Loreto Launchpad The Glow Project

Two alumni friends join together to create The Glow Project - a program offering inclusion services to young females with disabilities. The aim is to provide a safe and welcoming space for all participants to grow their confidence and to learn and develop life skills, all whilst making genuine connections and friendships.

Who are the faces behind the Glow Project?

We (Meg and Molly) created The Glow Project with a shared goal of providing young females with disabilities an opportunity for fun and friendships, and to discover a place of belonging.

We both graduated Loreto College in 2016, and went onto complete further studies, whilst also working in the disability industry. Meg completed her Bachelor of Psychological Science and Molly worked as a Registered Nurse in the Oncology ward for over 3 years.

We were lucky enough to have Brooke Harwood join our team since commencing The Glow Project. Brooke also graduated from Loreto College in 2016, and went on to work at the Ballarat Specialist School for over 5 years. Brooke’s experience and bubbly personality has been the perfect addition to our team.

Where did the idea to start the Glow Project come from?

We were lucky enough to have the help and guidance from the boys at Project Growth, which is a like for like program tailored for young men within the Ballarat community. We were highly motivated and inspired by their success and the way in which they were able to provide a sense purpose for young males.

We were out for dinner and came across a photo from the Project Growth Instagram page. We began talking about how inspiring their program was and how happy the participants were, we then pitched the idea to each other that “we should start one for the girls”. From there, the idea was stuck in our minds and after a few back and forward text messages, we then reached out to the boys who were so supportive and excited to help us in this journey.

Why are you passionate about supporting females through your work?

As young females ourselves, we know how vital it is to create meaningful relationships and to develop a sense of belonging, and the positive impact that these things can have on our self-esteem and mental wellbeing. We are determined to support females to live a fulfilled life, whilst also have fun and trying new things. We also aspire to provide a safe space to help our participants achieve their goals and increase their confidence, as we know these go hand in hand. We are passionate about allowing young women to ‘glow’ and become the best version of themselves.

What does a typical day at The Glow Project look like?

We begin each morning by picking up our participants in The Glow Project mini bus. The Glow Project runs out of a home base located in Nerrina, Ballarat. We continue our day by encouraging participants to socialise and interact with one another, whilst also having shared access to electronics, games, books, arts and crafts, puzzles, and much more. Each day includes a planned activity that is tailored to the hobbies and interests of the participants. Activities include cooking and baking, arts and crafts, and contributing to meaningful and ongoing projects such as planting, growing and caring for their own plant.

The Glow Project program also includes regular access to the community, as we believe it is important for our girls to be active and experience life outside of the home base. Whilst regularly utilising venues within Ballarat, we also incorporate regular trips to Melbourne, Geelong, and other cities to keep the program exciting and unique.

Our hope for The Glow Project is that our tailored activities and social events will facilitate opportunities for socialising, teamwork, fun and creativity.

What kind of positive outcomes are you seeing?

We have been lucky enough to see some amazing friendships form within the program, which have also continued into the girls’ personal lives. We have seen so many of our participants come out of their shells, begin to try new things, socialise and form connections with one another. Many of our participants have begun to make positive changes in their personal lifestyles, such as healthy eating and cooking, exercising regularly, setting a routine and improving their sleep patterns so that they are energised for the program.

What have been some of the best things so far about running the Glow Project?

We have been so fortunate to meet so many amazing young women along this journey. Our favourite moments of The Glow Project so far would be the connections we have made with each participant, as well as our karaoke bus trips and our continuous jokes and laughs with the girls. Overall, the greatest part about The Glow Project is giving young females with disabilities the opportunities they deserve. If we are able to make any small impact on their lives, we have achieved our goal and will continue to work hard to do so.

For more information on The Glow Project, visit theglowproject.com.au