Girls Who Run Spring Session Info out now!

*See below!

About Girls Who Lead…

Led by co-facilitators, Jamie McElgunn (GLOW and HIGH FIVE Sport certified, Leadership and Communication Coach and Speaker) and Katie Doerksen (Trainer, Educator, HIGH FIVE Sport Certified, Physical Literacy Coach at GWL), Girls Who Lead is a program developed to Build Confidence in Leadership and Movement.

According to the Rally Report (Canadian Women in Sport, 2022), 40-50% of young girls are discontinuing participation in organized sport or activity by age 11. On the other hand, most women in high level career positions attribute their success in leadership and communication skills to their time spent in sport/organized activity as youth. (Ernst & Young, Women in Sport)

Girls Who Lead is our response to a need in our communities - where we see young girls pulling away from movement opportunities due to a lack of confidence. In pairing leadership and communication skills with physical activity, we hope to meet a growing need and to create a safe, inclusive space for our girls to confidently challenge themselves, while feeling supported and encouraged.

A central piece to our Girls Who Lead programming is the inclusion and encouragement of peer mentorship. This is implemented through the inclusion of Junior Coaches (girls slightly older than the participants) at each class. Our participants greatly benefit from having Junior Coaches lead by example, role model behaviours and work directly alongside. Youth learn best from their peers, and having Junior Coaches proves to be instrumental to our participant's willingness to persevere and participate. GWL facilitators work directly with the Junior Coaches to teach and support as they take on greater responsibility over the session.

Offering a mix of summer camp options, 5-8 week sessions and school-based packages, Girls Who Lead is built to meet girls where they are at, and encourage progress in leadership and movement.

Topics can include: leadership, communication, body image, gratitude, goal setting and celebrating who you are, while movement opportunities can include: fundamental movement patterns through learning to fall, strength training, playground games, archery, etc. Our mission is to give girls a chance to try something new so they can confidently join in when future opportunities arise!