Research shows that only 14% of girls in Grade Ten feel self-confident.
So what?
Sure, confidence is wonderful—a nice cherry on the top of life—but don’t lots of people succeed in life despite their insecurities?
As it turns out, confidence is at the root of a surprising number of life outcomes for girls.
Here’s 5 reasons why it’s important to help girls build their confidence:
Maisha (left, 18) and Amar (right, 15) are mentors in girls’ programs funded by the Canadian Women’s Foundation. When they were younger, they attended similar programs as participants. In this interview, they talk about how having a mentor helped them and what it’s like to be a mentor.
Maisha: I’ll start with why I decided to become a mentor. I had been volunteering as a leader in the YWCA weekly camps but I always worked with different girls.
“…Moments in life aren’t just created on their own. They’re shaped by the people you surround yourself with...the people that get you there.” – Sydney Shannon
Athlete and photographer Sydney Shannon from Whitecourt, Alberta is surrounded by her mom, dad, big brother Andrew, and her coaches who have acknowledged her talents and helped make her believe in dreaming big. In the video “I’m Sydney Shannon”, Sydney, who struggled as a kid with exclusion, describes herself as a “product of mentoring.”
Courage. Wisdom. Respect. Love. Honesty. Truth. Humility. Every parent wants their child to know and live these values, but how can we make sure they do?
In the inner city of Winnipeg, where many Aboriginal families live in poverty, one innovative program is connecting girls to these values through the “Sacred Seven” teachings, one of the cornerstones of Aboriginal teaching. The Sacred Seven Healthy Relationship program is a two-year afterschool program that reaches 100 youth directly and hundreds more through presentations at partnering schools.
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