Ali’s Secret :    a story about courage and disclosure

Hi! My name is Rob Turner and my mission is to place a copy of Ali’s Secret into the hands of 500 counsellors, chaplains, guidance officers, parents etc. as well as 500 copies into school libraries across Australia, before 12/12/2020. 

Ali's Secret is a children's picture book. It’s a dramatic and engaging story that will encourage young readers to overcome their deepest fears.

SYNOPSIS:

Ali is a happy little camel who loves to play with her friends in outback Queensland but a yucky secret makes her sad.

If Ali breaks her secret, there will be trouble but if she doesn’t, she may lose all that she loves.

Her friends don’t know how to help but they hope that Brolga will.

Brolga gives Ali courage to overcome the three big barriers to disclosure and makes sure she is safe.

This gives Ali a new goal and a new hope.

WHY THIS BOOK?

The statistics regarding child sexual abuse (CSA) are horrendous but there is HOPE. There is a ground swell of momentum to break the silence and turn the tide.

The average delay to disclosure of CSA is currently 24 years. I want to reduce this to two years so that victims are empowered to start a journey of healing as soon as possible. More than 15% of our school students are victims of CSA.  For girls, it is around one in five. How many victims are in your school? Each one of these victims could start on a new path if they are empowered to disclose.

Ali’s Secret is a great resource for parents, carers, chaplains and counsellors; to open discussion, empower resilience and take steps toward safety and healing (while keeping innocent children unscathed by the subject). It is suitable for reading to mixed primary school groups.

Ali’s Secret is spectacularly illustrated by Brett Cardwell from Cardytoons.com.au

WHY NOW?

My goal is to deliver 1,000 copies of this book to where it is deperately needed, before 12/12/2020. You can be part of this Great Big Hairy Audacious Goal by pledging to buy one copy (or many) for your nearest school. You could also buy copies for yourself, friends, organisations; it’s entirely your choice.

Ali’s Secret will soon be available at Alis-Secret.com but right now, I need to raise an extra $5,000 to print the first run of 1,000 books.

The books will be printed in September and delivered in October 2019.

HOW TO PLEDGE:

Don’t pay anything up front, you only pay at the end of the crowd funding campaign which is 24/08/19. Simply select one of the five options that best suits you and follow the instructions from there.

Please nominate which school/s you are sponsoring so we can track our progress. I could post them directly to the school/s or you could deliver each one, personally.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Imagine children right across the country being empowered to disclose rather than suffer in silence. Imagine a tsunami of disclosures sending a shockwave though our communities; turning the tide toward safety, courage and freedom.

You can make a difference in your community. Together, we can make a difference Australia wide.

Please pledge today and share this vision on social media

Thanks heaps for getting on board. It’s greatly appreciated.

Rob

#Dday

WHAT DOES THE PSYCHOLOGIST SAY?

"Disclosing sexual abuse is often the first step taken towards healing – but it can also be the scariest. This book highlights the power and impact one caring adult can make in the life of a child who is holding a yucky secret. Healing from sexual abuse happens in many ways, and some of the most important resources a person can have are caring and supportive others who believe in them and their story. Responding to a disclosure with belief and care is a powerful gift we can all give to someone who has mustered great courage to share their truth.

Ali’s Secret is an engaging tale of courage, friendship, and the healing power of disclosures, told in a gentle way that leaves just enough unsaid so as to make it accessible for all readers"

Sheryle Vilenica PhD
Psychologist

100% of the funds raised (up to $9,000) will go towards the cost of illustrating, publishing, printing and delivering these books.

Funds raised above $9,000 (which is the full cost of creating 1,000 copies) will go toward creating a targeted resilience/ disclosure program for primary schools.

If you simply want to help with the production costs of Ali's Secret, then please chose option 1: Difference Maker, and then pledge as much as you want to this project.