program
Results
Here are some highlights from GFC's 2007-2008 program year. Results are from the GFC and GFC Phoenix sites.
Girl Action Teams: Community Impact
More than 3,000 community members were impacted by GFC Girl Action Team projects in the 2007-08 program cycle.
Some projects that impacted community members in Phoenix:
- 200 high school students received teen pregnancy prevention materials at their school
- 100 middle and high school students learned about how they can love their bodies and have a positive self image
- 30 high school students plus community members participated in a poetry slam against racism
Some projects that impacted community members in Silicon Valley:
- 100 5th graders actively participated in a school assembly about bullying prevention
- 350 high school students plus school faculty attended an assembly about peer pressure and its influence on teens, particularly around decision about sexual activity
- 50 high school students and their family member attended a workshop about how students who are immigrants can access higher education
Girl Evaluation Highlights
Program Goal 1: By the end of the 8 month program, all GFC girl participants will increase their self-efficacy, defined as: one’s belief that they can accomplish their goals.
Objective: 80% of girls participating in GFC will report that despite the challenges of making changes in their community, they know they can do it.
Results...
- 94% of GFC girls agreed that despite the fact that creating changes in a community is challenging, they know they can create change (this is a 4% increase from the previous year!)
Program Goal 2: By the end of the 8 month program, all GFC girls will feel increased adult support and positive adult role modeling.
Objective: 75% of girls participating in GFC will report that there is an adult woman she has met through GFC that cares about her.
Results...
- 87% of GFC girls believe their GFC Coaches (the women volunteers who work with Girl Action Teams) care about what they are doing
Objective: 75% of girls participating in GFC will report that adult women they have met through GFC are working to make the world a better place.
Results...
- 94% of girls in GFC agreed that GFC affiliated women are change agents
Program Goal 3: By the end of the 8 month program, all GFC girls will report being part of a positive peer group in their GFC team, where they feel comfortable and supported.
Objective: 80% of girls participating in GFC will report that they worked well with the girls in their Girl Action Teams.
Results...
- 93% of girls in GFC agreed they work well with their GFC teams.
- 90% of girls participating in GFC will report that they feel comfortable and relaxed working with other girls (this is a 10% increase from the previous year)
Program Goal 4: By the end of the 8 month program, all GFC girls will learn skills in public speaking, problem solving and how to effectively work with a team through their GFC experience.
Objective: 75% of girls participating in GFC will report that they know how to plan, lead and implement a project.
Results...
- 76% of girls on GFC teams agreed they can plan, lead and implement a project.
- 80% said they had done public speaking or a group presentation
- 46% said they led part of a meeting
- 23% said they raised money for their project
- More than half of girls said they had led part of their project or completed a project plan
Program Goal 5: By the end of the 8 month program, all GFC girls will have knowledge about ways to create social change as it relates to their GFC project and in their life outside GFC.
Objective: 75% of girls participating in GFC will report knowing how to identify an issue that affects their community and then take action on that issue, thereby creating change.
Results...
- 72% believed they could fix the problems in their communities
- More than 90% of girls also reported that they know they have choices about what happens to them in life and that they can make positive changes in their personal lives
Program Goal 6: By the end of the 8 month program, all GFC girls will report explicit awareness of the transferability of the skills learned in GFC – such as public speaking, problem solving and working with a team - to other life situations and contexts.
Objective: 75% of girls participating in GFC will begin to understand that if they can make positive changes in their community they can and will use those same skills and knowledge to create positive changes in their own lives.
Results...
- 90% of girls in GFC agreed that if they can make changes in their community that they can make changes in their own lives
- 75% of girls reported they can speak up when things are bothering them
Program Goal 7: By the end of the 8 month program, all GFC girls will have utilized and will have continuing access to a new network of diverse peers and adults.
Objective: 75% of girls participating in GFC will report knowing how to build relationships with people from different backgrounds.
Results...
- 80% of girls in GFC reported that they feel comfortable talking to someone who is not like them
- 78% of girls in GFC reported they met girls and women in GFC they would have not met otherwise
Girls on GFC Girl Action Teams also said:
- 83% of girls reported understanding how social change happens
- 66% of girls reported that they have changed in a positive way since joining GFC
Girls reported that they like the following about GFC:
GFC Community Outreach
- 2 Parent/Guardian Newsletters in each site
- 2 Community Newsletters (organizations and schools) in each site
- 3 Adult Workshops at the Girl Summit for coaches, parents/guardians and school staff
- Collaborated as a committee member on the Arizona Girls Roundtable to present four unique community workshops addressing the needs of Arizona girls
- Partnered with the University of Arizona Building Partnerships For Youth to present on youth as partners and engaging youth as leaders in community organizations
- Nominated to join the Arizona Governors' Task Force on Youth Development; Out of School Time Work Group
- Collaborated with Phoenix Union High School District for four teams and Murphy School District for four teams
- Participated with Arizona Education Association for coach and school recruitment
- In Silicon Valley, Collaborated with Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula for three teams
- In Silicon Valley, Participated with Overfelt High School Multi-Service Providers Collaborative
Who are GFC Girls?
- 85% of girls attend a GFC target school, meaning it is ethnically diverse and in a low-income neighborhood
- Ethnicity of girls participating in GFC Teams: More than 85% of girls self identify as young women of color. More than 60% of the girls self report their ethnicity as Latina or Chicana, 13% report being African American or Black and 8% as Asian or Asian American. More than 6% of girls report being of Native descent (Native American, Hawaiian, Alaskan or other) and over 15% of girls report being mixed races. (Girls can report more than one ethnicity or race)
- Ages of girls participating in GFC Teams: 62% are in Middle School (10-13) and 38% are in High School (14-18)
Who are GFC Coaches?
- Between the two sites, 135 women participated as Girl Action Team Coaches.
- 40% of Coaches self identified as women of color
- 48% of coaches were between the ages of 18-30
GFC Coaches Reported:
- 96% were highly satisfied with their interactions with GFC staff.
Coaching with GFC has affected them by:
- “It has helped me loosen up so that I could handle the unexpected. “
- “It helped me decide where I’m going in life.”
- “I am more open minded.”
- “It has opened up job opportunities.”
- “I redefined success.”
- “I can now empathize with people I don’t necessarily relate to.”
- “I recognize that I have a choice in how I see all situations."
- “Learned how to tactfully guide a meeting.”
Coaches said they learned the following:
- Learning and sharing from other
- Listening skills
- What empowerment looks like
- Greater awareness of diversity Issues
- Social change project planning skills
- Learning to accept recognition/praise
- How to co-facilitate
- Patience
- Youth are inspiring
- Respect for youth
- Trust in others
- How to connect with others
- Trust the girls, the process, and myself
