The Girls’ Circle curriculum is a research based curriculum that promotes girls’ resiliency, confidence and connection. Girls’ Circle has been shown to significantly increase self efficacy, social connection and positive body image in girls all over the country. The Girls’ Circle curriculum is a strengths-based program for girls that works to create a safe space to address risky behaviors, build on protective factors, and improve relationships. The curriculum consists of nine different programs, which are easily adaptable to each unique setting. The programs include:
· Friendship: increases caring and relational competence while addressing exclusion, intolerance, and feuding
· Being a Girl: introduces girls to the positive experience of a support circle
· Body Image: prevention program that examines personal beliefs and cultural messages that influence body image
· Honoring Our Diversity: recognizes and appreciates girls’ varied cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds while emphasizing positive identity and alliance building
· Mind/Body/Spirit: prevention program that addresses drug, alcohol, tobacco, sexuality and other high-risk behaviors by promoting self-care and exploring the realities of risk
· Expressing My Individuality: explores celebrating individuality, diversity, getting along with others while addressing such issues as goals, conflict styles, feeling good about ourselves, and taking time to relax
· Relationships with Peers: focuses on enhancing girls’ awareness of their relationships with themselves as well as with others
· Who I Am: works with girls to examine identity, assertiveness skills, self-disclosure, and goal setting
· Paths to the Future: skills building support that examines thoughts, beliefs and actions about friendships, trust, authority figures, etc. for use with at-risk or court involved girls.
The Girls’ Circle programs run from eight to 12 weeks. Groups typically meet for 1 ½ to 2 hours weekly. Each week the group facilitator will lead the group of girls through a format that includes the following:
· Taking turns talking and listening to one another respectfully about concerns and interests
· Expressing themselves through creative or focused activities such as role playing, drama, journaling, poetry, drama, dance, drawing, collage, clay, etc.
· Gender specific themes and topics are introduced which relate to the girls’ lives, such as being a girl, trusting ourselves, friendships, body image, goals, sexuality, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, competition, and decision-making.
