Girl 2 Girl Program 4 At-Risk Middle School Girls

Summary

At Girl 2 Girl, we cultivate the next generation of strong, enthusiastic female leaders! In twice-weekly workshops, girls ages 11-14 use artistic exploration to understand the world and themselves.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

It's not easy to be a 13-year-old girl in an urban city. Just walking down the street can be an exercise in sexual harassment. Overtures from gang members - both male and female - are a daily reality, and even the youth-focused community centers can be dominated by boys and young men. In an effort to protect their daughters, many parents require their girls to come straight home after school, rather than hang out, unsupervised, with friends. So if you're 13, where do you find a haven, an Oasis?

How will this project solve this problem?

Offered after school and on school breaks, Girl 2 Girl provides arts-based projects and workshops for middle-school girls on issues that touch them every day: what it means to be a good friend, how to resist peer pressure, how to make good decisions.

Potential Long Term Impact

By creating a warm, trusted space, Girl 2 Girl helps middle-school girls shine! Through workshops and field trips, girls learn how to negotiate the challenges of adolescence, make safe, smart decisions, and unlock their leadership potential.

Project Message

"I love Oasis because we talk about our problems [and] staff help me when I have trouble. It helps to feel safe in the group. During the summer, I go to Oasis and do fun things like art and baking."
- Natasha Ann Hovan, In grade 7, has been at Oasis for 3 years

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).

Resources