Project SKIP strengthens the wellbeing, resilience and life skills of young people by developing the trusted adults who influence them every day.
Founded in regional NSW in response to the wellbeing challenges young people have faced since COVID-19, Project SKIP recognised that the greatest opportunity for lasting impact lies in equipping the adults who already have trusted relationships with young people: dance teachers, and increasingly, educators.
Our model is intentionally intergenerational. We train dance teachers and educators first, strengthening their own self-awareness, communication and emotional skills. They then intentionally model these behaviours and use our structured, age-appropriate activities to develop the same skills in their students. Young people don’t just learn about resilience, empathy and emotional regulation, they experience it consistently through relationships with adults they already know and trust. Those young people are then better equipped to become the next generation of leaders, teachers, coaches and mentors in their own communities.
We chose the dance industry because dance teachers occupy a unique position, often knowing a child for a decade or more, spending hundreds of hours with them each year. In regional communities especially, a dance teacher becomes far more than an instructor, they become a trusted mentor and consistent adult influence outside the family.
Developed in consultation with a registered psychologist, Project SKIP equips these trusted adults with practical, evidence-informed tools they can confidently embed into weekly classes, exam and performance preparation and workshops.
We intentionally transfer knowledge, skills and values from one generation to the next through relationships that already exist and are already trusted, creating a compounding cycle of stronger mentors and more resilient young people across regional Australia.
Project SKIP is building community capability by developing the adults who have the greatest influence on young people. The program equips dance teachers with practical, evidence-informed tools they use every week within existing dance classes. This means the benefits extend well beyond individual participants, becoming embedded within studios, relationships and regional communities.
Since launching, Project SKIP has:
- Partnered with 28 dance studios, including 24 regional studios across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
- Trained more than 110 dance teachers and studio owners, who now have greater confidence to intentionally foster resilience, confidence, communication and belonging in the young people they teach.
- Reached over 6,000 dancers during 2026, creating safer, more connected studio environments where wellbeing is modelled through everyday interactions.
- Partnered with a national dance competition delivering approximately 30 regional competitions each year, extending Project SKIP's reach through trained faculty who facilitate wellbeing activities for thousands of young performers.
- Presented to more than 300 studio owners at the READY SET DANCE Conference, with approximately 75% of attendees representing regional communities, significantly increasing the capability of trusted adults working with young people across Australia.
- Been awarded the Medical, Allied Health and Fitness Business of the Year in 2023 Snowy Monaro Business Awards.
Recognising the broader potential of the model, Project SKIP has begun expanding into regional schools. The program currently operates in three Snowy Monaro schools, where more than 60 teachers have been trained and approximately 1,700 students have participated through curriculum-aligned delivery. Project SKIP is changing the way adults and young people relate to one another. Teachers are becoming more confident mentors. Studio cultures are becoming more inclusive and connected. Young people are learning practical skills that help them navigate challenge, build healthy relationships and contribute positively to their communities. By intentionally transferring knowledge, behaviours and values from one generation to the next, Project SKIP is creating a sustainable model of intergenerational connection that continues to strengthen regional communities long after the initial training has been delivered.