about PHX

American Express - PHX
Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation
Arizona Foundation for Women
Avnet Inc.
BHHS Legacy Foundation
Bryan Cave LLP
Carstens Family Fund
Charles A. Becker Foundation
Christine Broucek
Coyotes Charities
Deborah Carstens
Desert Schools Federal Credit Union
Ford Motor Credit Company
Freeport-McMoran Cooper and Gold (formerly Phelps Dodge)
IBIS Foundation of Arizona
Intel Corporation
Jan Vaughn
Jennifer Rue
June & Julian Foss Foundation (PHX)
Leroy Thon and Ruth V. Thon Advised Fund
Maricopa County Attorney's Office
Mary Dougherty
Mattel Children's Foundation
Piurek, Inc.
Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona
St Luke's Health Initiatives
Steele Foundation
TCF Bank
Tempe Community Council
The Boeing Company
University of Phoenix
Value Options
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust

Learn more about Investing in Change here.

The Girl Steering Committee (GSC) is a unique opportunity for girls to hold a position of leadership in Girls For A Change. It is made up of approximately 15 girls, two women coaches and one staff liaison.

The GSC offers girls the ability to participate as a Girls For A Change Advisory Board Member or be a part of a Girls For A Change organizational committee. GSC members also function as spokesgirls for Girls For A Change and are trained for public speaking opportunities. Finally, the GSC supports the planning of events including Spring Into Action and the Completion Ceremony.

Applications for the Girl Steering Committee are accepted in the summer and fall of each year. The committee meets during the regular GFC program year from October through May.

For more information about joining the Phoenix GSC, please contact Meghan Arrigo at: meghan@girlsforachange.org or 602.680.8182

Gabriela M., Cesar Chavez High School
Dema M., Independence High School
Lupita V., Gateway Early College High School
Nancy L., Gateway Early College High School
Najma H., Gateway Early College High School
Melissa D., Chandler High School

Alejandra V., Carl Hayden High School

Briana A., Independence High School

Cinthyia M., South Mountain High School
Karen A., Gateway Early College High School
Chancis B., Gateway Early College High School
Cassie C., Gateway Early College High School
Heather K., Gateway Early College High School
Adriana M., Gateway Early College High School
Sydney W., South Mountain High School 

Veronica F., South Mountain High School
Virma S., Gateway Early college High School

Girl Steering Committee Coaches: Meghan Arrigo and Laura Valdo

The following are current members of the Phoenix Advisory Board. The Board meets every month.

Christine Broucek, Board Chair

Elizabeth Cole-Fay, Rio Salado Community College

Vicki Davis, SRP

Elizabeth Ditlevson, Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence    

Emily Key, University of Phoenix

Marsha Kolich, Discovery Institute for Women’s Health     

Rebecca Nevedale, American Academy of Pediatrics         

Michelle Pino, AZ Land Advisors 

Linda Recker, Intel Corporation

GFC mentioned by Arizona Legistator at Duke University discussion.  February 23, 2010.

Aline Sibomana of GFC Phoenix, Activist of the Month of Teen Voices Online
www.teenvoices.com, Vol. 23, July 2008

KNOW 99 and the City of Phoenix cover the 2008 Completion Ceremony
http://phoenix.gov/KNOW99

Channel 3 newscast acknowledges GFC's South Mountain High School team project
www.azfamily.com, June 9, 2008

GFC Phoenix Executive Director, Laura Valdo, invited to blog on Channel 12's website
www.azcentral.com, June 9, 2008

Phoenix Mercury forward, Brooke Smith, recognizes GFC girls at annual Completion Ceremony
www.wnba.com, May 21, 2008

Girl power for change
Arizona Republic, January 20, 2007 

Young local Latinas team up to create big social change
Latino Perspectives Magazine, January 2007

Teen girls learn skills to change their lives
The Arizona Republic, January 7, 2007

GFC Launches Program to Transform the Lives of Low Income Girls in Maricopa County
East Valley Tribune.com, August 27, 2006

Girls For A Change Phoenix Welcomes New Executive Director
Press Release, August 25, 2006

Rescue Operation for Girls
Arizonawoman, November 2005

Arizona Launch Reception
Frontdoors, October 2005

More GFC Press!

Meghan Arrigo
Director of Community Partnerships

Girls For A Change powered by Florence Crittenton

602.680.8182
marrigo@flocrit.org

Take action now…join a Girl Action Team!

Join thousands of other young women in a historical movement to change the world. GFC did something rather revolutionary…we asked girls, like you, what your lives are like, what you worry about, and how you want your life and your community to be different. And, we asked girls like you how we could help you make big changes.

We found out that you have the answers, and all we need to do is give you the space, connections, and support to create your own solutions:

• First you attend a recruitment event at your school to learn about Girls For A Change and what it means to be a part of a Girl Action Team.
• Then you meet weekly in your community with a team of girls and two women to start talking about what’s going on in your neighborhood, city or school.
• Next you and your team will come up with a project to complete and then put that project in action!

You can change the world! Take action now…join a GFC Girl Action Team.

To join a Girl Action Team, send an email to coachphx@girlsforachange.org or call 602.680.8182. In your email, include your name, the school you attend, the city you live in and an email or phone number where we can reach you. This information will help us respond to you quickly about the teams in your area.

A Message to Future GFC Members from Alina, Member of GFC Girl Action Team 15:
From being in GFC, I, first and foremost, learned that I can do ANYTHING as long as I put my mind to it. I learned about the importance of hard work, dedication, perseverance, optimism, and teamwork. I learned how powerful the voice of female youth can be.

I met fabulous, enthusiastic people who truly care about improving their society and world. I met my awesome team, made up of diverse and different young women, united by their passion for changing their community for the better.

I accomplished things I never, in my wildest dreams, thought I would: I wrote proposals, solicited my idea to big-time executives, gave an interview on TV, and witnessed the success, growth, and positive impact of a remarkable organization called Girls For A Change.

I definitely feel that GFC has helped me find my voice, my aspirations, and the kind of career I’d like to have in the future (Director of GFC!). My coaches and teammates have been extremely supportive and encouraging, which has totally boosted my level of self-confidence. They have become my mentors and some of the "bestest" friends I’ll ever know. You can change the world!

Want to support girls in changing our world? GFC volunteers are essential to our mission. All volunteers are provided appropriate training for their position and are supported year-round by GFC staff.

To apply, download and complete the application below. To contact us call 602.680.8182 or email coachphx@girlsforachange.org

Girl Action Team Coach (Want to learn more about being a GFC Coach? Click here)
Download 10-11 PHX Coach Volunteer Application
Time commitment: 10 -15 hours per month, August-December or January-May
Girls For A Change is bringing together a community of women and girls to enhance girls’ views of their own potential and encourage their innovative nature. Girls voluntarily sign up to participate in a Girl Action Team. Teams are made up of 5-25 girls and facilitated by two adult women coaches who are trained by Girls For A Change to support the girls’ projects and enhance the skills, resources and creativity the girls innately possess. Together the team will plan, fund, implement, and lead a social change through weekly meetings. Coaches provide a safe, supportive space while partnering with the girls to implement their projects. Coaches are offered training and support by GFC throughout the year.

GFC has followed the recommendations of the Youth Mentoring Institute's SAFE mentor screening process since the first GFC program year. GFC fulfills the following steps as stated in the Institute's guidelines: "A complete screening process includes an orientation, written application, interview, character references, driving record, and pre-match training."

Check out messages from 2006-07 Phoenix coaches here.

Current Girl Action Team coaches say:

“I have an excellent co-coach and the girls are so open, it’s like having seven sisters.”

“Working with girls gives me the satisfaction and ability to share the positive aspects of being a girl.”

As a volunteer “coach” you will work with a partner coach and group of 5-25 girls. Coaches guide the girls through identifying a problem in their community and solving it over the course of one year. Most importantly coaches tell girls they are powerful, important and valued. The coach position is a dynamic and rewarding experience that leads to connections with girls and other adult women in your area, implementation of a social change project and a contribution toward putting women at the global leadership tables.

To become a coach, apply here:

Download 10-11 PHX Coach Volunteer Application

Benefits: Read what women have to say about the life-changing experiences as GFC coaches! You'll also gain:

• A NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL WOMEN
• YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
• GROUP MANAGEMENT SKILLS
• FACILITATION SKILLS
• PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
• COACHING SKILLS
• PUBLIC SPEAKING AND FUNDRAISING SKILLS
• CREATION OF SOCIAL CHANGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GIRLS
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT SKILLS

When: You will meet with your team of girls once per week. This is a 10-15 hour per month time commitment.  You can choose to coach during the fall cycle, August-December, or the spring cycle, January-May. The time you spend will change the lives of girls. The GFC program cycle begins with a coach orientation in either August or January and ends with a celebration of the team at the end of the 12 weeks.

Where: Girls who are members of GFC are either in middle school or high school. On the coach application you will be able to tell us your preference for location and times of meetings so that we can match you with the team that best fits your schedule. Coach opportunities are available throughout Maricopa County.

Training: We also offer monthly coach training sessions that assist coaches in working with teams, youth development, managing a social change project in partnership with girls and networking with other professional women. GFC coaches also say that their GFC training enhances their professional skills - from communication to project planning. Coach trainings are offered on a Thursday evening and a Saturday morning. Once you are accepted as a coach, you will receive a calendar of all orientation and training dates in your area.

Qualifications:

• Ability to fully commit to a 12 week volunteer assignment from August-December or January-May
• Ability to attend coach orientation and at least 2 monthly trainings throughout the year
• Willingness to be screened and fingerprinted.
• Willingness to work in partnership with another volunteer coach.
• Desire to encourage, inspire, empower, ignite and engage young women to develop their leadership abilities and implement social change projects.
• Willingness to be flexible and open to the organic process that youth projects often take.

Want to learn more?
Check out our Coach FAQ.

For more information contact:
602.680.8182 or coachphx@girlsforachange.org