Local Business Woman Helps Young People Shift the Pressure

Dorset based business woman and life coach Lara Williams, is celebrating the first birthday of her personal development programme, Shift.

Lara has worked with youth for 15 years, and created the Shift programme out of her concern for the pressure young people face in today's society. It was originally created for teenage girls, however, due to its success with mixed groups, it has evolved into a programme for all young people.

Lara says "Young people today are under an enormous amount of pressure. They feel pressure to achieve perfection in their education and in their appearance. For those who don't measure up, the future can appear bleak, with so many striving to be someone they are not and behaving inappropriately".

Shift takes young people through a series of six shifts, which involve them clarifying who they really are and recognising the barriers which are preventing them from achieving their real potential. It is a journey of self-discovery, helping young people to think differently about their lives and to start believing that they can have a positive and fulfilling future.

The Shift concept evolved from Lara's love of kaleidoscopes and one of her favourites quotes; "Life is like an ever shifting kaleidoscope: A slight change and all patterns alter" Sharon Salzberg.

Last September, Lara piloted the Shift programme with a small group of teenage 'mum's to be'. Since then it has been delivered to various groups, including young parents and trainee mechanics, as well as to several young people on a one to one basis.

Lara says "The feedback I have received over the last 12 months has been extremely encouraging. I am now in the process of getting the programme accredited with a national awarding body, which will mean those who undergo Shift will receive a formal qualification. I am so excited about the future of the programme and intend to help as many young people as I can over the next 12 months".