Adolescence is a critical period for the mental health, self-esteem, and healthy development for girls, where issues such as bullying, body image, identity, safety, and gender roles can become an overwhelming force.

The Canadian Women's Foundation has found that between Grade 7 and Grade 12, more than 25% of young women report being targeted by online harassment and cyberbullying; by Grade 10, less than 15% of girls identify as being self-confident. And, the Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre at UBC suggests that the prevalence of bullying and mental health struggles amongst LGBTQ2S+ and gender-diverse youth is also a key concern. With the increasing presence of social media in the lives of youth, negative messaging about who young girls can/should be, what they should look like, and the "right" way to be women is more prevalent-- and in many ways less avoidable-- than ever.

We have seen these pressures firsthand throughout the years in our Fearless Girls' Empowerment Camps, and have heard the North Shore's need for expanded and increased programming for young women. The North Shore Women's Centre aspires to become a hub for girls' empowerment in our community.

Between our Fearless activity portfolio expanding and our offering of evidence-based sexual assault prevention programming through Flip The Script, we hope that our centre can become a place where young women and gender-diverse individuals not only feel safe, supported, and seen, but also feel empowered to express themselves and share their confidence with the people in their lives.