One of the many reasons that The Flourish Journey’s programs are life changing is because they provide opportunities for teenage girls and gender diverse teens to discuss unspoken topics and be prompted to reflect in ways they may not otherwise…

In the time I’ve spent working with young people, I’ve found that building a resilient future for teenagers requires an approach that addresses not only mental health challenges but also fosters a supportive environment around young people where they can truly flourish.

The second half of our Level 1 workshop focuses on unpacking who the young people aspire to be, providing them with an opportunity for self-reflection and further connection. While this is a conversation that I regularly hold with our young people, I was reminded recently that this is not a conversation that our teenagers often experience.

When I recently asked a young girl “Who is the person you aspire to be?”, she responded by saying that she had never been asked this before. As an older teenager, she had been consistently asked by people around her what kind of job she wanted to pursue and what university degree she hoped to attain, but she had never been asked what qualities she valued and what aspirations she had for herself and her future.

While this was an important reminder for me, this very much speaks to a more general trend we’re currently seeing with young people. Consistently, we are observing that teenage girls do not feel empowered to understand or become the person they aspire to be.

“Every single day, we witness the power in giving teens a space to be truly seen, heard and valued. ”

After having time to reflect, this teenage girl shared that the person she aspires to be is someone who is happy, kind, a role-model for her siblings and resilient against future challenges. Ultimately, through some more conversation and kind reflections from her friends, this young woman realised that the person she wished to be was already within her.

By providing young people with the opportunity to reflect and share the kind of person they hope to be, we’re able to help them step away from external pressures, judgements and expectations that they feel from social media and external relationships. As a result, young people leave our programs realising that they don’t have to look a certain way, or be a certain way. Instead, they are encouraged to celebrate their uniqueness and diverse qualities, whilst learning to celebrate these attributes in the people around them too.

Every single day, we witness the power in giving teens a space to be truly seen, heard and valued. It takes a collective effort to influence change and build a resilient future, this is your invitation to be a part of it.

For more information, visit www.theflourishjourney.org