The Girls’ Network

During this year at Havant Academy, 15 girls in year 10 have been working with The Girls’ Network. The Girls’ Network’s mission is to inspire and empower girls by connecting them with a mentor and a network of female professional role models.
 
The Girls’ Network was formed in 2013 by secondary school teachers, Charly and Becca, who had noticed a number of barriers faced by their female students. They established a one-to-one mentoring scheme for 30 girls in their schools, based on research showing that conversations and personal relationships could have a big impact on challenging stereotypes and expectations. They believed that the girls needed greater access to opportunities, but also the confidence to seize those opportunities and the skills to thrive in them.
 
The Girls’ Network mentoring was soon in high demand, and now operates across London, Merseyside, Portsmouth, Southampton, Sussex, Tees Valley, Tyne & Wear and the West Midlands, working with around 1000 girls each year. Nationally, the impact has been incredibly positive with 93% of students surveyed stating that they believed their mentor has helped them feel more positive about their futures.
 
At Havant Academy, the students meet with their mentors after school and have now built relationships with mentors from a variety of professions across Hampshire. To begin with, the girls completed a survey so they could be matched up with women from an area of business that they may be interested in pursuing after school. This connection has allowed them to discuss ambitions and aspirations whilst having another source of support. Some students have already agreed to shadow their mentors so they can see first-hand their experiences in their chosen profession.
 
Students who have been involved in the programme have found the experience incredibly positive. Once students complete their year-long mentoring journey, they graduate and become part of a lifelong Ambassador Community. This means that our students will have access to a number of groups that support women in business and be part of a network that they can utilise throughout their careers. We are hopeful that our girls may even become mentors themselves one day.
 
We look forward to continuing working with The Girls’ Network in the future.
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