International Women's Day: 2020 Regional NSW Women of the Year, Mrs Barbara Cowley

Past Regional NSW Woman of the Year winner and St Philip's Christian College Cessnock Wellbeing Team Member, Mrs Barbara Cowley, is a woman that supports women, and is someone that we are incredibly blessed to have on staff. Barb is motivated to help girls understand their value in order to realise their full potential.

Today, Barb will have the honour of attending the International Women's Day Breakfast and Award Ceremony in Sydney to recognise the achievements of women in Australia. Barb was recognised as Regional NSW Woman of the Year for her role in implementing the Shine program — through her Shine Walk (180 kilometres) fundraisers, Barb was able to raise over $47,000 to implement the Shine program in schools, community groups and churches. Through her amazing efforts and determination, she has been able to run this program for over eight years.

Shine is a life-changing mentor program for girls and women that aims for each person to develop an understanding of her own personal worth, strength and purpose and to release the potential within her to fulfil her dreams. Shine's foundational concepts: worth, strength and purpose are taught with an inspirational, practical and exponential approach with a focus on relating to both the individual and specific group's needs. The program aids to teach girls a foundation of love for themselves and equip them with tools to build upon this foundation throughout their lives.

Barb's heart is that every woman would have the realisation that what they've gone through in life does not change their worth or their value; that true worth comes from within. Barb used the analogy of a $50 note, no matter how many times it's trodden on or scrunched, it's worth remains the same. What a beautiful teaching of resilience and worth!

Next week, St Philip's Christian College Cessnock will be launching Shine to our Year 8 girls. Shine facilitators, like Barb, endeavour to create a safe environment for girls to feel comfortable and supported throughout the program. Barb cannot wait to share practical ways to help young women to reset their self-talk — so that they know they are unique, that they are enough and that they do not need to fall into the trap of comparison.

We cannot wait to hear and share with you the positive testimonies from Shine this year.