The Amazing Story of Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou has had a profound effect on so many of us. Her poems, songs, books and speeches have lifted the hearts and minds of so many. Oprah herself considered Maya to be a mentor and called her “Mother”. Before Angelou passed away in 2014 aged 86, she told Oprah the amazing story of how

Read More

3 Reasons You Should Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

The comfort zone is a lovely, toasty, snuggly place. Why would anyone ever want to leave? We love to know what’s what and who’s who. Why try new things when you know exactly what you like and what you don’t like, ammirite? Because, stepping outside of the comfort zone is the key to identifying your

Read More

Is It Time To Break Up With Your BFF?

Whether you met in playschool, or connected on the first day of first year, you’ve felt this connection with your bff that you have had with no one else. You’ve had so many sleepovers your parents haven’t seen you apart in years, cried together when BTS went on hiatus and watched every episode of Riverdale,

Read More

We Won The European Citizen’s Prize

This is the kind of news we like to see! We are thrilled to win the prestigious European Citizen’s Prize and incredibly grateful to @graceforeurope and @macmanus_sinnfein_sligo for the recognition 👏 The Shona Project is more than a nonprofit organisation, it is a movement for change where every girl in Ireland has a part to play in creating a

Read More

Relationships. Why Are They Important And How Can We Improve Them?

Relationships, we’re all in them. Whether it’s a romantic relationship, a friendship, a platonic relationship, or a kinship, relationships are something we will always have to deal with in life. And because of this, it’s important that we do our best to ensure that  we work to improve the relationships that we cherish through boundaries

Read More

Gaslighting explained

Gaslighting is a type of abusive behaviour where a person uses subtle and not-so subtle mind control techniques to make another doubt their own reality and feel that they cannot trust their own perceptions. It takes its name from a 1938 play (and its film adaptations) called Gaslight, where a charming husband slowly makes his new

Read More

Coming out for Beginners, by a Beginner

Dear Little Questioning Beauty on the Other End of the Internet, So, it seems you may have stumbled on this post looking for answers and tips on how to come out, how to be queer out loud-we’ll get to that. There is no doubt that the next few years of your life will see you

Read More

Shona Meets- Lara Fitzsimons

The team at Shona HQ first met Lara back in 2021 when she was just 17 years old! Lara shared a conversation with one of our Shona Ambassadors, where they spoke about their coming out experiences, how important it is to own your individuality, find your community, and to just be you with. This conversation

Read More

Things I Wish You Knew About Me, An Autistic Girl

 Disclaimer: This article is based on personal experiences. I speak only about my own experiences, the experiences of others may differ.  I have always been different. Different enough that it was noticeable, but not so different that people felt bad about treating me poorly. While most teenagers and young adults have trouble with relationships, school,

Read More

The Many Terms of Sexuality and Gender

We’re generally not into labels because everyone is different and unique. We shouldn’t need to find a box that we fit neatly inside so that everyone knows and understands us. As a society we’re changing rapidly, trying to find new ways to respect and protect each other. And that’s a good thing. When it comes

Read More

How To Stay Calm Under Pressure

Steph Golds is a valued member of the Shona team, a counselling psychotherapist, who has spent countless hours working with young girls. We asked for her advice on staying calm when the world keeps spinning… There is a lot of scary or stressful information swirling around out there at the moment. It can be easy

Read More

Even When It All Gets Too Much, Please Stay.

Steph, our wonderfully talented Psychotherapy and valued Shona team member, has something a little different for everyone this week. It’s a tough one, so mind yourself while reading it. But sometimes important messages are tough to hear. It’s not her typical Ask Steph piece. This is especially for when it all gets too much. She’s written

Read More

Why You Should Adopt Body Neutrality This Summer

Body, body, body. What comes to mind when you read that word? Perhaps sports,  health, doctors, or perhaps something far more likely: weight. Why? Diet culture. That”s why. The best way I can describe diet culture is this: it seeps. Snapchat ads of bellies flattening, bottoms rounding, hips thinning, and thighs narrowing. TikTok videos encourage

Read More
breasts

Why Do My Breasts Get Sore Just Before A Period?

People who menstruate really are true champs. We deal with everything from leaking to severe back pain, all while participating in everyday life like it’s nothing. How do we do it every month? With menstruating, there are often the normal conversations about back pain and= stomach pain. One thing that not everyone talks about however is

Read More

Joanna’s 7 Hacks To Reduce Exam Stress

Last week, we called on Caitriona to give us her go-to study tips and this week, we’ve once again called on our Jambos for some assistance. Joanna, again who is just like you and is sitting secondary school exams, has a few hacks up her sleeve for when exam stress gets a little too much. 

Read More

Study Like A Pro With These 7 Tips – By Caitriona

Do you see that? Just over there. Yep, that’s summer!! It’s so close that we can almost smell the suncream and Lays crisps. Buuuuut, there is just one more obstacle in the way. Summer exams, the JC or the LC. We know you’re tired, and we know you are overwhelmed, but we are here to

Read More

The Ultimate Guide To Meditation

So, is it just us, or is the go-to solution that is at the tip of everyone’s tongue when you say you are stressed is, “Have you tried meditation?”. That then is often followed by an eye roll, a scoff, or a combination of both by the stressed person. Don’t lie, we know that’s how

Read More

Three Reasons Why You Should Make Your Bed Everyday!

Hey – make your bed! One small but mighty thing you can do every single day that can transform your life is to make your bed every morning. Sure, there are loads of excuses not to: I’d rather just have the extra five minutes in bed. It’ll just be unmade again later when I get

Read More

Supported By

Our Pro bono Partners