Journalism for Empowerment
We understand empowerment as expanding personal choice and strengthening voice. Through our journalism education program and our broader engagement with the local community, Girl Reports builds capacity for girls to exercise choice and use their voices in many spheres of influence (e.g., family, community, market, and state). Girl Reports partners with local schools and youth-serving organizations to empower teachers with instructional resources, support services, and international volunteers. The Girl Reports program gives underserved girls aged 12-20 a platform for self-expression, leadership, civic engagement, and skill development.
The Curriculum
The Girl Reports curriculum is a multi-year program that incorporates classroom, experiential, and genre and project-based learning. Each lesson guides the girls in developing the competencies needed to create their own community magazine. New lessons build upon knowledge gained in previous lessons, so the girls understand 1) the history and value of journalism in a democracy and as a communication medium, 2) increase their English-language communication skills, 3) practice critical thinking, and 4) learn transferrable technical, professional, and socio-emotional skills. Girl Reports also includes mentorship and leadership education.
The Magazine
Girl Reports produces community news magazines, written by the participants in its journalism program. The girls write articles on what’s happening at their school, in their community, and in their country. The magazine gives girls the opportunity to explore their voice and their culture, providing unique insight into their society, traditions, and the gender-based inequalities that shape their lives.
Why Journalism?
Journalism shines a light into corners of the world people might otherwise miss. It has the power to elevate voices and uncover truth. These principles are at the core of our mission. With a more complete, authentic, and inclusive picture of the world, we can make our corner of it a better place. At the heart of all we do, is the empowerment of young, underserved women. We help them harness the power of journalism to develop transferable skills in communications, technology, and leadership. By giving them a platform and teaching them the skills needed to interview people in all tiers of society, we help them see they have the right to be in rooms where decisions are made. They also learn to embrace the responsibility of showing the effects of those decisions on common people. That responsibility to readers empowers them to lift their voices to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
Four Key Competencies
Our journalism education program develops critical skills in four key areas: Communication, Computer Literacy, Engagement, and Leadership.
