A Model Program November 2004

A Model Program

The Great Independent Rockin’ Loyal Sisters of
Polk County
by Brooke Whitley, CSW, Polk County DHS Juvenile Justice Unit.

Data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention conclude, as summarized by Howard Snyder, "Adolescents today are better off than they have been overall, however… whatever we are doing [as far as interventions] works for boys but not girls." Studies show that girls respond differently to the interventions traditionally used with both boys and girls. The most recent survey conducted by The Commonwealth Fund on the health of adolescent girls shows that self-confidence and health ratings declined in high school for girls but not for boys. One in seven older girls registered low self-confidence, a sharp increase compared with the prevalence of low self-confidence among younger girls. (The Commonwealth Fund. November 1997. The Commonwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls.) A Social Worker in the Polk County Juvenile Justice Unit, Brooke Whitley, has recently developed a Girls Group. The Girls Group is intended to specifically reach girls and focus on the areas where they have such wonderful strengths.

A primary goal in developing this group is to reach those girls who may not have opportunities to learn these often taken-for-granted skills and to introduce the girls to opportunities that may not otherwise be available to them. The girls learn a skill from a woman in the community and then leave with supplies so they can continue their newly-found talents at home. Group members will also be taking some field trips so they can be exposed to some cultural activities as well as career opportunities. Some of the activities are very stereotypical feminine activities (scrapbooking, stamping, etc.). That was done on purpose, as many of the girls have not had stereotypical lives. Participation in this group will give them a chance to just be girls while empowering them and instilling a sense of pride and accomplishment – things that no one can ever take away from them.

We wanted to link the girls with women in the area communities -- the response has been wonderful. The girls will return the generosity by volunteering their time and efforts back to the community. The support and encouragement received from individuals, businesses and clubs throughout the county has also been extraordinary. The adults involved are so excited to see this group get started that it continues to fuel the excitement of the girls as well their facilitator. As long as there continues to be generous support financially, with supplies and most importantly women who are willing to share their skills with the girls, the group will continue for a very long time.

G.I.R.L.S Group Reflection

The word "Girls" has been put into an acronym because the girls in the group came up with a new name. The "Polk County Girls Group" was just a little too boring! So, our group is now called the Great Independent Rockin’ Loyal Sisters. The fact that the girls came up with such a catchy name for the group met one of my goals: the girls need to "own" the group. I wanted them to feel proud of their group and for it to be molded by them. I simply coordinate the services and offer support, but it is the girls that run the group.

This is not a therapy or counseling group. We do not get into our "stories" or our histories. We get together to have fun and relax. Below, I have outlined my goals and how they have been met so far:

Let the girls just be girls

It is so fun to watch them work on their projects. They laugh and giggle and joke around with each other. While they are working on their project, they are talking about boys (appropriately), clothes, celebrities, music, etc. On days when we can relax, they lounge on the floor with their shoes off and their guards down. The girls love to eat! I found that out at the first group. Just having popcorn was not enough. When girls are just with girls, they actually eat! So, we now have PB&J sandwiches and fruit every group and the girls love it. Something so simple (PB&J) has turned out to be something the girls could count on and really enjoy.

Expand their horizons just a little bit

Many of the girls had never been exposed to these activities. When they are learning about a new hobby or skill they are like "sponges". They are quiet and concentrating. They are incredible talented and gifted. They amaze our guests and themselves. One girls said about watercolor painting, "I had no idea I was so good at watercolor painting!" None of them had ever been to a live musical before either. That was quite an experience for them. They left the musical singing the songs from Little Shop of Horrors.

After each group there is usually at least one girl who was particularly drawn to the topic. She will inquire further and even consider her newly discovered skill as more than a hobby.

The girls are continuing their skills at home (or foster home or group home). They are choosing to do these healthy activities instead of something unhealthy that they did before.

Provide healthy female relationships

Many of the girls do not have good female-female relationships. The number one rule in our group is Respect and they do just that. They are exchanging numbers and listening to each other. They compliment each other on their work. When we did a day of cosmetology and makeup they gave positive feedback toward each other. There are no rude behaviors in this group.

Link with the community

Most of our donors are people in the community. I wrote letters to local clubs, organizations and businesses. The response was phenomenal. Without the generous donations from these people, there would not be a girls group. I spoke with several of the clubs as well. They have invited me back and have asked that I bring some of the girls to talk about the group. We have offered our volunteer services to area clubs so that we can "pay back" the community for their support. The girls often ask, "when do we get to volunteer?" A journalist from a local newspaper came and interviewed the girls. They did such a nice job and I was very proud of them.

Connect with positive women

These are girls that do not have positive, strong females in their lives. Through the group they meet a new woman from the community each week. They connect with them through an activity and then they become someone in their life that does not judge them, scoff at them or hurt them. Several of the girls have seen a past guest somewhere in the community and approached them and talked to them. They tell them who they are and thank them for teaching whatever it was they learned. I often have a former guest say to me, "I saw one of the girls from group at the [grocery store]. We talked and she was so sweet."

One of the things I noticed from the girls were comments that came up often. One or more of the girls would often ask, "Why are these women doing this for us?" "How come she is so nice to us?" "Who got this stuff for us?" "We really get to do that?" These girls found it hard to believe that someone in the community, a regular person, would pay attention to them. They soaked up the positive interactions they had with the women who were our guests.

Access the public library

At the end of each group we go to the county library. The librarian has books on that day's topic ready for them. She also sets out books that are of particular interest to teen girls. It turned out that going to the library was one of the best parts of the group for their girls. None of the girls had ever had a library card before. One girl had never read an entire book before. Now she is reading one per week! They check out books and movies and even order books that they had heard about from somewhere else.

Improve self esteem

The girls don’t know that it is an esteem building group, but it inherently is. When they see what they can accomplish, they just light right up. They are discovering hidden talents and new relationships.

When: We meet once per week from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at DHS unless we have a field trip.