What is...
The Investing in Girls Alliance is an outcome of the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth at Risk in the City of Worcester. The group was brought together to address the recent rise in violence among adolescent girls in the local community.
Who is...
The Investing in Girls Alliance is a consortium of state and local agencies, public school departments, non-profit organizations, state and local government, and business professionals that share a concern about the issues facing adolescent girls. More than 30 leading experts from organizations in greater Worcester joined forces to create a strategic plan, which will provide a framework to offer Worcester area girls what they need to succeed.
The Research...
Through the financial support of the Women’s Initiative, United Way of Central Massachusetts, the Investing in Girls Alliance commissioned a local needs assessment. The task of this research was to gather information from parents, adolescent girls, and local agency service providers. The goal was simple: identify the challenges our girls face that impede them from leading successful lives.
Click here to download research report.
The Research Highlights...
- 71% of middle-school girls surveyed identified the
biggest problem for them as educational
demands.
- 51% of girls identified violence and sex as the top
two issues that adults should focus on addressing.
- Almost three quarters (73%) of the respondents
identified peer pressure and sex as challenges
facing girls.
- 74% of the girls said that sports and fitness
programs—with options for “girls-only”—should
be a priority if new programs are going to be
created. 36% also indicated that additional career
and life planning programs are needed.
Click here for complete Needs Assessment
The Response...
The creation of a strategic plan for healthier, happier girls was sponsored by Fred Harris Daniels Foundation. The result was the gathering of five Task Forces that will focus on the following areas in their strategic plans:
In the news...
Telegram & Gazette article March 26, 2008
The Investing in Girls Alliance, a coalition of local service providers, yesterday released its study of what kinds of programs, services and understanding girls ages 10 to 14 in Worcester and surrounding towns need. Continued |
The Mission...
To improve services for middle-school girls in central Massachusetts through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration.
The Vision...
To improve the lives of girls in greater Worcester and ensure that local girls grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive.
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