Courses offered by Girl Friends

We use gender specific themes and topics, which relate to the girls’ lives, these are:

Friendship

8 Week programme.
Ages 9-14. Groundbreaking programme that addresses exclusion, intolerance, and feuding. Confronts relational aggression and shores girls up with strong interpersonal skills; breaks down barriers to pride, confidence, and empathy. Themes include topics such as "Being Included, Being Left Out," & "Feuds, Followers, & Fairness." Increases caring and relational competence.

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Being a Girl

8 Week programme.
Ages 11-13. Introduces girls to the positive experience of a support circle addressing topics such as "Growing Up Female," "Growth and Self-Care," and "Female Role Models." Activities include collage, affirmations, and theme-related crafts. Great kit for middle-school girls new to support groups.

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Body Image

8 Week programme.
Ages 12+. Examines cultural messages and personal beliefs that influence body image. Themes emphasize raising awareness, recognizing body signals, and exploring underlying causes of poor body image. Topics cover physical awareness, health, and emotional balance through media exploration, imagery, art, personal story telling, and more. Excellent prevention program.

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Honouring Our Diversity

12 Week programme.
Ages 11-18. Recognises girls’ varied cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds emphasizing positive identity and alliance building. Includes discussions and activities that cover topics such as “Stereotype Busting,“ “Beyond Fear,“ “Cultural Treasures,“ “Culture Clash,“ and includes a community advocacy exercise. Themes focus on appreciating diversity in girls lives by identifying biases, developing navigational tools in a multi-cultural society, and promoting understanding and respect within and between groups. Guide includes a girls' journal for weekly reflection.

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Mind / Body / Spirit

12 Week programme.
Ages 12-16. This excellent prevention program addresses alcohol, tobacco, and drug decision making as well as healthy sexuality, promoting abstinence and/or reduction to high-risk behaviours by exploring the realities of risk and the power of self-care. Helps girls examine and evaluate choices through affirmations, role-play, media influence, journal writing, videos and more. Addresses sexuality decision-making and definitions of "infatuation, desire, and love" through real teen stories, music messages, and personal standards activity. Outstanding prevention program that promotes critical thinking and is much enjoyed by girls!

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Expressing my Individuality

8 Week programme.
Ages 11-15. Explores topics such as celebrating individuality, diversity, getting along with others, and addresses goals, feeling good about ourselves, and taking time to relax. Activities include values exploration, "How Others See Me," making dream catchers, potting a plant to symbolize personal growth, and finally culminates with a girls' compliment circle. A variety of topics and activities for middle and high school girls!

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Relationships with Peers

10 Week programme.
Ages 13-18. Enhances girls' awareness of their relationships with themselves and others. Themes include "Expressing Myself," "Accepting Different Parts of Myself," "Giving Voice to Feelings,” Romantic Relationships, ” “Girlfights or Girlfriends” and are complimented by activities such as journalling, role-play, sculpting, and more. Highly engaging for teen girls.

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Who I Am

8 Week programme.
Ages 14-18. Works with girls to examine identity, assertiveness skills, and goal setting through role-play, mandala-making, relationship to music, and more. Themes include "Journalling and Self-Disclosure," "Song About Me-Who I Am," "Personal Growth/Assertiveness," and "Life Goals/Personal Goals." Very well received by high school girls.

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Paths to the Future

8 Week programme.
Ages 12+. A skills-building support group for use with at-risk or court- involved girls. Examines thoughts, beliefs, and actions about friendships, trust, authority figures, mother/daughter relationships, sexuality, dating violence, HIV, drug abuse, stress and goal-setting. Opens up girls to important exploration regarding their choices and behaviours and examines ways to promote self-care and healthy decision-making through lively, prepared discussions and activities. Creative activities include assertiveness role-plays, collage, progressive relaxation, writing, creating "Lifemaps" and more.

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For more information

Use our Contact Us form, or email cleo@girl-friends.org.uk