#tellyourstory
Our #tellyourstory campaign focuses on social issues impacting women in our community, we explore their experiences and the challenges they face within our society.
The #tellyourstory initiative is about an open and honest conversation about the challenges women face in our community and how they have overcome these situations to inspire and provide hope to others facing similar circumstances.
By providing women with the opportunity to be ‘seen and heard’, we can drive change within our community, and influence Government at the State and National level.
“Owning our story Can be hard, but not as difficult as spending our lives running from it.”
Brene Brown
Women Making a Difference
Our #tellyourstory initiative has been highly successful and we love highlighting women who are undertaking great work in our community. To date, we have shared thousands of stories on our website and on our social media where we received messages from people around the world, who were inspired by the stories that gave them hope in their circumstances. We thank all the women who have participated in this wonderful initiative for sharing their incredible stories and for all they do to support and encourage others within our community.
The Rainbow Shoelace Project
The Rainbow Shoelace Project is the brainchild of 12-year-old Abbie Jane who, with her friend Max Dawnn started giving out Rainbow Shoelace beads in their hometown of Broken Hill. The idea came to Abbie when she was worried about wearing Pride flag-coloured beads on her converse to high school, as she was worried that she would be bullied. Abbie felt scared and alone. Abbie realised that other kids might be feeling the same way and decided that it would be great for a queer kid to feel that they are supported by seeing their peers wearing Pride flag-coloured beads. The aim of the project is to show support to the LGBTIQ+ community by wearing Pride coloured beads on your shoelaces. Members of the LGBTQI+ community and their allies are encouraged to join this project by wearing the beads.
Bravery Buddies
Bravery Buddies are a collection of dolls for children who are impacted by medical related hair loss – from cancer treatment or alopecia. These special dolls send the message “you are not alone”. They are inclusive dolls for both boys and girls of different ethnicities created to offer comfort and bring a glimmer of joy to the lives of children affected by cancer. The Bravery Buddies have no hair, just like a lot of children who are battling cancer or alopecia. The aim is for the dolls’ physical appearance to help sick kids feel like they’ve got an empathetic friend on their side. To be able to look at their special friend and think, “Hey, you’re just like me.” Children are able to form a bond with their dolls, to share their experiences – to be a friend to them when they need one most. Over 6000 Bravery Buddies have been distributed across Australia since our founding in 2018 however the sad fact is that our job will never be finished as over 800 children every year are diagnosed with cancer in addition to the many thousands of children who are impacted through the diagnosis of a parent or loved one and of course the children who are diagnosed with alopecia which is very often a life long condition.
Womn-Kind
Ruby is the founder of Womn-Kind, a leading youth mental health organization dedicated to closing the gap in effective wellbeing education and support for young people. They offer low-intensity, strengths-based, and largely preventative mental health support through in-person and online programs and resources. Womn-Kind provides accessible support in an approachable, relatable, and non-intimidating way, fostering a community where girls and gender-diverse young people can share their emotions and experiences. Ruby has led Womn-Kind through the development and launch of school wellbeing workshops, the Womn-Kind App, the "Dear Sister: A Womn-Kind Podcast," partnerships, events, merchandise, and more. Growing up on a farm in Regional NSW, she later attended boarding school, university, and college in Sydney. Since founding Womn-Kind in 2020, Ruby has supported over 20,000 young people across Australia. She has been selected as a Future Women Rural Scholarship Recipient, named a finalist in the Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award, shortlisted for the Young Australian of the Year Award, and nominated for the NSW Young Woman of the Year.
