Grant Year: 2023, 2024
Founded in 2001, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast is an affiliate of Girls Incorporated, a national organization that has been providing programs for girls since 1864 in the United States and Canada, specifically designed to address the strengths and needs of girls ages 8-18. Programs inspire girls to set goals on educational attainment, develop healthy relationships, practice communication skills, avoid unhealthy behaviors, manage stress, handle conflict, and overcome systemic barriers that prevent them from succeeding. Girls acquire leadership skills and learn to create a future that includes educational attainment, economic independence, and lifelong wellness.
Girls are predominantly Latina (94%), and face both social and economic barriers to overcoming poverty: 22% of families have incomes under $10,000; 78% have incomes under $25,000. Poverty is a significant factor in both health disparities and educational attainment.
From August through Spring, the Education, Careers. Health, and Opportunities program (ECHO) girls explore career paths, develop resumes, prepare for job interviews, plan for college, and learn about women’s health, personal finance, civic engagement and advocacy. Girls visit three college campuses and the State Capitol to advocate with state legislators. College counselors provide the UC and CSU admission requirements, financial aid information and assistance with applications for both. Successful career women provide information on their careers—both positive and negative aspects—educational requirements, and potential earning power.
The Youth Leaders program provides paid internships for 4-5 ECHO graduates, who are trained to plan, deliver, and evaluate programs to girls in elementary, middle and high schools. Young women have opportunities to practice being leaders, role models, teachers, and mentors. They receive training in the content of all the programs, learn and practice facilitation skills, and develop team building, public speaking, and evaluation skills. They train new youth leaders and give presentations to school boards, city councils, and at public events. These activities provide them with an income, valuable skills, and practical work experience. They also provide service to their communities and discover the value of helping others and giving back.
Smart Choices is a weeklong program held at UC Santa Cruz in June for graduating middle school girls. Girls experience college life and participate in workshops and activities on educational and career planning, decision-making, goal setting, assertive refusal skills, media influences, exploding cultural myths and gender stereotypes, and strategies for optimal health and wellness. Girls gain information on meeting high school graduation requirements, applying to college and seeking financial aid. As a result, girls understand the importance of a college education, while learning to resist unhealthy behaviors that will divert them from achieving their goals.
