Stepping up
What is it?
A collaborative effort to increase resources, knowledge and skill-building opportunities that support the leadership and civic participation of girls and young women from racialized communities.
Who is it for?
Self-organizing young women and community organizations and groups working with racialized girls and young women across Canada.
As a response to the large gap in resources available to support local community efforts in fostering leadership and civic participation among racialized girls and young women, Girls Action Foundation has partnered with Multiculturalism Canada to address community needs through training workshops, mentors, leadership training, and information exchange. Girls Action has also been instrumental in the creation and dissemination of a five-resource tool kit that community organizations will use to assist racialized young women to become more actively involved and implement local actions in 15 communities across the country.
Who We Are Collaborating With:
The three partners involved in the project, GO GIRLS in Vancouver, WORC IT in Toronto, and Girls Action’s Girls Clubs in Montreal are involved in running local programs that Stepping Up. In addition, all three local programs are involved in the development of the Community Action Guide. The plan is to have this guide published by the end of March.
GO GIRLS is a Vancouver-based community group for racialized girls and young women. The organization, formed after its founder Andrea Canales attended a conference hosted by Girls Action, engages members in social activities with a strong emphasis on mentorship.
GO GIRLS Vancouver implements a Leadership program lead by eight young women acting as volunteer facilitators. The goal is for the program participants to take ownership of the program and become mentors to the next generation of girls joining Go Girls.
WORC-IT (Women of Race climbing it Together) is a is a non-profit organization committed to assisting women, with priority to youth and racial minorities, by providing them with mentors, resources and other services to benefit their health, finances and economic welfare.
Local Girls Club-Girls Action Foundation is a Montreal based after school violence prevention and empowerment program for 11 to 13 years old girls in Verdun, Quebec. Combining popular education and arts-based activities, the girls explore themes related to body image, self-esteem, violence, dating, pop culture, the media, and more. Girls’ Club provides a safe space for girls to come together, have fun, chat, ask questions, and be themselves!
Girls’ Club is facilitated by a skilled and enthusiastic team of women, made up of a program coordinator, facilitators and volunteers. Many of the workshops involve guests from the community who share their passion and expertise with the girls in areas such as theatre, self-defense and yoga. Sometimes we invite community members, such as a young woman who was a teenage mother, to share their experiences and discuss life choices with the girls in a realistic but non-judgmental way.
Stepping Up Tool Kit:
As part of the Stepping Up project, participating groups supported the development of community based resources, including:
- Our Communities, Our Words: Stepping Up for Racialized Girls' Empowerment
- Raciliazed Girls Research Review: A Compilation of Research on Racialized GIrls' and Young Women's Issues
- Thrivin, the zine by young women who work it!
