Why Are Allies Important?
I gathered ideas from other projects that will inspire and help me organize effective programming. And if I have questions I now know whom to ask!
I met contacts in my region that are doing work that I want to do in my community. I was able to see what is possible…
By communicating with other like-minded people, I was able to feel a sense of self-discovery and support. This was surprisingly unexpected and very MEANINGFUL.
~ Girls Action Retreat participants, 2008
Girls’ programming cannot happen in a vacuum. By surrounding yourself with people who support and inform your work can help your programming in innovative ways and build community around issues that matter. An ally is someone with whom you have a connection with based on shared goals or visions and who also provides some kind of direction to you in your work. Allies are people or organizations who are an important resource for your girls’ program or those who are affected by it. For example, parents, teachers and school administrators; people who work in organizations you are partnered with; organizations that do similar or related work to you; and donors, board members or members of the community in general. Allies are not generally involved in the day-to-day work of your organization but they care about your work and can offer important support and resources.
It is much easier to build support if people know what your program involves and they feel that they are a part of it. Allies can help you network and build support in the community for your program by referring girls to participate in your program, by problem solving, by providing moral support, and by expanding on the number of allies that exist for girls in general. They can also offer connections to funders, other allies, and new networks of support. Allies can have expertise and insights that may not exist in your formalized organization. Connecting to a wide network of people and organizations can help your program establish trust and earn a good reputation within the broader community. Connecting with allies also helps you know what is going on in the community around you and ensures you do not recreate existing programs. Involving outside allies gives others a chance to get involved and contribute to your program and vision.
Allies can also turn into formalized partners in projects you are working on. For a discussion on Partnerships see the next section.
To find allies, try some of these tips:
• Use the Girls Action Network – it can be a great resource to connect you with people in your region who are also running girls’ programs or to find people and organizations that can support your work in other ways.
• Talk to teachers and social workers in the local schools. Sometimes teachers already run clubs or activities that a lot of girls take part in. Guidance counsellors can also be a great support.
• Make contact with people that work through the local community and recreation centres and social services that are connected to girls in the community.
• Use the “Why girls” talking points to connect with people who have questions about why you only work with girls.
• Look for other organizations that run girls’ programs in your region or organizations that have a woman-centred focus. Examples could be sexual assault centres, YWCA’s, Boys and Girls Clubs, Status of Women offices, and Centres of Excellence on Women’s Health.
• Connect with individuals or organizations with a similar mandate and mission statement to the work you are doing. Allies do not necessarily have to be those doing work specifically with girls. Individuals or organizations that work in a field of interest that is important to your girls’ group can also be a great avenue for support. For example, if your program works with immigrant or refugee girls, you may want to contact people at an Immigrant or Refugee Centre nearby.
• Look for allies in cross-sectoral and sub-sectoral contexts like other women’s organizations, the government, the corporate sector, and so on.
• Create a committee (called an advisory or steering committee) of allies to go to for advice about running your girls’ program. Members of the community have many skills to share, from fundraising, program activities or action project suggestions to legal issues.
• Invite allies to fundraising events such as concerts, parties, plays or silent auctions.
• Invite allies to participate in a special program, “open house” or field trip so they can experience what your program is about.
• Learn about the issues allies are engaged with. Try to work together on an action project in the community.
• Provide allies with promotional material. They may be connected to girls who would love to participate in your program.
• Ask allies about their impressions of your program. While this may not be a direct part of your evaluation process, they can give you important information about what impact your program has in the community and also, how others perceive it.
