How ‘Girls At Work’ Builds Hope and Confidence by Empowering Girls to Believe in Themselves

Girls face a barrage of negative messages from a young age, telling them they can’t achieve certain things because of their gender, size, or background. Unless they’re shown otherwise, they’ll grow up believing these limitations are true, depriving them of reaching their full potential. That’s where Girls at Work comes in, a non-profit organization based in Manchester, New Hampshire, that empowers girls to believe in themselves and their abilities. Watch the exclusive BrightVibes interview with the Founder of ‘Girls At Work’ Elaine Hamel in the video above 👆🏼.

Empowering Little Girls by Building Hope and Confidence

At Girls at Work, the goal is to build self-esteem, self-confidence, and help girls understand their capacity for success. The program teaches critical thinking, allowing girls to understand that they can overcome any challenge or hurdle with the right tools, internally. The girls learn that they have inherent strength and are resilient, capable of handling anything that comes their way. As Elaine Hamel says, “Once our girls discover that they’re powerful and capable, there’s just no stopping them.”

Challenging Traditional Norms and Supporting Girls in Need

Girls at Work supports girls between the ages of 8-18 who are in need of stability, safety, and confidence. Many of these girls face neglect, food insecurity, and extreme poverty. The program provides a food pantry and a kindness closet, full of clothing, shoes, and coats to help meet their basic needs.

 

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Building Up Girls, One Project at a Time

Each day, Girls at Work welcomes a busload of girls who are excited, energetic, and unfocused. After a snack and breathing exercises, the girls step into the workshop and become super zoned in on their projects, building up their skills, and confidence. As they walk out of the workshop, every one of them is bigger, their shoulders are wider, and they’re strutting the project they just built. The program teaches girls that they can handle any challenge, and they have all the tools they need to succeed.

Layering Up Different Levels of Empowerment

Girls at Work understands that there are many ways to empower kids, and they’re doing it in many ways. They offer a room filled with groceries, coats, hats, boots, and school supplies, giving girls the chance to shop for what they need. By empowering them in different ways, the girls learn who they really are, not who society wants them to be.

Empowering Girls to Believe in Themselves

Girls at Work has empowered over 20,000 girls since 2000, giving them the opportunity to learn about themselves, resilience, and how to overcome challenges. As Elaine Hamel puts it, “Girls are resilient every day. They just don’t know that.” But with the program’s help, girls are learning that they are capable of achieving great things. They’re discovering their power and their ability to take on the world.

If you want to read more about projects empowering women, check out this article.