The ripple effect: creating a safe space for young women to thrive

These are excerpts from an article written for NZ Fashion Quarterly by Sarah Murray, you can read the full article here

“We’re not clinical; we haven’t studied,” says Belushi matter-of-factly. “We really wanted to steer clear of the clinical side and offer that peer support. We don’t dismiss the clinical side but from our own experience we felt we couldn’t connect with some of the counsellors and therapists we saw. We found that a lot of the peer-based groups we did were life-changing. It was being able to connect with others that had gone through similar experiences.”

Their unique approach seems to be working. Since opening they’ve added a ‘drop in’ day on Thursdays because once the young women finish the ten-week course, they don’t want to leave. Their ‘drop in’ day is not structured—sometimes they play board games, other times they might screen a documentary. Mostly, it’s providing a safe space for these young women to come and talk”

“I think our mental health is just getting worse and worse,” says Belushi. “The rise of social media and phone usage makes it extremely hard for teens to navigate this difficult time in their lives. Our mission is just that all girls can live a healthy and well life — and thrive.”

“Ultimately, their main goal remains to support these young women. To help them live their best lives and become active leaders and change makers, not only in their communities but in the world”