Welcome to the Skin Deep Project!
HI!! *waves*
My name is Lauren Moss, and I thought it was about time we introduced the Skin Deep Project to the interwebs outside of social networks. I lead the project, which has an amazing crew of fabulous, young Territorians behind it.
The Skin Deep Project started in 2010 as a community based project on the Youth Minister’s Round Table of Young Territorians with a team of three. We helped distribute Mission Australia’s Annual Survey of Young Australians that year, and I was quite surprised at some of the discussions that ensued with my peers; ones where embarrasment was expressed about putting ‘body image’ as their number one concern. Body image is one of those things. Positive or negative, it effects us all and we shouldn’t be embarrassed about it. We also had experiences amongst our peer circles with eating disorders and so the project was born. In 2010 we made recommendations to the Northern Territory Government. In 2011, with a team of two, we made some of them come true on our own – that September we held a community forum with headspace Top End, and began to co-facilitate a community network that continues today. Again, we continued to make recommendations and advocate on these issues.
Today we have five team members from diverse backgrounds. Through this site (soon to be a developed website, watch this space), our Facebook and Twitter, we hope to create a space where young people can challenge the ideals often thrust upon them and where we can create a confidence in the beauty of diversity and individuality.
So to kick off…why the Skin Deep Project for me? Because our bodies are not something to be embarrassed about. Because I’ve been there, done that and at times, it was not a nice place to be. Because I want us to celebrate what makes us different.
Because I don’t fit into a mould. And more importantly…because I no longer want to.
Here’s to more happy, healthy and confident young people.
If you need to speak to someone in relation to body image or eating disorders, you can contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 (Mon – Fri 9 – 5pm).
The Skin Deep Project 
Thanks Lauren for making a few great points about body image 🙂
I’d like to add a few more important points that people should know .
It is very important to feel comfortable in your own skin. If you want to make a change then make it out of your own will. Be confident and not afraid of what is out there in life.
There are people out there who like you for you. They will appreciate the lifestyle choices that you make for yourself. It is not worth the effort to try and appease those who go out of their way to denigrate you so cruelly for not fitting the choices they think is best in life.
People are different and in many instances are unable to fit the mould. Some people out there should understand that and they should strive to become more positive about things in life 🙂
Thanks for your contribution Crane, and please keep checking in for more articles and opportunities to have input. You make absolutely important and wonderful points. We spend a lot of time half listening as adults tell us to appreciate ourselves because we’ll one day realise how much time we wasted worrying about things we can’t control, and/or are beautiful about us. I reached that point some time ago and it was liberating! That’s not to say either that it means feeling shit about yourself occassionally won’t happen; it’s still a normal part of life. But hanging up some of the hang ups is awesome.
Would love to contact you Lauren as you might be intersted in a project i’m working on.
Can’t find your contact details though.
Hi, our email is skindeepproject@gmail.com
Hi Desitinationssomeplaceelse – you can contact us on skindeepproject@gmail.com