About Girls Friendly Society
GFS wants girls and young women to be free to be themselves and feel proud of who they are. Sadly, girls as young as 6 tell GFS they can’t be.
Due to harmful gender stereotypes and expectations, girls experience a severe drop in confidence by the age of 11. This negatively impacts their self-esteem, their relationships and their wellbeing.
GFS’ mission is to support and inspire girls and young women and they achieve this through early intervention, working to prevent the confidence drop, rather than reverse it.
They mainly work with girls in areas of England and Wales experiencing high levels of deprivation, where they know girls’ futures are disproportionately threatened.
GFS creates spaces where girls feel safe and valued, so they can build strong foundations to prepare them for life’s challenges.
They run 30 weekly community groups across England and Wales and they also work with schools.
Girls Friendly Society's Challenges
High competition for funding is a challenge for GFS.
They keep weekly fees low to remain accessible (typically £2) and they offer a fee waiver to all girls who need one to attend a group.
Donations enable GFS to continue their work in areas affected by high levels of poverty, including their fee waiver scheme and free annual group trips. These help to ensure all GFS girls have equal access to opportunities.
Girls Friendly Society's Achievements
“GFS gives her the space to be herself and not try and be who she thinks others expect her to be.” Parent of a GFS girl.
Last year, GFS supported 1,518 girls across England and Wales, involving:
- 29 weekly community groups
- 17 workshops in schools
- 49 events and trips
- 260 incredible volunteers
Their outcomes demonstrate their impact in four key areas:
- Wellbeing: 92% of parents say GFS offers an environment where girls can be themselves without feeling judged.
- Relationships: 87% of parents say GFS has helped their child develop new and/or more positive relationships with peers.
- Confidence: 82% of parents say GFS has given their child more confidence to speak up or express themselves.
- Accessing Opportunities: 95% of parents say GFS has given their child the chance to try new things.
