According to bgca.org, as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America celebrate International Day of the Girl, they are also suggesting ways to help empower them. With the internet and cell phones, the experience of being a girl has changed dramatically over the years. The pandemic only made things more challenging for everyone but especially young girls, from disrupted learning to health and financial issues. According to Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2022 youth data, girls today experience challenges unlike any generation before with 71 percent of girls rating their ability to cope with challenges as medium to very low. Almost half of the girls’ conflict resolution skills need to be improved, and 20 percent of girls report being bullied online, with most saying it goes unreported.
The following is a list of four tips provided by the Boys & Girls Club of America for empowering girls.
4 Tips for Girls to Gain Confidence:
- Be bold.
Sometimes an opportunity comes along you never expected – a potential hobby, a new person who could become a friend, the chance to participate in something. It can be easy to play it safe, but I challenge girls to be bold. Don’t let that voice inside your head deter you from speaking up or jumping in – you’ve got this. - Find your superpower.
We all have different strengths that make us unique. Sometimes it’s what we do – being great at soccer or math or art – and sometimes it’s who we are – being a good listener, a caring friend or passionate about a cause. Use your strengths. (But don’t let them define you. You’re developing new strengths all the time and may even find that something you consider a “weakness” is actually a pretty great thing. You’re more powerful than you think.) - Surround yourself with the right people.
Family, friends, teachers, Club staff – whoever they are, find people who bring out the best in you. Make sure you have a caring adult in your life you feel comfortable going to when things get tough. - Be yourself.
It can be tempting to act like everyone else to help fit in. But I’m not a big fan of “fake it until you make it” and potentially losing what makes you “you” along the way. My father taught me that being humble, vulnerable and authentic is a superpower – and that has helped me throughout my life and career. Show up as you.
Boys & Girls Clubs, girls’ leadership programs help to support young women in reaching their full potential as well as using their voices to speak up for themselves and others. They also offer financial literacy skills, ways of managing emotions, and building self-esteem.
—
Olga Arminen / Shutterstock.com