Image consultant Julie Rollinson is about to give teenage girls across the Illawarra a confidence boost.
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Mrs Rollinson, of Drab2Fab, is rolling out her Savvy Girls Success Program to give young women tips on dressing to achieve success in their lives beyond school, and empower them to reach their potential.
The three-week course uses practical strategies and demonstrations and will be held over three Thursday nights starting on May 15.
She encouraged any schools, parents or students to find out more by emailing her at julie@drab2fab.com.au, where they could also register for the course at Stockland Shellharbour.
Mrs Rollinson said with growing concerns about social media harassment, bullying in schools, low self-esteem and body image, the new initiative was all about helping young women.
"The Savvy Girls Success Program is designed to inspire and empower teenage girls to reach their highest potential," she said.
Mrs Rollinson is an image consultant and personal stylist but has also invited four presenters to give their time to speak to teenagers.
"The program was designed by myself in conjunction with an image consultant from the Gold Coast who has a teenage daughter," she said.
"I asked Jennifer Long to help out with the course and present the confidence, self-esteem and goal-setting module as she works as a transformation coach. Plus it is always helpful with an intensive program such as this to have another person to assist in the delivery and the promotion and help evaluate outcomes."
Mrs Rollinson said she was launching in the Illawarra first but was also planning to roll it out to Sutherland and other locations.
"The program covers everything that every teenage girl needs to know."
In recent weeks Mrs Rollinson and Mrs Long have visited high schools in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands to promote the program to school executives and students.
Mrs Rollinson said she was already buoyed by the support of businesses and business leaders such as Maralyn Young, of Casa Mia, who would be talking to the girls about breast care and the importance of wearing a correctly fitted bra.
"The program not only brings together our business community but the girls will get the best professional advice and most appropriate up-to-date information on a whole range of topics that every teenage girl needs to know," she said.
"The full program, which takes three days to complete, is full of relevant information and hands-on practical learning strategies designed to build self-confidence and empower young girls to develop their own sense of style and experience success while at school, upon entering the workforce or when continuing their education."
Careers adviser and Vocational Education and Training (VET) head teacher Cheryl Burling, of Albion Park High School, said she was interested in using the program to help specific students and to more generally teach job-seeking skills.
"And it is a great opportunity to have links with industry, which we really need as a school ... so students can get the information they need. We look at it as opening our doors to people with expertise."