If every girl knew her voice mattered, what would she have to say?
At the Women’s Centre, we know the voices and experiences of girls matter, and our Girl Power After School Program encourages girls to carry this knowledge with them as the navigate through life.
Girl Power After School is free program for girls in Grades 5 and 6 to build friendships, gain confidence, and be leaders in their communities. We know girls face challenges, both related to gender inequality and to the complexities of being a young person, and we work to address these challenges by running a program where girls have opportunities to learn, lead, and connect every step of the way.
Girl Power After School runs twice a week for two hours per session. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 – 5:30 pm at the Women’s Centre, girls come together for programming that is a mix of learning, action, and fun! Each session of Girl Power After School is girl-led, which means with the help of program staff and volunteers, girls identify issues that matter to them, and work as a group to identify how they would like to discuss, share, and learn about each issue at hand. There are opportunities for leadership in the form of public speaking, activism projects and community work, and girls are encouraged to build strong relationships with one another every during each session.
Girl Power After School is also a place to relax and simply have fun! Girls are encouraged to tap into their creative and active sides with a variety of activities. Past favourites have included crafts like making macrame wall art, potting succulent plants, team-building games, and exploring the neighbourhood of Bridgeland in a photo scavenger hunt.
Girls identify the issues they would like to learn about at Girl Power, and topics that commonly arise include self esteem, confidence, body image, and healthy friendships. Girls are encouraged to build critical thinking skills, learning how to identify and challenge gendered stereotypes around what a girl can, and cannot do in our world.
Girl Power After School is a FREE program open to all girls in Grades 5 and 6. Snacks are provided with each session, and bus tickets are provided to any girls who require them to cover the cost of transportation to and from the program. With questions or to register your child in Girl Power After School, please call or email Grace Millar, Girls Leadership Coordinator at grace@womenscentrecalgary.org or 403-265-1155. For more information about our Girls Programs at the Women’s Centre, click here. For news and updates in real time, follow us on Instagram by searching the handle @GirlsLeadYYC!