Now Is the Moment:
The Shona Project’s 2025–2028 Strategy for Ireland’s Girls
Across Ireland, girls are growing up in a world that can feel heavier than ever. Between the pressures of social media, rising misogyny, and increasing mental health struggles, too many teenage girls are quietly asking the same question: “Am I enough?”
Our work has always been rooted in the simple belief that when a girl feels seen, heard, and supported, she doesn’t just survive; she thrives.
Our new three-year strategy is all about making sure every girl in Ireland knows it too.
A Generation At A Crossroads
But today, many teenage girls are facing a perfect storm of pressure. Our national research, The Perfect Storm, showed that:
80% of girls believe their generation faces more challenges than those before them.
68% say social media negatively impacts their mental health.
70% feel they need more support to talk about difficult feelings.
The message is clear: the time to act is now.
Our Ambition for 2025 - 2028
Over the next three years, The Shona Project will expand its reach, deepen its impact, and ensure that every teenage girl feels safe, strong, and seen.
By 2028, we aim to engage 90% of Ireland’s teenage girls through our programmes, online community, and national events like Shine Festival. We’ll continue to build spaces where girls can connect, learn, and lead, while amplifying their voices in the places where decisions are made.
To make that happen, we’re guided by four strategic pillars:
Education: Giving girls the knowledge and skills to build confidence, resilience, and self-worth.
Community: Creating safe spaces, both online and offline, where girls can connect and belong.
Advocacy: Making sure girls’ voices shape the systems and policies that affect their lives.
Impact: Measuring, learning, and adapting to create meaningful, lasting change.
A Movement, Not Just an Organisation
Since 2016, The Shona Project has reached over 40,000 students through school workshops, welcomed 75,000 girls to Shine Festival and Shine Online, and distributed 165,000 free Shona Handbooks to first-year students. We’ve built a national community of teachers, parents, and young leaders who believe in the same thing we do, that girls deserve more.
But we’re just getting started.
Our goal is to raise €3.5 million over the next three years to fund new programmes, expand into hard-to-reach areas, and build Ireland’s first longitudinal study on the lives of teenage girls.
This isn’t just about funding. It’s about joining a movement to build a kinder, more equal Ireland, for every girl, and for the benefit of all.
Join Us!
Whether you’re a business leader, a parent, a teacher, or a believer in a fairer future, there’s a place for you in this story.
You can partner with us, donate, mentor, or simply help us spread the word. Every voice, every contribution, and every act of kindness brings us closer to our vision:
A world where every girl wakes up believing she matters.