Newsroom
Newsroom
The latest news, media coverage and announcements from The Koji Collective.
Bendigo business named national finalist in AusMumpreneur Awards 2026
28 August 2026
The Koji Collective, a Bendigo-based business helping families navigate hard conversations with children, has been named a finalist in the 2026 AusMumpreneur Awards.
Founded by Sharni, a social worker with 15 years of experience working with children and families, The Koji Collective creates conversation cards designed using trauma-informed principles to help kids aged 6 to 12 talk about the things that are hardest to raise, online safety, feelings, friendships and identity.
Built from a regional Victorian kitchen table, the business has grown from a single idea into two published card sets, a growing suite of digital resources, and a community of parents, educators and allied health professionals across Australia, all without paid advertising.
"A year ago this was an idea I wasn't sure would work," said founder Sharni. "Being named a finalist means so much, not for the recognition itself, but because it tells me the message is landing. Parents are hungry for an easier way to start these conversations, and that's exactly what I set out to build."
The Koji Collective was piloted with real families, schools and practitioners in Bendigo before reaching a wider audience, with direct feedback shaping every card in the final product.
The AusMumpreneur Awards celebrate the achievements of mothers in business across Australia, recognising the resilience, creativity and impact of women building businesses alongside raising a family. Finalists will be celebrated at the national awards gala in Sydney in September 2026.
The Koji Collective is available at thekojicollective.com.au, and is also stocked locally at Curators Club, Bendigo.
Beyond the Ban: What eSafety’s Latest Findings Mean for Children’s Online Safety
The Koji Collective has been featured in School News Australia, discussing the latest eSafety findings and what they tell us about the challenges families and schools are still facing when it comes to children’s online safety.
Sharni contributed a trauma-informed perspective on why these conversations matter, and practical ways educators can create safe, open conversations that encourage students to talk about their online experiences.
Read the full feature in School News Australia
Live Webinar: Before the Ban Matters to Them
Friday 2 October 2026, 12:00pm to 1:30pm AEDT
Live via Microsoft Teams
The Koji Collective is hosting a live 90-minute webinar on building genuine online resilience in younger kids, well before the new social media restrictions ever apply to them.
The session is for parents, educators and practitioners wanting practical, usable tools, not just theory. Hosted by Sharni, founder of The Koji Collective and a social worker with 15 years of experience working with children and families, it covers what has changed under the new restrictions, the evidence-informed signs of genuine digital and emotional competence, how to build those skills through conversation rather than restriction, and what to do next when a child opens up.
Tickets from $25, with options to add our card sets and follow along live.