Conversation and Connection!
Thursday,
November 20
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Refine, practice and perfect your elevator pitch.
Bring business cards and organizational brochures.
Expand your sphere of influence.
Network with others who are changing the lives of girls for the better.
Learn about new opportunities for girls.
Discover opportunities for collaboration.
Share research and best practice ideas.
Meet new colleagues. |
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| Get Connected!
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Join the Girls Coalition of Southwestern Pennsylvania today!
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| The Girls Coalition is suppported by a grant from the FISA Foundation
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Visit Our Sponsor
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The Connection
The e-newsletter of the Girls Coalition of Southwestern Pennsylvania
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FIRST ANNUAL GIRLS COALITION CONFERENCE
Save the date: Thursday, January 29, 2009
Place: Sheraton Station Square Hotel
Time: 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
- Focus on promoting the health, well being and empowerment of girls
- Featuring
national and local speakers, including Peggy Orenstein, columnist and
author, and Leslie Bonci, Director of Sports Medicine Nutrition at UPMC
- Be part of a regional dialogue
- Learn about cutting edge research and best practices
- Create a promising future for girls
Greetings!
Registration for our first annual conference will open in early December. Final details and registration information will be sent out via email and posted here on the Girls Coalition website. We hope you will attend and help us spread the word! Sincerely,
Girls Coalition Southwestern Pennsylvania |
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Monthly Poll
November Poll
By answering three short questions, you will
be able to share with us your thoughts and insights on issues that
affect the
girls in our region.
Click here and push the "vote" button to take the poll. It takes less than a minute to make your voice heard!
September Poll Results Summary
The
first Girls Coalition monthly poll, presented in the September
Newsletter, asked readers to indicate what they thought was the number
one issue impacting the health of girls in their community. More than
half (54%) of our respondents indicated that engaging in risky behavior impacts girls most significantly while one third (36%) pointed
to girls' emotional well-being as being the main concern for girls'
health.
The
second poll question asked about the biggest challenges organizations
face in developing collaborations. 63 percent of respondents indicated
that evaluation of collaboration outcomes is the main challenge in
developing partnerships between agencies. Defining benefits of
collaboration and finding partners both received 18 percent of the
readers' vote.
In
the coming months, we will explore these topics in greater detail and
we will also present poll questions submitted by newsletter readers. If
you have questions you would like to have answered in a monthly poll or
have comments you would like to share with the Girls Coalition, please
email them to info@girlscoalitionswpa.org. |
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Events and Announcements
Reminder!
Conversation and Connection Networking Event
When: This Thursday, November 20, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Where: Calvary Episcopal Church 315 Shady Avenue DirectionsAttendees, please remember to bring your business cards and organizational brochures to share with your colleagues. We look forward to seeing you there! For last minute registration, please email Stephanie at sfedrobyrom@girlscoalitionswpa.org.
Member Announcement: Tobacco Free Allegheny
Youth Programming: The TRUTH About Tobacco
Is your
after-school program in need of supplemental activities? Tobacco Free Allegheny
(TFA) has developed a pilot project for youth programs - The TRUTH About
Tobacco. This program
was specifically designed for community-based organizations and can be easily
incorporated into existing youth programming. The TRUTH About Tobacco is a fun, interactive set of
activities to be used with children and young teenagers that addresses core
knowledge areas associated with preventing youth tobacco use: Awareness,
Decision Making & Self-Esteem, Family Involvement, Health & Wellness,
Media Literacy and Refusal Skills. Call or e-mail our Program Coordinator, Erin
Lydon-Kline, to learn more about this free program! 412-322-8321 x302. elydonkline@tobaccofreeallegheny.org
Member Announcement: Dr. Willa Doswell
Dr. Willa Doswell, Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, is in the process of r ecruiting participants for two studies: A Study of Teen Girls' Views on Violence within Boy-Girl Relationships
Why: To describe teen girls' views on violence within boy-girl relationships Where: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, 3500 Victoria Street When: Fall/winter 2008 Who: Young, non-pregnant women between the ages of 12-18 years Click here for more information or call 412.624.3840
A Study of the New HPV Vaccine
What: A multi-ethnic study of mothers and their daughters entitled MPDAC: Mothers Protecting Daughters Against Cancer Why: To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and intentions of mothers with early teen daughters regarding the new HPV vaccine Where: University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, 3500 Victoria Street and local churches When: One 2-hour discussion session for moms and daughters and a one 90-minute information session for moms in spring 2008 Who: All mothers of girls ages 9-12, 15-16 Mothers will receive $10 for participating in the first session and $25 for participating in the second session. Daughters will receive $10 for their participation. Click here for more information or call 412.624.3840. |
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Get Connected!
Call for Members
Join the Girls Coalition and enjoy these benefits to membership:
- Raise the profile of your organization through a detailed profile in the Annual Resource Directory of Girl-serving organizations
- Post and promote your events on the Girls Coalition website
- Reach Girls Coalition members with eblasts about your organization's monthly events and special opportunities
- Learn about the latest information, resources, and trends about girls
- Receive advanced notice for all Girls Coalition professional development and educational events
- Connect and collaborate with a network of like-minded agencies and individuals on projects and amplify the regional profile of girls and girls' issues
Download Girls Coalition membership application now.
Welcome, New Girls Coalition Members!
See a full listing of Girls Coalition members. |
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Profiles
Call for Amazing Girl Nominations
Our Amazing Girl feature will return in December. In the meantime, please let us know about an Amazing Girl you know. We are always accepting nominations for "Amazing Girls" to be featured in our newsletter. We have established broad criteria to consider when submitting an "Amazing Girl." We are interested in showcasing girls who
demonstrate the following characteristics: leadership; commitment and willingness to work hard; perseverance; the
drive to excel despite challenge; and creativity. The purpose of this feature is to hear about
girls who may be "truly amazing" but have not yet been recognized. Please share your recommendations, and we can all see how she shines! Send us an email about an Amazing Girl you think we should profile.
Member Profile: Strong Women, Strong Girls
The foundation for becoming a strong woman is started early
in a girl's life. The lessons and
skills she learns, even before reaching puberty, often determine how she views
herself, how she views the world, and how big she is willing to dream.
Strong Women, Strong Girls is an after school mentoring program that raises the
aspirations and self-esteem of girls in g rades 3-5. The program pairs teams of college women, who
volunteer as mentors, with small groups of girls one afternoon per week. Each week, the girls involved in the program
learn about a contemporary or historic female role model, focus on one of the
program's ten "Countdown to Success" skills, and work on a variety of
leadership and self-esteem development activities. The program is designed to provide young
girls with the skills they need to become strong and successful women of the
future by engaging them in activities that are both educational and fun!
This year, more than 200 girls at 14 elementary schools and
community centers participate in SWSG programming throughout Pittsburgh.
Have you ever heard of Sabriye Tenberken? Ask any of the girls in our progra m and
they'll tell you she's just one of the many women they've learned about during
their time with SWSG. Sabriye learned
through her perseverance and determination that being blind doesn't restrict
you from reaching your goals. She went
on to develop a system for Tibetan Braille and opened a school for the blind. Through exposure to strong female role models,
such as Sabriye and the college mentors, the young girls will build the skills
and the confidence needed to help them achieve their highest aspirations. |
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Resources
Female Juvenile Delinquency
Local expert: Violence Involving Girls On the rise
Read article here
The Girls Study Group (GSG) of The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) sponsored a series of studies that probed the following questions:
- Which girls become delinquent?
- What factors protect girls from delinquency?
- What factors put girls at risk for delinquency?
- What pathways lead to girls' delinquency?
- What programs are most effective in preventing girls' delinquency?
- How should the juvenile justice system respond to girls' delinquency?
For more information on the Girls Study Group and to read the bulletins examining the above questions, click here. |
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Opportunities
Member Job Opportunity: Adagio Health
Adagio Health, a non-profit health care agency headquartered in downtown Pittsburgh,
PA, provides services to women and their families in western
Pennsylvania. Adagio Health services include comprehensive gynecology
and obstetrics care, nutrition counseling, screening for breast and cervical
cancer, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, community
education, training, research, and a regional program to reduce teen
pregnancy. For more information regarding our agency please visit our
website at www.adagiohealth.org.
Seeking a
Research Associate to work on applied research projects. The job responsibilities
include day-to-day management of behavioral research projects, qualitative
and quantitative data collection and analysis, and report preparation. Position requires Masters Degree with Public Health or social science
research background, excellent communication skills and proficiency in
statistics and SPSS software required.
Salary
Range: $31,800 - $43,300
An attractive benefits package is available that
includes health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, pension,
employee assistance program, holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
Member Job Opportunity: Girls, Math & Science Partnership
Program Manager, Carnegie Science Center
The Girls, Math & Science Partnership at Carnegie Science Center
seeks a manager to run the national Click! Spy School Program for middle school
girls in addition to other programs, including GirlTalk Radio, events,
workshops, and trainings. Full-time position with excellent
benefits.
Degree plus minimum 3-4 years experience, or equivalent
combination with successful creation and implementation of programs for middle
school girls. Must have excellent people and organizational skills with a deep
understanding of technology. Ability to relate to and manage stakeholders and
vendors inside and outside of the organization required. We are seeking
an individual with the ability to communicate science-related topics in a hip,
relevant, and cutting-edge way. Must relish a work-environment that is
fast-paced, innovative, and growth-oriented.
To apply, please visit our website at www.carnegiemuseums.org/hr
to create a profile and upload your cover letter and resume. Previous
applicants need not reapply but should ensure a cover letter is posted on their
online application. Applications with cover letters submitted by December
1st will receive first consideration. EOE
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Cool Stuff for Girls
Engaging and helping girls succeed in math and science
Remember Danica McKellar AKA Winny from the Wonder Years? Well, she is also an internationally recognized mathematician who happens to have a mathematical physics theorem bearing her name and who has written Math Doesn't Suck and Kiss my Math. The books provide middle school girls with tools and tips for understanding math and help to foster a love, or at least a liking of the subject.
Pittsburgh is incredibly lucky to have its own resource to see that our local girls succeed in math and science through the Girls, Math & Science Partnership (GMSP). The GMSP "embraces girls as architects of change - envisioning, planning,
organizing, shaping, and building a better world - with math and
science as their tools." Click here to learn more and see a fabulous, girl-friendly website. Oh, and parents and teachers will love it too!
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