Girls Action was founded as a start up in 1995 by three young women fresh out of school with an entrepreneurial spirit. We had no funding and no limitations.

 

Accessible to underprivileged girls, POWER Camp (as it was called then) encouraged girls to discover their power and create positive change in their lives and communities. Really listening to girls was the cornerstone of our success. Young women facilitators built trust with the girls. Girls came out of their shells and got smart about topics like media, discrimination, health, violence prevention, and body image.

 

Soon communities across Canada were contacting us, eager to exchange. We realized that with so many people wanting to make a difference for girls, a national organization could create a ripple effect benefitting even more girls. The founders of Girls Action imagined a strong force of girls’ initiatives across the country, and that is precisely what was built.

 

Since 2003, the Girls Action Network has grown from 20 to over 300 members in every province and territory. Girls Action has been a catalyst – seeding and training over 100 start-up girls’ programs. Today, together with local partners, Girls Action builds the skills and confidence of girls from coast to coast, including inner city, remote, and Northern communities.