Girls Incorporated® National Identity Programs are research-based and encourage girls ages 5 to 18 to take risks and master physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges. We are part of a network of 1,600 sites in the U.S. and Canada whose programs are facilitated by trained professional staff.

At Girls Inc., girls learn to set and achieve goals, confront challenges, resist peer pressure, and see college as attainable. Through hands-on activities, girls ask questions, get dirty, and solve problems. Girls develop enthusiasm for and skills in non-traditional fields such as science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). They also consider careers in these fields by interacting with women and men pursuing such careers.

Girls analyze media images and deconstruct stereotypes while learning about nutrition and taking on physical fitness as fun. Staff serve as role models of confidence and healthy habits; they facilitate ongoing discussions with girls about the pressures they face around physical appearance. Girls work together to identify their unique strengths and build a sense of sisterhood, not competition.

Girls Inc. addresses not only pregnancy prevention, but also positive relationships, wellness, and sexuality as a normal aspect of health. Girls receive accurate information presented by supportive mentors who help them sort through the mire of messages and emerge with a strong sense of their personal power, self-worth, and knowledge of how their decisions related to relationships and sex impact their future choices. Imbedded and infused throughout is recognition of cultural norms, the value of inclusivity and acceptance, and the critical role of parents as primary educators of their daughters.

Girls Inc. equips girls to insist on their rights, recognize dangerous situations, speak out when something or someone makes them uncomfortable, and develop skills for handling potentially harmful situations. Our pro-girl approach and belief in girls’ rights is key for not blaming girls and not seeing them as responsible for abuse. Girls build negotiation, assertiveness, and self-defense skills and participate in open and honest discussions about violence, including teasing and bullying, sexual harassment, dating violence, and physical and sexual abuse. Encouragement and support are also provided to girls who are being hurt to lessen their fear and sense of isolation.