TV six key messages for girls...

3. TV six key messages for girls... • Your looks are the most important thing about you • Your physical characteristics (shape, weight, skin, hair, teeth, colour, smell) are NEVER EVER good enough • Sex is primarily a currency that you exchange for love, attention & power • It is normal to have sex with people you don’t even know or especially like • The world is a scary, lonely, dangerous & competitive place. Better get going – you might lose the race • The answer to all life’s problems is to buy something

4. the girls... • Ages 13-18 • Potential to achieve • Disengaged at crucial time • Danger of falling into NEET • Lack of positive role model at home • No history of higher education • Relationship challenges • Inability to articulate needs • Lack of ASPIRATION/S

5. A year long mentoring programme • 121 and group activities • Introducing the girls to role models (Big Sisters) • Influence helps change their attitudes, self-belief and life-plans • Helps them to acquire a more empowering mind-set • Broadens their aspirations • Encourages them to find their individual voice • Re-connects them to education • Helps them to make better life decisions

6. What we do • 20 Big Sisters • Volunteers from all walks of life – confident in who they are with knowledge & experience to share • GOL database – 1000+ women who want to get involved • Involvement questionnaire • Training (4 sessions including Safe Guarding) • On going training during the year (2 sessions) • CRB / references • 20 Girls • Criteria – to be decided with school (eg girls not reaching their potential – attitude to learning & attendance issues) • Match making

7. 121 (minimum 10 sessions across the year) • After/during school • Open plan room – tea/coffee • Every 2/3 weeks – 1 hour • Agreement between the girls & Big Sisters • Goal setting • Monitored, reviewed, progressed...

8. Group (minimum 6 activities) • Launch • Personal Safety workshop • ‘outdoor’ – team building activities (MMU campus) • Creative work shop (during the summer hols) • ZUMBA • Crewe Alexander • Graduation

9. Girls – what they wanted from their Big Sister: • To help me • Build confidence • Someone to talk to • Help with career choice • Learn new things • Learn more about life & how it works

10. Pilot outcomes • CONFIDENCE – pivotal to long term success • Attendance – 62.5% improvement • Attitude to learning – 75% improvement • 15 girls graduated • Reduction in exclusions • All progressing to college/army • No pregnancies “our girls have significantly grown in confidence over the last 7 months” “I used to be in trouble in school and out of school – I’m not going back to that life” “I’m more confident and I am aiming higher than I would have done” “Someone to talk to – she has helped me with my CV – told me things I didn’t know about”

12. “its changed my life”

13. “I want to go to university”

14. “I have now taken this up as a hobby”

15. ‘I’m going to college...’

16. After graduation: • Invited to join own girls/big sisters website/facebook community • Ongoing communication • News, tips, events, comment.. • Follow up meetings at college • Relationships encouraged – girls/big sisters to continue informally • Track girls progress  Big Sisters....

17. Big Sister • Crewe 2 • Salford • Oldham • STARDOM • Discovery Day • Role Mole Relay

18. Why GOL • Track record – it works... • Quality of Big Sisters (volunteers) • Year long programme – time to make a difference long term • Power & support of the group (20 girls & 20 Big Sisters) • Combination of 121 & group activities • GOL business & educational background – • GOL brand & professionalism

19. What next? • More pilots • Build up more evidence • Make a noise! • Roll out UK & beyond…

20. THANK YOU