Support the Girls Action effect

This year, Girls Action has doubled down on its commitment to creating programs that respond to the changing realities and most pressing issues facing girls, young women and gender-diverse youth on Turtle Island. (Canada). This was made possible, among other things, thanks to our youth consultations, the projects we co-build and the involvement of our network, our partners and the young people who shape our community!

The last few years have shed light on the psychological distress experienced by the young people in our network and that is why we believe it is important to give them space to express themselves and psychological support adapted to their situation. We are committed to continually putting the voices of young people from the most marginalized communities, especially those who identify as racialized and/or queer, at the center of our actions. To create systems that ensure the perspectives, voices and lived experience of young people are integrated into our programs in meaningful ways, including intentionally supporting the creation of programs by and for youth.

Becoming a recurring donor, committee to making a monthly donation
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Get your friends and family involved and create a fundraiser
Sponsor a Radical Self-care Basket for the participants of our activities
Fund a leadership capacity grant ($250, $500, or $1000) to support a youth-led social change project
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Why give to Girls Action?

Girls Action Foundation inspires and supports the empowerment, leadership and healthy development of girls, young women and gender diverse youth by increasing their access to resources and opportunities. GAF provides spaces for them to speak out, build skills, and create action on issues that are important and real to them.

We are a national movement of empowered girls, young women and gender diverse youth taking action to lead social change in their communities. To create a world where youth are strong, confident, and engaged leaders.

To learn more about the Girls Action effect, you can check out our 25th Anniversary Impact Report and last annual report.

2022 in review

Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought in recent years, we have managed to adjust our programming and offer diversified activities for girls, young women and gender diverse youth.

Here is a list of the different activities, projects and programs that we have carried out this year by and for the youth of our communities, as well as for the members of our network:

Youth consultations: In fall 2021 and early 2022, we launched consultations with young people aged 12 to 18 in Montreal. A new initiative to ensure that the voices of girls, young women and gender-diverse youth are heard and meaningfully included in the development of our programs. Participants received financial compensation and a Radical Self-Love Basket.
Support is essential: This program aims to provide young racialized women and gender-diverse youth aged 17 to 30 in the Greater Montreal area with access to mental health support and to raise awareness of alternative forms of wellness care. This year an art therapy support group took place with several participants, as well as the creation of a zine and the distribution of 50 radical self-love baskets.
This year, as part of Black History Month, we wanted to mark the occasion and highlight the involvement, excellence and hard work of several organizations across Canada, who work by and for black communities. To do this, each week of the month, we presented a specific resource kit on different themes.
On February 25, 2022, we presented a workshop titled “Support Is Essential: Creating Communities of Care for Racialized Girls and Gender Diverse Youth” as part of the Interdisciplinary Feminist Conference [Re]Emergence: [Re ]Imagination, [Re]vision and Revolution at Pennsylvania State University.
On March 31, 2022, we hosted a panel discussion titled: My Body, My Business: Dialogue at the Intersection of Mental Health and the Fetishization of Our Bodies. 6 panelists with diverse backgrounds shared their insights, celebrated their bodies and tackled difficult conversations.
In the summer of 2022, the first Girls Action Book Club took place! Several girls and young people aged 12 to 18 met with a facilitator to discuss the book Qu'as-tu fait de mon pays? by An Antane Kapesh. The participants also had the opportunity to discuss the social issues that were close to their hearts and how they could take action. Finally they coordinated and created an event by and for youth entitled Let your creativity speak. This event took place on October 16, 2022 at Brique par Brique. Education and awareness on various social issues through art were at the center of this event with an art workshop given by a member of our network and food prepared by a member of the community!
Creation of zines and guides: Several zines and guides were created in 2022 by the Girls Action team and particularly with the expertise of our communications intern. In addition, the Support is essential zine will be released in early 2023!
The Girls Action team participated in several community events, including Montreal Pride Community Day with a booth, presence in Montreal high schools with booths, the Diversity and Inclusion Forum of the Network for Peace, Imagine Canada's Leadership Conference and much more!
During 2022, we gave the floor to several people in our community or to organizations through 4 digital takeovers and 3 video interviews with local organizations.
In 2022, our team was invited to participate in various panels as experts, in particular during the Sustainable Concordia panel “What Does Sustainability Have To Do With FEMINISM” on September 27, as well as Femmes du Monde à Côte-des-Neiges event “LET’S TALK ABOUT GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE!” of December 1st.
In addition, we are involved in several committees or groups to contribute to the well-being and changes in our communities. Thus we are members of: Movement for schools without sexual violence (MESVS); National Feminist Influencing Group; Defund the SPVM; Gender, Health and Environment Collective; Active member of Maison Parent-Roback; Working Group on Advancing Canada's National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Gender-Based Violence; Vital Signs Working Committee of the Foundation of Greater Montreal
Holigay Short Films & Sound healing of December 8, 2022: Girls Action, Project 10 and Massimadi have partnered to create a safe space for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth to celebrate the holidays and the end of 2022, according to their own definitions.

What to look forward to in 2023...

We are committed to continuing to support girls, young women and gender-diverse youth. In particular by continuing to listen to them and make their voices heard with youth consultations, to believe them and to see them. We will continue to organize workshops by and for the communities we serve, encouraging young artists and changemakers and providing them with development opportunities. In addition, new Girls Action programs will see the light of day, including “Expression” and the continuity of certain current projects, including the book club, as well as new partnerships with local organizations. So stay tuned for more on what's coming in 2023!

It is thanks to the generosity of our members, friends, and allies who have supported us, whether for years or since the start of this pandemic, that we are able to support these artists, leaders, agents of change and dreamers!