Sharnie Bartle SISTER2sister Program Interview

Sharnie Bartle SISTER2sister Program Interview

The SISTER2sister program takes in up to 50 at risk teenage girls per year per program along with their respective Big Sister mentors. Each of the girls in our program is assigned a Big Sister mentor as a positive female role model to provide support, guidance and advice, where needed, throughout the 12 month program.

The Big Sister mentors attend a comprehensive three day training course prior to being "matched" to their Little Sister. The course is designed to equip the Big Sister mentors with requisite skills and information that will ensure they can handle the various issues which may arise. The course also includes information on their legal obligations relating to their duty of care responsibilities, the health and welfare issues of the girls, and additional avenues of appropriate community support that may be necessary in certain circumstances.

The program commences with the four day Butterfly Bootcamp, where the Little Sisters meet their Big Sister mentors for the first time and together attend various team building workshops that enable them to bond and set a foundation for their mentoring relationship for the months to follow. There are seminars on risk management and independent survival skills that provide various tools and strategies for coping and working through the challenging circumstances they have encountered, may encounter during the year and for life in general. The workshops are designed to teach the girls to empower themselves, develop their self esteem, boost their confidence and encourage them to work together towards goals. Also included are some unique "life changing experiences" all of which make the Butterfly Bootcamp a rewarding and memorable experience.

Once the Butterfly Bootcamp has concluded, the program continues with monthly outings. These outings are held for the entire group of Little Sisters and Big Sister mentors within the program, and they include an educational workshop component which deals with risk or life management issues together with a fun, motivational component which includes activities such as painting with an artist, learning to surf, trapezing or cooking classes!

Little Sisters and Big Sister mentors also have the opportunity to meet on a one on one basis should they choose to do so, in line with the Foundation's policy.

At the end of each annual SISTER2sister program, the girls have been equipped with the knowledge and skills to help them break the cycle of trauma and/or abuse. Through a comprehensive evaluation we have been able to assess that many of the girls who have gone through the mentoring program develop an increased confidence in themselves and their abilities to have greater control over their lives and futures.

Interview with Sharnie Bartle

Question: Who told you about the SISTER2sister program and why did you think it was important that you get involved?

Sharnie Bartle: My counsellor at my first high school told me about the program. I thought it was important for me to get involved because of the way she explained to me the benefits of it like building my self-esteem and my self-confidence and I was going to have a lot of supportive people around me which I needed at the time.


Question: Can you tell us about your childhood?

Sharnie Bartle: I pretty much was raised by my mum. So I turned out to be a very big mummy's girl. I had to stay with my grandparents a lot though so mum could work and earn an income to support her and myself.

My biological dad was only in the picture for the first few months of my life, but after my mum left him, I didn't have any contact whatsoever with him until I was 14. I only met him once about 2 years ago and I've probably only spoken to him three times if that since then.


Question: How did you feel after your first Butterfly Bootcamp?

Sharnie Bartle: I felt really amazing after boot camp. I thought my mind was in a whole different mindset and I could have taken on the world.


Question: Did participating in the program help with your childhood depression?

Sharnie Bartle: It did help me with my depression, but I've still been in and out of it since the age of 14.


Question: What do you remember fondly about the program?

Sharnie Bartle: The activities at our outings were amazing and the lectures we had couldn't of helped any better. Each month we learnt a new life skill and I learnt new things about myself.


Question: What did you learn from participating in the program?

Sharnie Bartle: I learnt that even though you may feel alone, you're always going to have the support from the Life Changing Experience team.

I learnt to fully believe in myself, that I can achieve my goals.


Question: Do you still see your Big Sister?
Sharnie Bartle: Yes I do still speak to my big sister. I use to go stay with her in the school holidays which was always great.

She's moved back to New Zealand though, so we don't speak as much as what we use to.


Question: What has changed since you participated in the program?

Sharnie Bartle: My whole life has changed since I graduated from Sister2Sister.


Question: Do you still use advice you were taught in the program, now?

Sharnie Bartle: From time to time, I need to look back into my folder and to jog my memory. But I always try my best to use their advice because obviously it was the best advice I've been given...


Question: What's next for you?

Sharnie Bartle: I graduated the Sister2Sister program in 2007 and I was in year 9. Since then I completed my school certificate, I graduated and got my HSC in 2010.

2011 I was working as a trainee in a child care while studying for my Certificate 3 in children's services. In 2011 I also fell pregnant so my traineeship got cut short to 10 months instead of a year but I did complete my course so I have obtained my cert 3.

2012 I became a mummy to a beautiful baby girl. Since then my life has revolved around looking after her. And at the moment I'm currently pregnant again, with identical twin girls who are due roughly in September.


Interview by Brooke Hunter