace of their mothers," the Chief Executive Officer of SHINE for Kids, Gloria Larman, said today.
Get the media release PDF » Qantas Credit Union gives support to SHINE
3 April 2014
A leading credit union has responded to a call by SHINE for Kids for greater corporate support, with a contribution to the organisation. The chair of SHINE for Kids, Ms Helen Wiseman, said that she was delighted that Qantas Credit Union had contributed $5,000 to the organisation for its programs and resources.
Get the media release PDF » SHINE for Kids calls for more corporate assistance
18 March 2014
SHINE for Kids has challenged Australia's corporate sector to give greater support to its work. The Chair of SHINE for Kids, Ms Helen Wiseman, told attendees at a function at Silverwater today that the business world had a vested interest in putting an end to intergenerational offending.
Get the media release PDF » |
