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Jo Sheils is an Australian model, MC and speaker who is on the books of the most prestigious model agency in Australia and many prominent ones throughout Europe, and still works full time globally as a fashion model, having spent many seasons modelling in Milan, Italy, Germany and London. With a career spanning two decades in the industry, she has garnered a client list that reads like the Yellow Pages, some of the more prominent ones being - Myers, Westfield, Liz Davenport, Colorado, Sportscraft, George Gross and Harry Who.

Jo is now the proud creator of her own company MINT model & corporate creative. Stepping onto the other side of the desk and pioneering changes within an idustry that she has spent those two decades growing and learning in.

Training at "On Camera Connections" in Sydney under the guidance of industry greats such as Lochie Daddo and Bob Hughes, she found her "presenters wings" and landed a TV presenting gig in Los Angeles airing on various HSN channels.

Years on, Jo found she was continually being asked to train young up and coming models, she finally agreed to take this on and quickly realised the thirst for knowledge and information as well as the desire to learn that these young girls (and guys) had, along with this it became very apparent that whatever she said, was having impact and influence on these young impressionable minds, she resolved to think every sentence she uttered very carefully through, and that she had much more responsibility on her hands than just teaching students to walk and talk, that she had the ability to guide them one way or the other. She could teach them to be merely attractive and autobotic, or, use the opportunity to really get to their core as well, helping them to make sensible life decisions, teaching them that they are gifted, but must also give, that first, they are a conscious human being, then they are a model.

The modelling/media industry is a very rewarding place when your look is "in" but you have to have the tenacity to ride it out when it is not your time, because that is when harsh realities set in, develop character and exercise patience, but most of all, never give up.

Jo is also not afraid to speak about the extreme importance of not doing drugs or alcohol. These kids are propelled into such a grownup world and are not yet mentally or emotionally mature enough to deal with it. Impressing upon them that neither is necessary to succeed, that in fact the opposite is true, all of your faculties must be clear to pursue this kind of success.

There are huge rewards watching teens blossom and develop over weeks and months, their confidence and self esteem sky rocket.

The secondary reward is grateful parents who cannot believe how their sometimes painfully shy, or occasionally unresponsive teens have become lively, excitable and can’t wait to get to class to learn the next thing, and their constant chatter all the way home on what they had just learned in their lesson. That is when she realised that this was very definitely in her life path, and seemed to be making such a difference in young lives that she considers it her duty to "give back" within this industry, or any other that they may choose to take on; the life lessons are across the board.

Even whilst living in London, Jo was approached by an organisation that helped integrate underprivileged/abused and street teens to be integrated back into society. These kids were very broken and had suffered much more in their so far short lives than most of us could ever conceive of in our entire lives, but yet, when they are treated like their life matters, that they are good enough, and their dreams count, their whole personas changed, you could almost see them planning their lives right in front of your very eyes, knowing that they were at a point where they had some control and a lot of choices.

Jo now teaches and speaks regularly to teens, having developed her own company and implementing her own methods based on her many years of experience on exactly what is needed to communicate with the sometimes difficult to understand teenage years, she delivers the life skills along with the physical skills needed for people to move forward in life, she brings with her a strong sense of structure, sense of humour, complete involvement and an absolute desire to see people pursue their dreams, to constantly find new and innovative ways to succeed.

Joanne Sheils was contracted by include t/a CfBT Education Trust in November and December 2007. Joanne was employed to run “modelling & confidence building workshops”. These workshops were for 13 – 18yr olds, both male and female, that had been excluded from school, were unemployed, working with YOT (youth offending team) or on ASBO’s (anti – social behaviour order).

Whilst most people would balk at the idea of working with these teenagers, Joanne was excited and enthusiastic. She ran several sessions, which were of huge benefit to the young adults.

A general session of Joanne’s ran as detailed below:

As the Project Manager of three boroughs, I was extremely impressed with Joanne’s skills and knowledge. The response from the young adults was incredible and they thoroughly enjoyed the sessions. Joanne’s workshops were one of the highest attendances for all sessions that we ran.

Joanne dealt with all sorts of behaviours and personalities, including those suffering from low confidence, to those with a lot of confidence. She worked with teenagers who are involved in gangs and those that are victims of gang attacks. Joanne managed challenging behaviours, including threats and people trying to instigate fights. Joanne managed all of this independently, and was excellent at mediation when required.

I would be more than happy to recommend Joanne to any future employer, for whichever role. She is an amazing, positive woman, and this is clear to see in the results that she achieves.

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