Ruby Riethmuller grew up on a farm outside Wagga Wagga and like many country students, the path to opportunity eventually led her to boarding school.
In this episode of Letters from Home, Ruby reflects on those years and how they helped shape the person she would become. From discovering new passions and leadership opportunities to building the confidence to step outside her comfort zone, boarding school played a powerful role in opening doors she never knew existed.
But it was years later, in conversations with friends about the pressures and struggles they had faced as teenagers, that Ruby realised something important – so many young people were carrying the same worries but felt unable to speak about them.
That realisation led her to start Womn-Kind, an organisation supporting girls and gender diverse young people through school workshops, mentoring and a growing digital community. Today Womn-Kind has supported more than 35,000 young people across Australia, with more than 65 percent of their work delivered in regional, rural and remote communities.
In this conversation Ruby shares her boarding story, the inspiration behind Womn-Kind and the powerful role schools and communities can play in helping young people feel seen, supported and confident in who they are.
If you are an educator, school leader or parent who would like to bring Womn-Kind workshops into your school community, you can find Ruby’s contact details and website below.
You might also enjoy listening to our episodes in “Nailing Homesickness”, where students share their own experiences of navigating the emotional side of boarding school life.
Womn-Kind :
Phone: +61 402 345 484
Email: ruby@womn-kind.com.au
Website: www.womn-kind.com.au
