Jill Couch, Co-Leader Grade 8

…I was so impressed with your presentation and the obvious passion and skills you have to deliver such important messages… to stand alone as a full day presenter, I think you are a wonder! Some of those girls sitting to your right were making things difficult and your handling of them was great – I may not have been as calm if it were me!!!! That in itself was good learning for me.

On return from the session I had all the girls and staff share in a reflective circle. The kids rated themselves 1-10 on how they felt before the session and a rating after and to explain why? Everyone was 9’s and 10’s and had made huge progress throughout the day. They had to describe you as a person in one word – inspirational, motivating, brave, caring, funny, gorgeous, passionate came up lots. They had to share one thing they had got out of the day – a number of girls were emotionally open about not feeling worthy and now had a new perspective on… it’s what’s on the inside that counts!

When I arrived at school this morning I was greeted with smiling faces and a Hi Couchy with left wrists raised – proudly showing the pink wrist band off with a Girl Power attitude!. I had an all girls class early in the day and we debriefed again about what they had shared at home with others and what they had thought about. The girls were really open and honest and had picked up on so many of the workshop details, one being assertive with her Mum to just stand still so she could completely listen to what she had to tell her and not do it while hanging the washing out…ha ha.bless! We then did make-up and girly stuff which also created great discussion and fun.
We had a Grade Assembly too and I was explaining to the group that we had had a wonderful day together and asked if anyone was willing to stand up out of their comfort zone to describe to the boys and male staff what it was all about. This beautiful young lady (who debriefed the day before that you had changed the way she now feels about herself) jumped up and described your entire workshop in complete detail, activities, messages, your story, the effect it had on her, what she had felt before the session and now after and the significance of our pink wrist bands…I was completely blown away and you would have been so chuffed to have heard it.
Thanks for making your story such an avenue for changing the thinking of my beautiful Grade 8 girls. I now have 64 sisters I can care for at an even deeper level…..Gorgeous!