SHINE for Kids

Lovely check-in (and a little pamper time with a pedicure!) with a former #Rise mentee. 💜

This mentor loved hearing all about high school, life, and how her former mentee was going with her goals.

#Mentoring #SHINEforKids

SHINE for Kids on ABC Radio Canberra Mornings - Shine for Kids 4th February, 2026

#ICYMI: Our CEO Julie Hourigan spoke with Saskia Mabin for ABC Radio Canberra Mornings about our work with children in this special #GravyDay program. Please have a listen if you missed it!

shineforkids.org.au/allnews/shin...

Thank you to this case worker for the great feedback about our work. Our mentors walk beside young people, supporting them as they transition out of youth justice.

This is how you set young people up for success and break cycles.

#Youth #Mentoring #SHINEforKids

Amazing feedback our team received after a great kick off mentoring session in our youth justice program #StandAsOne.

Learn more about our work with young people impacted by the justice system: www.shineforkids.org.au

#Youth #Mentoring #SHINEforKids

Belonging to Family program helps Mike find stability after release - Shine for Kids Mike* had just been released from custody, where he was in the Belonging to Family (BTF) program, and gone to live with his mother on the Central Coast when

When Mike* was released from custody to suddenly face losing his housing, our Belonging to Family (BTF) program stepped in. Today, he has a safe and secure place to call home.

🔗 Read Mike’s full story here: shineforkids.org.au/stories/belo...

We’re back at Junee!

Families visiting a loved one will spot our friendly team back on site, with activities, colouring-in and toys to help make visits calmer and child-friendly.

We're looking forward to reopening our Junee drop-in centre soon as well.

Learn more www.shineforkids.org.au

An extremely difficult year made easier with a mentor by his side: Benji's story in Rise, Victoria - Shine for Kids Benji* is a quiet, thoughtful 13-year-old boy who slowly warms up to new people but becomes friendly and chatty once he feels safe.

💜Meet Benji. He's had an extremely tough year, but having a Rise mentor by his side has made all the difference.

With someone to listen, encourage and show up each week, he has built confidence and is feeling more hopeful about what’s ahead.

Read Benji’s story: shineforkids.org.au/stories/an-e...

New year and new beginnings! Our youth justice mentoring program helps young people turn their lives around and sets them up for success when they are released.

Happy New Year and may it be a good one! ✨✨✨

#YouthMentoring #SHINEforKids

"I was happy I could make the children feel special, knowing their dad is thinking of them." - SHINE for Kids team 💜

In these recent Art & Craft sessions, parents in custody created heartfelt gifts for their children that we sent home in time for Christmas.

#ChildrenofPrisoners

We believe children deserve a fair go, and no one should be defined by their circumstances.

This Christmas, please stand with us and help build a more equitable future for
children and families affected by the justice system.

#Donate: https://christmas.shineforkids.org.au/

Official music video for 'How To Make Gravy' by Paul KellyTrack available on 'Songs From The South 1985-2019' - Buy/download here: https://PaulKelly.lnk.to/S... Paul Kelly - How To Make Gravy (Official Video)

Happy 'Gravy Day'! Today we send our thoughts to families who can't be together this season. 💜 This song is for you.

We exist to support young people impacted by the justice system and create opportunities to thrive www.shineforkids.org.au

#GravyDay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYqIF2XkqKU

Our mentoring programs give children and young people the specialised support they need to thrive. ☀️

We know early intervention works. We see it every day. And with your help, we can do more.

#Donate: https://christmas.shineforkids.org.au/
#SHINEforKids

Well, these look delicious! Our team brought a little Christmas cheer to young people in youth justice with special cookie decorating and card making sessions.

Please, support young people this Christmas and donate to our appeal. 💛

https://christmas.shineforkids.org.au

For most families, Christmas is a time of being together. But for children with a mum or dad in custody, Christmas is tough.

We make connection possible, even when families are separated. 

Please #donate this year.

https://christmas.shineforkids.org.au/

Supporting children living with a parent in prison: Learning from young people Young people with a parent in prison are very often overlooked. Although there is research about children’s needs and the challenges they face, our study f

📢 Our voices of children research has been shared in the British Journal of Social Work.

Please find this research by Catherine Flynn and Kathryn Gor of Monash University, facilitated by SHINE for Kids with support from The Paul Ramsay Foundation below:

academic.oup.com/bjsw/advance...

Is Australia in a youth crime crisis? Here’s what the numbers say State governments across the country have brought in harsher laws to deal with youth crime in recent years. But do the stats justify the punitive measures?

Great piece by @aunz.theconversation.com.

"Not only have we seen an overall reduction in the number of youth offenders nationally, even before new harsher laws came into force, the increased incarceration of children had already begun."

Please read:
theconversation.com/is-australia...

Help a child stay connected this Christmas and please donate to our #ChristmasAppeal.

For children missing their mum or dad in custody, Christmas can be heartbreaking.

Your donation helps children feel loved, supported and connected.

Thank you!

christmas.shineforkids.org.au

How Victoria’s new crime-reduction unit can help tackle its youth crime problem Scottish police created a specialised violence reduction unit to treat violence as a public health issue. It worked, and it’s coming to Victoria.

This piece by Joel McGregor of Swinburne University of Technology (and a former wonderful mentor in our youth justice program Stand As One!) points to a positive shift in Victoria regarding addressing youth crime.

theconversation.com/how-victoria...

📢 We are pleased to share our Annual Report for 2024-25.

The report shares our outcomes for each of our unique programs, as well as the positive impact we make every day.

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy the work we do at SHINE for Kids!

shineforkids.org.au/wp-content/u...

Feedback from a child in our Belonging to Family program. 💜

Learn more about this unique program changing lives on our website: www.shineforkids.org.au

This student asked her mentor for help writing a speech she was delivering at assembly that afternoon. Together they got the job done with time left to rehearse as well!

#TeamWork #Mentoring

Learn more about our school mentoring program on our website www.shineforkids.org.au

Jailing mums a 'life sentence for their kids too' - Central News Jail time for mums should be reconsidered in favour of community-based penalties due to the long-term impacts on the 40,000 children directly affected, advocates have claimed. Women on remand in Austr...

SHINE for Kids is featured in this thoughtful piece by Christian Nevin.

centralnews.com.au/2025/10/24/j...

Thank you for the support @castlehillrsl.syd! You are making a difference in the lives of children with a parent in custody, showing them that they matter. 💛 We are so grateful to be one of the recipients of this year's The Hill Shire Club GRANTS.

#InvisibleVictimsofCrime #SupportingChildren

YouTube video by Shine for Kids INCCIP webinar - RIGHTS, TOOLS & HOW TO USE THEM

This wonderful webinar from our friends at INCCIP and @shineforkids.bsky.social provides internationally relevant education and advice for using human rights tools and institutions to support children with incarcerated parents. It's a perfect lunchtime watch:

Get your dose of good news in our newsletter! 🌞 If you haven't yet, please sign up today https://ow.ly/176x50Xc9Ib

Smiles during a student's first mentoring session in Townsville. 💛

While making chatterboxes to get to know each other, the student for a selfie!

#Rise mentoring supports kids with a mum or dad in custody stay engaged at school with one-on-one time in the classroom.

www.shineforkids.org.au

From top dog to top lawyer, Danielle Cormack returns in The Twelve Danielle Cormack opens up about starring in The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer, playing dynamic characters, and balancing career with family life.

A piece on our wonderful and talented ambassador Danielle Cormack! www.nowtolove.co.nz/news/local-n...

Our #Rise mentor had some interesting conversations about technology with her Year 6 students using these 'Raising Digital Citizens' cards.

The cards aim to teach children about staying safe online, as well as inform adults about their children's 'digital world'.

Passing teachers even joined in!

Youth crime in regional NSW down 12% with even sharper drops in crime hotspots New data shows far west and Orana region is down 42%, while car theft is down by almost 25% overall

“Positive changes in a few communities or among a few groups of young people can lead to big impacts on those statistics."

We agree. That's why our programs with young people focus on helping them take those first steps towards, often life-altering, positive change.

Rare good news on this issue:

Some of our #Rise mentoring children getting ready to mark Father's Day their own way.

Lots of the children we support weren't able to spend Father's Day with their Dad, so our team made sure they'd have other ways to mark the day.