Alison Colville of Little Life Warriors Play Therapy is now the proud licensee of the StandingStrong Resilience Program in Bundaberg.
A registered play therapist with over 30 years of experience working with children, Alison is deeply committed to supporting children’s and youth’s mental health.
This evidence-based wellness program provides fun, uplifting sessions that help kids build confidence, resilience and emotional well-being, giving them the tools to thrive.
Little Life Warriors invites local children to experience the program through free “Come & Try” days.
Program highlights:
• Free “Come and Try” days for children aged 5–13, offering families a chance to sample the program’s benefits firsthand .
• Expressions of interest for teens 14–17 (Strong Teens) and Pre-prep 4-5years are now open, extending this resilience-building opportunity to older youth .
• Programs starting at just $22 per week, providing an affordable early start to learning resilience and life skills.
Alison encourages community involvement every step of the way, believing that together we can make a positive difference in the lives of Bundaberg’s young people.
By engaging families and children of all ages, this initiative is building a stronger, more resilient community for years to come.
Health and wellness club to support youth
Today more than ever, parents are searching for ways to support the physical and mental health needs of their children.
The concerns of parents are supported by the results found in the latest Mission Australia Youth Survey which showed mental health to be the most important issue young people are facing.
The study of over 25,000 children showed stress, school and study problems, mental health and body image to be the top four personal concerns for children in Australia (Mission Australia Youth Survey Report 2019).
These alarming health issues are being tackled head on by Standing Strong, the nations first health and wellness club dedicated to supporting the physical and mental health and wellbeing needs of children.
After launching their first programs in 2013, Standing Strong is committed to supporting children and families and is now coming to Bundaberg.
Standing Strong provides evidence based programs designed to support and empower children to build confidence, self esteem, resilience and connection through holistic and preventative approaches to health and wellbeing.
The programs have been developed utilising three core components of Strong Body- Movement, Strong Mind- Mindset and Strong Heart- Mindfulness.
Kim Marie Smith, child wellness expert and founder of Standing Strong, wanted to create a place where children could go to feel supported, uplifted and strengthened.
“My goal when creating Standing Strong was to provide a space were children and teens could go to explore the challenges they were facing without judgement, fear or comparison,” she said.
“I wanted to offer parents a place where their children and teens could go to share their thoughts and feelings, build positive relationships with peers and be motivated by inspiring mentors and role models.
“At Standing Strong we help children with challenges include anxiety, low confidence and self esteem, depression, bullying, loneliness, self doubt, friendships challenges, family breakdown, social isolation, stress and much more.
“The programs are ongoing, encouraging a community of support, connection and belonging for both children and parents.”
According to psychologist, Dr Vanessa Thiele, children who feel unsupported through their teenage years are more likely to struggle academically and are far more likely to display behavioural problems, such as acting out, lying, fighting and bullying.
“Standing Strong counteracts this trend by creating an environment in which young people can feel supported and speak without feeling judged,” Dr Thiele said.
“The long-term benefits of a club offering these services to children will be immeasurably positive.”
Given that many young people affected by depression are unlikely to seek help, Standing Strong is a clever way to address these feelings and emotions without children feeling stigmatised.
For more information about the Standing Strong Programs please visit here.
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