Young women gain confidence through Power of Being a Girl conference

“I think it’s really fun and it’s super cool that they’re teaching us different skills for life,” said Hannah Baughan, a first-time participant of the conference.

“I think it’s really important to have something for girls to go to, and kind of do and learn more about themselves,” said 12-year-old Maya Vandean. “I think that’s important for everyone.”

“You learn a lot of different skills that you can use later in life that you won’t forget,” added Alya Van Laer, another first-time participant.

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

Between sessions, the girls gathered in the gym of the Tournament Capital Centre to enjoy some fun and empowering activities.

Director of Programs for the YMCA-YWCA’s Violence Against Women Intervention & Support Services Jacquie Brand says the conference helps supply the tools needed to deal with difficult emotions.

“When they have anxiety, when they have stress, when they have things that come up for them like those big feelings that they don’t know what to do with, we’re hoping that Power of Being a Girl, the workshops that we do, the activities that we have really helps support them in working through those things,” Brand said.

Workshops included a Fit and Fierce Bootcamp, a yoga class and a self-portrait workshop.

“So you did a self-portrait of yourself and tried to see yourself in a better way if you might have a few issues with seeing yourself,” Vandean said. “And then, the next one I’m doing is the writing workshop.”

“I did the Fit and Fierce and it was lots of fun,” said 12-year-old Hadley Dmytrko. “It’s like learning how to be aware in your own body.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

Organizers hope events like this one will not only shape the way girls see themselves but how others view and treat them as well.

“My goal would be to work myself out of a job, to not have to have a women’s shelter for domestic violence,” Brand said. “I won’t see it in my lifetime, but I’m hoping that conferences like Power of Being a Girl, having the women’s emergency shelter, having these community groups and support groups that we’re going to move forward.”

Moving forward means including the boys, which is why there is also a Strength in Being a Boy Conference in April.

“This is a two-way street, we’ve got to balance this out,” Brand said. “Men have to understand one side, women have to understand the other side and the only way that they’re ever going to get to the bottom of this problem, hopefully, we will, is by bringing the two together and finding a solution.”

by Jill Sperling

Young women gain confidence through Power of Being a Girl conference

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