The SHINE program at Geraldton in Western Australia is one of MMG Golden Grove’s major partnerships.
SHINE participants visit Golden Grove in early November.
SHINE works with young women at risk of disengaging from the education system and community, which can negatively impact their employment and life opportunities into the future. The students may also be experiencing traumatic events in their lives, which can further affect their ability to participate and be supported in a conventional classroom environment.
SHINE aims to engage and motivate the students to attend school by offering hands-on training in hairdressing and beauty therapy in a safe environment. This helps to foster confidence, communication and trust.
Students work in a purpose-built hairdressing salon one day a week where they gain vocational skills in hairdressing as well as customer service, business administration and beauty therapy. Students also participate in lifeskills workshops to help them make informed decisions about their own physical, mental and sexual health and wellbeing.
Standards in the program are high: all students must maintain high levels of school attendance and positive classroom behaviour in all of study areas to participate.
This holistic approach supports the students to be accountable for their choices and actions both now and into the future.
Golden Grove was very pleased to host 10 of the young women participating in the SHINE program on an overnight site visit in early November.
During their stay, the students toured the site, visiting the open cut mine and processing plant. A range of Golden Grove employees also shared their career experiences and pathways with the students, proving an overview of the many and varied job opportunities in mining.
The result was a well-rounded experience of what it is like to work at a fly-in-fly-out mine site.
MMG has a three-year partnership with SHINE (2014-16), contributing $25,000 per year towards the program.
Visit SHINE’s website for more information about the program.