HelpLine recently received a 2021 Women’s Fund of Central Ohio grant for the second consecutive year for the Thank Goodness I’m Female (TGIF) Leadership Cohort. The TGIF Leadership Cohort is a skills building leadership group for high school students identifying as girls. The cohort is based around a “you can’t be what you can’t see” model, providing a unique space for participants to engage with peer and adult wo
men leaders to develop, cultivate, and implement leadership skills and influence social change through a series of modules, community service projects, and a capstone project.
The cohort creates opportunities for girls to nurture, cultivate, and implement leadership and communication skills (e.g. public speaking, advocacy). Modules are developed by girls/women for girls, are facilitated by women, peer, or community experts, with opportunities for participants to ask questions and make meaningful connections. The TGIF Leadership Cohort will serve 10 high school students identifying as girls from the following schools in Delaware County: Buckeye Valley, Olentangy District High Schools, Delaware Hayes, and Big Walnut. The Cohort allows past participants to participate as mentors for continued peer to peer support.
The first Cohort was initiated in 2020, and after one in-person meeting in February, with leadership from Felicia Robinson, HelpLine Youth Empowerment Coordinator, the Cohort shifted to a virtual platform in response to the pandemic. She incorporated more opportunities for self-care and off-screen activities, along with care packages for the participants, in response to the changing need of the Cohort members. Participants also received care box items which included key chains, water bottles, GSG shirts, recipe cards of participants’ favorite recipes to share, coloring books, pencils, journals, tote bag, and books.
The modules for the 2021 Cohort are:
- Time Management
- Stress Management and Self-Care/Wellness
- Leadership in Your School and Beyond
- Assertive Communication and Public Speaking
- Finding Your Leadership Style
- Advocacy, Allyship, and Good Trouble
Recruitment is happening for the 2021 TGIF Cohort. For more information, contact Felicia at frobinson@helplinedelmor.org
