Outreach

Girls may be very excited to be part of a girls’ group but their parents or guardians may be a little uncertain of what it is all about (or, the reverse may be true). We have found that it can be helpful to reach out to girls and their parents and guardians simultaneously. Girls and their parents and guardians will access information from different places, so find out which ways you can best connect to both parents and guardians and girls in your community.

Different parts of your community will also access information differently. For example, you may need to write or translate your message into the languages spoken locally in order to connect as widely as possible with potential participants in different communities. It is also important to think about where people will go to access this information and what kind of information will interest girls and their parents respectively.

Things to think about when doing outreach to girls:

• How will you reach girls?

• Who are you targeting? What age, 9 or 14 or 16? What communities?

• Where will different communities connect with your message?

• Do you have allies that can help get the word out in communities you are not as connected to?

• Is your program able to meet the needs of all the girls you are reaching out to? For example, is your meeting space wheelchair accessible?

• What is your promotion strategy?

• Do girls relate to your promotional material?

• Are you reaching a diverse audience?

• Is your program accessible to girls with special needs or who require care workers?

• Is your material accessible to a diversity of girls?

• Do you need community representation on your board or advisory committee to strengthen outreach efforts?

• Get feedback from a variety of girls on your promotional materials, including the content and design.

Some things to think about when making promotional material:

• Use youth-friendly language that speaks to girls and that they can relate to; try using their language.

• Try to incorporate visuals like graphics and interesting design that will appeal to girls.

• Use images of girls that represent a diversity of girls (age, size, ability, race, and so on).

• Think about the age of the girls you are targeting. What is cool or not cool?

• Tailor your outreach to be appropriate for the age groups you want to attract. Outreach and promotion strategies will be very different for 10-year-old girls or 15-year-old young women.

• Outreach and promotional strategies can include engaging schools and local community centres, youth organizations, media, and more.

• Don’t forget to mention what will be happening in your girls’ program!

• Food is an important part of creating a girls’ space and engaging girls.

• You may need to offer travel subsidies for girls to take the bus, etc. in order to get to your program. If you are offering subsidies make sure you mention this in the promotional materials.

• Have you considered a media strategy?

• Have you thought about why you are doing work with girls?

For a Sample Outreach Letter for Girls see Appendix 1.