Press releases.

Dove Self Esteem Fund Launches Educational Schools Program

As part of its “Campaign for Real Beauty” in 2006, beauty brand Dove has launched the Dove Self Esteem Fund, a global initiative designed to make a direct difference to the lives of at least one million young people by the end of 2008 by helping them grow up with a stronger sense of self-esteem.

The first step towards reaching this goal in Australia is the rollout of an educational program for schools in Victoria. The program, entitled BodyThink, is a collaboration between the Dove Self Esteem Fund, The Victorian Government and The Butterfly Foundation, which supports sufferers of eating disorders and their carers.

BodyThink will address Self Esteem issues in school age (11- 14 yrs) children with a specially created workshop to help these children put the beauty world in perspective so that they can grow up with an informed, balanced viewpoint.

Following the Bracks Government's parliamentary inquiry into body image last year, the first of its kind in Australia, the results immediately led to the allocation of $A40,000 to fund the implementation of BodyThink along with a $A50,000 initial contribution from the Dove Self Esteem Fund. It is hoped that the program's success will provide a blue-print for national expansion over the next few years.

An interactive learning workshop, BodyThink will be rolled out in Victorian schools over the next year via a series of teacher seminars across the states to empower teachers and adult mentors to implement BodyThink to their own students.

“This is a really important and exciting initiative,” explains Claire Vickery, Founder and CEO of The Butterfly Foundation. “Last year's Parliamentary Enquiry clearly revealed the urgent need for prevention programs though schools and community groups. With one in five young people developing an eating disorder, this is already one of the key health issues for young people in our society. The waste of human potential as a result of these underlying feelings of low self-worth is just tragic. There is nothing like BodyThink currently in existence in Australia so it is long overdue and the potential for it to make a difference is enormous.”

Candice George, Group Brand Manager, Dove Australia said, “Dove believes that to make a real difference, we must take action and contribute in ways that will help children celebrate their individual beauty. We are delighted to be working with both the Victorian Government and Philanthropic organisations to reach out to help put the beauty world in perspective so children can grow up with a more informed, balanced viewpoint.”

As the Dove Self Esteem Fund matures, supplemented by fundraising initiatives from product promotions and marketing programs, the Fund will also expand its program of contributions to support other Eating Disorder organizations and broaden the scope of its educational outreach activities.

Notes

• The BodyThink workshop materials include facilitation notes, surprising facts, activity cards and a DVD that investigates the trickery used to create 'perfect' images. The DVD has been filmed by one of the world's top fashion photographers, Ian Rankin
• This internationally-acclaimed educational program was first created as BodyTalk by the Eating Disorder Association UK, with funding and support from Dove (Unilever UK), under advisement from international experts Dr Susie Orbach (London School of Economics) and Dr Nancy Etcoff (Harvard). Here in Australia, the program has been re-named BodyThink and adapted for Australian in conjunction with The Butterfly Foundation.
  ¹Dr Susie Orbach (Psychotherapist, London School of Economics and author of Fat is a Feminist Issue)

- For further information and involving your school in the BodyThink program, please contact The Butterfly Foundation.

- For more information on body health, visit the Victorian Government's
Go For Your Life website. Click on Healthy Eating for practical information on body image and click also on Dietary Advice for practical information on fad diets.

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