Rise helping Ebony, 8, through a very tough time in her life
It’s been a difficult year for Ebony*, in year 2 at a Central Coast primary school. Her mother has been in and out of custody several times, and she’s struggled with a […]
Our stories
Meet our Change Makers!
This National Volunteer Week (NVW), we are SHINEing a light on a few of the amazing volunteers working with us to make positive change in young people’s lives in keeping with this year’s NVW theme, ‘The Change Makers’.
Meet Ellie – Change Maker
Stand as One volunteer mentor Ellie is passionate about helping young people in the criminal justice system and breaking the cycle of reoffending by supporting their reintegration into the community. A proud First Nations woman, we are so lucky to have someone so knowledgeable in the field working with us, with Ellie holding a Bachelor of Aboriginal Professional Practice and studying a Bachelor of Business & Law.
A conversation with her father sparked Ellie’s interest in mentoring. He was relaying a story to her about his adolescence in a ‘boys home’ and how he didn’t have a positive role model, someone to lean on during his formative years. He believes this would have made all the difference in his early trajectory.
So Ellie put her father’s words into action and signed up to mentor at Frank Baxter Youth Justice Centre, and the rest is history.
Ellie has been making a difference in the lives of the First Nations young people she supports in the Stand As One program for the past five years!
As a mentor, Ellie says she supports the young people she works with to find their inner strength and resilience so that they can get through the tough stuff that they are often faced with.
Ellie believes the Stand as One program has excellent outcomes because it is voluntary for both the mentors and young people, “The boys know I am here because I choose to be, and I know that they are participating because they are ready to make changes in their lives”.
As a mentor, Ellie’s main job is to be on the young people’s ‘team’. She advocates for them during interactions with police and at case conferences, accompanies them to appointments in the community, and is always there when they need someone to talk with.
She also helps them to uncover and focus on their personal skills and strengths, be that art, basketball, football, reading and writing, music … whatever helps them stay motivated and positive about the future and what it could bring them.
One of the young people she is currently working with is an aspiring football player and was recently offered a traineeship with a professional NRL club upon discharge from custody! Our very proud Stand As One manager Tanya said of this, “When this determined, talented young person achieves his goal of playing in the NRL, Ellie will be in the crowd proudly cheering him on.”
When appropriate, Ellie also supports young people to establish stronger links with their families to have that vital family support when they transition back into the community and culture.
Ellie’s mentees say they value having someone who takes the time to listen and really understand their world, doesn’t tell them what to do, doesn’t dismiss their feelings, and has the knowledge and skills to help them when they need it most.
Ellie is a volunteer in the Stand As One program
Story by Tanya Macfie
Meet Janelle – Change Maker
Working with vulnerable young people in the SFK Mentoring program in Victoria is a passion for Janelle, one of our newest volunteers!
While volunteering is new for Janelle, working with young people is not. She has visited schools for many years as a dental nurse and is currently completing her Diploma in Youth Work.
Janelle says that she’s often played a supportive role in her personal life so being a mentor felt like a natural step, with friends and family frequently coming to her for advice.
Her first experiences as a mentor have been wonderful so far. Janelle has spent time getting to know her mentee, Valerie* a teenage girl she describes as “lovely and easy to get along with”.
Together they have been working on increasing Valerie’s school attendance and building her confidence. Janelle is finding the work rewarding and enjoying being a positive and involved adult role model in Valerie’s life.
While still early days, the two have already formed a good relationship and even share an interest in boxing, an activity Janelle is encouraging Valerie to pursue to help her make new friends her own age and do something active.
When she heard about SHINE for Kids, she jumped at the chance to mentor a young person and give back to the community by doing something rewarding.
She says of working with SHINE, “It’s a great organisation. Everyone that I’ve spoken to is lovely and has the best interests of the kids at heart. It’s all about them and what you can do to make it better for them.
The girl I work with hasn’t had the chance to do anything apart from excursions from when she was in school, she hasn’t experienced a lot of things, just normal things that you take for granted.
I think it’s great giving kids a bit of an opportunity to have these new experiences and give them something to look forward to.”
Janelle is looking forward to supporting Valerie to get her licence, increase her school attendance and start thinking about practical pursuits for when she finishes high school.
And of course, many more activities and time spent together having fun!
Janelle is a volunteer in our SFK Mentoring program
Join the team! Express your interest in volunteering and find out more about opportunities in your local area, email us at volunteer@shineforkids.org.au today.
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Other stories
2024 is looking very different, in a very good way, for student Mary
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Life-changing realisations during parenting course
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Easter bunny gets ready to make some special visits!
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A first visit with mum and help with an unexpected change: Supported visits
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What our families say about our visits program
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What dads in custody say about Storytime
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AMC Child & Parent day brings “pure joy” to children missing their dad
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“Complete turnaround”: In just one year, Kaylee*, 16, has achieved so much
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Kempsey team make sure Harry* has a great visit with dad
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Moving on up: Exciting new beginnings for Clarence Valley Rise kids
It’s been a fantastic year for the Rise Clarence Valley crew, with children from six schools across the region participating in the program. Anna’s Story While Courtney says all the children have […]
Layla’s* school presentation night great way to finish a wonderful year with Rise
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Aidan*, 12, promised his mum he wouldn’t get into any more fights – and he hasn’t!
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The energy was great as families arrived for our Child & Parent Day with their mums at Silverwater Correctional Centre. As the children came into the centre and went through the security […]
“I can tell her that today mummy got a certificate for finishing a program that is going to help us.”
There was a real sense of achievement in the room on the day 10 mums in custody at Dillwynia Correctional Centre graduated after completing our Bringing Up Great Kids program over six […]
Art is helping Luka*, 14, work through his emotions
Luka*, 14, is in our SFK Mentoring program and finds going to school hard sometimes; he’s been bullied and has become withdrawn. He’s faced a lot of hardship in his short […]
SFK Mentoring: Siblings back at school and on track after tough year
Raymond*, an upbeat 14-year-old boy, and his twin sisters, Megan* and Alix*, 17, have been through some tough times but are working hard to get things back on track with the support […]
Magic show fun for some very excited children!
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Malakai* has come leaps and bounds from where he started
Malakai* is a bright young Aboriginal teenager and was referred to the Stand As One Mentoring Program in early 2023. Spending most of his early life living with his mother and younger […]
Kids say our Rise Together Days are the best!
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“You made my children feel confident and that they belong”: Family Centre touching lives
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Cessnock families grateful for food relief during tough times
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Storytime gift from dad makes little girl’s day
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Rise mentoring: Little kid with a big future
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Easter surprise for kids missing dad
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“You’re the best dad in the whole world!”: AMC Child & Parent Days a huge success
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Mentees make us proud in joyful celebration
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Dads in custody create magical Christmas presents for their kids
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Central Coast kids mentoring success in 2022
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“This helped me feel closer to them”: Mums in custody create hand made gifts
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Seven year old Len* loves visiting his dad, with a little support from SHINE
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Precious time being ‘just a mum’ at Child & Parent Day
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“My son and I have a stronger bond”: Mums graduate KUT
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A Tee-Ball captain and increased school attendance: Wins for our Frankston kids
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Special weekly visit to Baryulgil Public School: “When mum comes back we’re going camping”
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RISE Together Day – Western Sydney
Over the school holidays, SHINE for Kids teams across the country held special RISE Together Days for children in the program. The days were an opportunity for kids to meet others going […]
RISE Together Day – Kempsey
Over the school holidays, SHINE for Kids teams across the country held special RISE Together Days for children in the program. The days were an opportunity for kids to meet others going […]
RISE Together Day – Goulburn
Over the school holidays, SHINE for Kids teams across the country held special RISE Together Days for children in the program. The days were an opportunity for kids to meet others going […]
“Can you come back tomorrow?”: Clarence Valley RISE visit Baryugil
Every week our Clarence Valley RISE coordinator makes a special trip. They load up the car with activities and worksheets and drive about 75 km northwest of Grafton to visit Baryulgil, a […]
Young people in juvenile justice work with mentors at Cobham
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“I tell him RISE is coming to school today and he is happy to go”: Little boy thrives with RISE
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Love at first sight for dad meeting newborn daughter
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Missing milestones with dad is really hard, but we can help
Charlie* is in custody at Parklea and is dearly missing his 4-year-old daughter Amelia*. Before he was incarcerated, Amelia and Charlie would read together every night at bedtime. He approached SHINE for […]
“I’m going to see my mummy!”: Kids see mum for first time in two years
By our Windsor Child and Family Worker I’ve worked with a family with mum in custody at Dillwynia for over two years. When I first met the family, the children were six […]
And the winner is ….
During the week of the 15th-21st of May, we celebrated National Families Week with our children and families. One way of connecting with families was through a drawing competition and the winner would […]
A dad and daughter back together at last
Aaron*, a dad in custody at Parklea, recently approached us about our Storytime program. He has a four year old daughter Chloe* who he hadn’t seen face to face for over two […]
Two young men’s strong bond, in good times and bad
Mason* has spent most of his teenage years going between out-of-home care and custody. He’s no longer in contact with his family and finds it difficult to maintain positive relationships. Mason was […]
Proud day for family and their SHINE For Kids volunteer
One of our wonderful long time volunteers Dennis recently reached out to us to pass on some lovely news. He and his wife had just attended the graduation of a young woman […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Debbie!
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National Volunteer Week – Meet Dennis!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Stephanie!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Andrew!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
National Volunteer Week – Meet Helen!
National Volunteer Week is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’, and appropriately so, as together we accomplish so much more. At this time of year, we […]
Keeping a family connected, any way we can
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Easter brings hope to the men at Macquarie
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How my mentor helped me get through a hard time
To celebrate National Youth Week at SHINE, we are sharing the voice and experience of a young person we supported through our mentoring program Stand As One. This is his story. “When […]
Birthday Program makes missing mum or dad on a special day a bit easier
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Recently one of our fabulous citizen fundraisers Ryan got together a group of Bathurst rugby playing friends and acquaintances for a fun day and a good cause to play in the Annual […]
A fresh start for mum Sierra
Sierra has two daughters, aged 12 and 9, and when she went into custody a few years ago it was the first time in their lives they’d been separated from her. It […]
New experiences and confidence building for SHINE’s Townsville kids
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A very special visit for mums at Broken Hill
“I made gifts for my four children for Christmas because I wouldn’t have gifts for them any other way.” – Mum from Broken Hill Correctional Centre Just before Christmas our crafting expert […]
Dad’s voice and a Christmas delivery make the holidays apart a little easier
By a SHINE team member I met Marty*, a dad in custody, one day at the Parklea complex while I was collecting referrals. He asked about our Storytime program and what was […]
Sam’s year of kicking goals
Sam, a young Aboriginal boy in the Stand As One mentoring program, was just 15 when he went into custody at Frank Baxter Youth Justice Centre. Sam was the youngest person at […]
Let’s give dad the biggest hug ever
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Christmas Magic with The Sixth Child
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Storytime helped Timothy repair his relationship with his sons
Timothy had been in custody at Clarence Correctional Centre for eight months when he joined the Storytime program. It was his first time in custody and he was really struggling with missing […]
A very special new bedtime routine for three kids missing dad
The day before the ACT went into lockdown, our team sat down with dad Fred* to complete a Storytime recording for his youngest child. Fred is working to improve his literacy skills, […]
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Aaron is three years old and attends the SHINE for Kids playgroup every week with his mum Carly. They live together at Numinbah Correctional Centre while Carly is in custody. Carly approached […]
Our partnerships stopped Meg and Sam be evicted
Meg and her 4 year old son Sam live in Werrington in western Sydney. The family first started engaging with SHINE for Kids through the Parklea Child and Family Centre as Sam’s […]
I feel like a father again
Jason was transferred to Clarence Correctional Centre as soon as it opened in July 2020. Unfortunately his wife is also incarcerated and her parents have custody of their two young children and […]
Tracey and Millie are building a bright future together
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Keeping connected to mum during the toughest of times
Mia, Declan and Timmy have been living with their grandmother since their dad was incarcerated four years ago. Their mum was also sent into custody two years after dad while she was […]
Tamara’s RISE sessions are the highlight of her week
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Henry was able to tell his daughter to believe in herself through Storytime
When Henry came to Storytime he was full of excitement and said he already knew the book he wanted to make for his daughter Alana. It had been forming in his head […]
Dad is still there: A big year for Robyn and her family
Robyn and her four children have been working with SHINE for several years but this year was a special one as they prepare for dad to return home in February 2022 after […]
Dominique’s positive relationship with her mentor continued to grow this year, despite COVID moving their sessions online
Nine year old Dominque moved in to live with her grandparents two years ago following her dad’s incarceration. While she was able to make friends at her new primary school, she appeared […]
James is determined not to make the same mistakes as his dad
James was set on making a fresh start at being a parent when he signed up for Keeping Us Together and Storytime at Parklea Correctional Centre. He had been in and out of […]
A year of community building and looking to the future
This year the Belonging to Family team at Kempsey have had a homecoming of sorts with the return of Karen Rhodes. Karen was one of the original creators of the Belonging to […]