“When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde
Girls Leadership is excited to announce our latest training, the Power ColLABorative, amplifying the voices of girls and educators in a culturally responsive, SEL-based training for professionals who work with girls.
In Education Week’s recent special report, Blind Spots in Teacher Professional Development, they let the ground-level experts lead the way, asking teachers what they saw as PD blind spots and then digging in on causes and solutions. Professional development happens every year, for every teacher. And yet there’s broad agreement among those who participate that it often—very often—misses the mark. The trainings fail to take teachers’ prior knowledge and experience into account, or use instructional techniques that wouldn’t work with students. The things teachers say they want to learn—how to recover when a lesson goes south, how to recognize their own biases and design activities that reach all learners—are often overlooked. And even when teachers get PD in topics they know are important, like trauma-informed teaching and suicide prevention, the sessions are crammed in amid a growing list of training requirements, and can end up feeling shallow.
That’s why we’re offering the Power ColLABorative training.
In order to encourage the social-emotional growth of girls, we have to examine and support our own social and emotional growth. Participants in the Power ColLABorative will work together to develop practices that include mindfulness, self-compassion, navigating conflict, and identifying values, beliefs, and biases. After two days, participants will have a powerful group of peers to continue collaboration, new tools and strategies to practice, and an engaging curriculum to support the power of voice of girls in your community.
This summer, join us in California, Colorado, or New York.
What Will I Learn?
Participants will delve into the latest research on the world of girls today, explore what it means to be a culturally responsive practitioner, and develop strategies to address trauma from an asset-based approach.
- Learn about social-emotional concepts and tools for girls to address the loss of voice and confidence in middle school, and the growing rise in anxiety and depression;
- Learn how to create brave spaces in which girls can be themselves;
- Engage in culturally responsive mindsets and practices;
- Explore how to address trauma from an asset-based approach;
- Learn about the brain-body connection and how it impacts responses to trauma;
- Learn Girls Leadership’s unique games and activities; and
- Share strategies and experiences with your colleagues.
Who is this program designed for?
This program is designed for professionals working with girls in grades 5-12. Note that the curriculum was developed specifically for 6th-8th grades, with the ability to adapt for other grades.
To participate you must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Employment by a school or youth services organization
- Employment as a clinician working with youth, including private practice
- In a formal volunteer position with a youth services organization
And you are…
- Interested in implementing culturally responsive, SEL-based curriculum to support the girls you serve.
- Interested in learning about trauma-informed teaching practices from an asset-based lens.
- Ready to role model acknowledging and speaking your truth.
- Excited to collaborate with other professionals and share your knowledge, skills, and wisdom.
If so, we would like to extend an invitation for you to join the Power ColLABorative.
How does the curriculum include the voices of girls?
Using a culturally responsive and trauma-informed lens, we facilitate social-emotional learning-based content focused on the following five domains:
- Mindfulness + Self-Compassion
- Identity + Self-Awareness
- Diversity + Social-Awareness
- Community + Relationship Skills
- Advocacy + Action
Our curriculum was developed in partnership with middle school girls in grades 6-8 from across the country. We are fortunate to partner with Girls Athletics Leadership School in Denver and Los Angeles, The Young Women’s Leadership Schools in the Bronx and Astoria, and United Playaz and West Bay Pilipino Services Center in San Francisco to support the development, testing, and iteration of our lessons.
Why is it called Power ColLABorative?
We’re in this work together and dedicated to taking a Liberatory Design Thinking mindset in iterating our training and curriculum. We utilize your evaluation and feedback as a driving force for change and responsiveness to your needs and to the needs of the girls you serve. As a collaborator, you’ll be able to share ongoing feedback with our team as you implement the curriculum and apply the strategies and skills with your girls (and any and all youth you serve!).
The design for the Power ColLABorative training is built on 9 years of experience in training professionals.
Past Professional Development Participants:
Girls on the Run, SquashDrive, YWCA of Berkeley and Oakland, Bay Area Girls Unite, Girl Ventures, MISSEY, Summer Search, Girls Leading Girls, Oakland Lacrosse, Soccer Without Borders, YMCA PG&E Teen Center, Jamestown Community Center, Oakland Unified School District, Berkeley Unified School District, The Latina Center, Ophelia’s Place (Eugene, OR), Spark Girl Empowerment, Women’s Therapy Institute, and Mission Girls.
“I’m humbled and honored to have been through this pilot training. I believe in the direction of Girls Leadership and the quality of their staff and their training material. Bravo!”
“I was so impressed by the facilitation of this training, the content, and the whole experience. THANK YOU!”
How much does it cost?
$750
Girls Leadership is committed to providing equal access to programs. We are able to offer need-based scholarship assistance with reliance on funding from donors, corporations, and foundations. We award need-based scholarships on a sliding scale up to $600. Applications are considered in the order they are received. Scholarships will be awarded based on explanation of need and funding available.
Training Schedule:
Day 1, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Day 2, 9:00am – 4:00pm
Please be advised that registration does not guarantee enrollment. You will be notified of your application’s status within two weeks of its submission. Applications are processed in the order received. Please be advised that completion of this training does not authorize individuals to sell the program or train others to teach it.
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