The Champions Programme was our foundational initiative on the ground, directly shaping Heartshine’s current strategic focus. By training young adults as trauma-informed facilitators, we combined rigorous personal and professional development with hands-on community impact. These Champions worked directly with children in regular sessions at the Amy Foundation and Zip Zap Circus, using creative, body-based approaches to cultivate emotional well-being, self-expression, and nervous system regulation.
Through practical training, retreats, nature-based learning, and cultural experiences, Champions gained the skills to create safe, supportive spaces where vulnerable children could build lasting resilience.
While training varied between cohorts, the comprehensive curriculum included:
● Somatic & Trauma-Informed Facilitation: Nervous system regulation, child-centered emotional well-being, mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, movement, Brain Gym, and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).
● Creative Arts & Expression: Art-based and emotion-led creative facilitation, music, singing, chanting, and experiential arts-and-culture learning.
● Professional & Digital Excellence: Project management, critical thinking, professional communication, public speaking, personal branding, Microsoft 365, and mobile journalism.
● Life Readiness & Leadership: Career preparation, CV development, financial literacy, team building, social justice, creative mentorship, and personal resilience.
