The Shifterverse is expanding…
“Wouldn’t it be awesome if we got to the point where we could employ young women to grow Shift?” — Chloe Forbes, Shift Inspiration Coordination
And so it is…
In January 2017 Olivia will join the Shift Team on a one year apprenticeship. Her role will be to lead a team of young women to create an ‘Empowerment Summit’ for female secondary school students in Wellington and develop and grow the ‘Just Shift it’ programme.
Olivia has just completed Year Thirteen and has had her last year of high school shaped by Shift. She went to the very first Shift Jam not knowing anyone and not really knowing what Shift was all about but instantly felt at home, overwhelmed at how the Shift Team were “creating a really positive and welcoming environment”. She is now involved with the Shift Leaders program which is based on “learning about becoming a leader and becoming more aware of yourself and your wellbeing”.
Olivia was already quite active before joining Shift but her whole perception of physical activity has changed since her involvement. “They [Shift]encourage physical activity and it’s not a chore. I used to think I have to do exercise because my body needs it, but you should do it because you want to, not because you have too”. Shift has helped grow her attitude and feelings towards being active, “The mentality of just being happy and confident in your body no matter what it looks like”. This is an important concept to Olivia as so many women — young and old — struggle with body image and associate exercise as something only the ‘perfect skinny’ people do. Shift has changed those ideas and put excitement into exercise, “The people Shift have connections to like Shut Up and Dance and Yoga Rhapsody are awesome and gave me different alternatives for being active.” Olivia has been able to try new things and do it with people who are supportive and fun. “I’ve always thought about yoga but never actually done it and then I did and it was really fun… Claire from Shut Up and Dance took us for a lesson and it was so fun and it’s just opening different pathways to exercise for me”.
Not only has the physical activity aspect of Shift appealed to Olivia but she’s been learning about things she’s never explored before. “At the Shift Jam we learnt about human centered design and social entrepreneurship, I’d never heard of those things and by the end of the weekend we created prototypes and solved wellbeing issues that were relevant in today’s society.” Olivia has gained an understanding about how important wellbeing is and been able to apply it in her own life, “Wellbeing is being happy with yourself and knowing you’re doing the best to nurture and nourish your body. I hadn’t really thought much about it before Shift. But I thought it was just healthy and exercising but now there’s a whole lot more to it because of the mental side as well.” As a Year Thirteen student Olivia is able to have a bit of perspective over her teenage years and can see how Shift’s work is having an impact “The change that they’re [Shift] making in the wellbeing of young women is really important. Of course they’re encouraging physical activity but it’s also about shifting your mind”. Olivia has been heavily involved in Shift throughout 2016 and can’t wait to begin her ‘Shift apprenticeship’ next month. As part of this Olivia will also be completing a National Certificate in Recreation and Sport.
