ophelia's voice

calling youth with ideas!

2009-06-09T14:23:00.003-06:00

So first of all, it's been over a month since I posted to this blog. Oops. Forgive me! However ... my school choice is decided. University of Toronto, here I come! If you know of some great places to eat or hang out in Toronto (or some great feminist-y organizations to get involved with), I'd be happy to hear about them!

Anyways, the Edmonton Social Planning Council launched a really interesting Youth Internship Program. They are supporting young people between the ages of 15 - 25 to initiate a social justice project! They offer desk space, computer access, printing/photocopying, links with their networks, and general support that would be very helpful. Youth can start in the summer or in the school year, and applications and more information can be found at http://www.edmontonsocialplanning.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=509&Itemid=215

On the note of leadership projects & social activism, I want to do a shout-out to the OV girls who are, at the ages of 11, 12, 13, and 14, are kicking butt and raising awareness about social causes that matter to them. Breast cancer research, animal cruelty, the genocide in Darfur, you name it. These girls are on it & are already in the hundreds with their fundraising! Way to go girls!

I love discovering resources that support activism and project development, and here's a great one. TakingITGlobal is offering an e-course in project development for youth called Sprout. I think they've begun their first cycle, but keep an eye out for their newsletters & upcoming applications. They connect you with a mentor and support you the entire way through.

Also, if you're a young woman who wants to launch an action project in your community, registrations for the ELLE Project, hosted by the Girls Action Foundation, are coming up soon! Check here for details - I took it last year and it was phenomenal.

And finally, if you're a girl looking to make an impact with technology, Microsoft has a special program on how to create podcasts and websites. It's full of resources, and available here.

Happy activist-ing!

Joanne

I've got a beef.

2009-04-28T15:01:00.004-06:00

I was listening to the radio the other day and I had the pleasure of hearing the song "Don't Trust Me" by 3Oh!3. For those of you that haven't heard it, here's the chorus:

"Shush girl, shut your lips
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips
I said shush girl, shut your lips
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips"

I was shocked. Aside from the blatant messages that girls' place in society is to shut up and be stared at, they use Helen Keller as a metaphor. Helen Keller dedicated her life, as a blind and deaf woman, to being listened to in a society that was extraordinarily ableist. I'm disgusted this band dared to defame the name of such a role model to suggest girls and women today are worth little more than their ass.

I've had enough of song lyrics like this. I can't believe we, as consumers and listeners, side idly by and listen to and enjoy this music without even questioning the messages. For a society that claims it's progressive when it comes to women's rights, I'm going to have to disagree while songs like this make the Top 40 list.

Let's all do ourselves some good and listen to some India.Arie!

calling all girl & women writers!

2009-04-15T14:06:00.003-06:00

Ophelia's Voice is launching a very exciting Legacy Book Project and we are collecting 250-word submissions from girls and adult women about their reflections on female leadership. These submissions will be compiled into a book available late June 2009.

For girls, we are asking them to write a letter to yourself at the age of 30. What do you hope you will have accomplished by age 30? What will you want to remember about being a teenage girl? How do you hope the world will have changed?

For adult women, we are asking them to write a letter to yourself at the age of 13. What would you tell yourself about your potential about being a leader? What advice do you wish you had at the age of 13?

You can find the submission form here.

Our submission deadline is April 30, 2009 - so hurry!

work with girls in Edmonton? let's network!

2009-04-15T13:58:00.002-06:00

Ophelia's Voice is very excited to host a Girls Stakeholders Networking Meeting from 9 am - noon on Friday, May 22, 2009 at the Stanley A. Milner Library Centennial Room (downtown).

If your agency:
- works with girls or young women in any capacity (counselling, violence prevention, intervention, leadership development, volunteer recruitment)
- is looking for opportunities to network, exchange resources and best practices, and discuss common challenges

This is the event for you!

There is no limit for the number of attendees per organization, so bring your executive director, program delivery staff, program managers, and even participants. We also ask that attendees bring promotional materials about their organization and programs, and any display copies of resources they find helpful in their work (i.e. a manual, workshop guide, video) to be part of a mini "resource fair".

If you're interested in attending, email your name and agency to joanne@opheliasvoice.org before May 15, 2009. We are filling up quickly!

For more information, view the invite here.

We are also investigating how to create connections between girls' groups in rural Alberta via teleconference, so contact us if you're interested in participating!

happy International Women's Day!

2009-03-08T21:14:00.002-06:00

It's International Women's Day today - how did you celebrate?

The Ophelia's Voice plan was to host a film screening of "Iron Jawed Angels" (an amazing film about women suffragettes on a hunger strike to get the vote!), but some nasty increment weather got in the way.

When I reflect on the importance of International Women's Day, I guess the first thought I have is - why isn't everyday an opportunity to celebrate women and their contributions to society?!

Whether or not we like to acknowledge it, women in today's society - and even the Western world - is very much that of a second class citizen. For example:
- In the Canadian House of Commons, 22% of the seats are occupied by women.
- Women have been considered "persons" in Canadian society only for 80 years.
- It wasn't until 1982 that women's equality was included in our Constitution.
- Canadian women still only earn $0.72 for every $1.00 a man makes.
- Women account for 83% of the victims of domestic violence in Canada.

While it's important to recognize the disheartening state of women's equality in Canada and abroad, it's also important to celebrate the amazing accomplishments and contributions of women worldwide. Some of these include:
- President Obama championing a powerful women's rights agenda
- Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton forging groundbreaking territory in U.S. politics
- Peggy Whitson was the first woman to command the International Space Station
- Women gain seats in Rwanda's Parliament, making them the 55% majority!
- Women make up 56% of the college population - a big gain from previously not being allowed to attend the institutions at all!

So celebrate women & girls on a daily basis. Read blogs like Feministing. Support organizations that do great work, like Girls Action Foundation or the Canadian Women's Foundation. Tell a woman or girl that you value them for their strength, intelligence, integrity, or leadership abilities. Speak out against sexism or sexual harassment. Call yourself a feminist and talk to others about what that means to you. Vote - it was something that had to be earned!

Whatever you choose to do - have a wonderful International Women's Day & may you carry this spirit of solidarity and justice for women in the other 364 days of the year!

what do girls need to be loved?

2009-03-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of the wonderful Girls Action Foundation!

we're making buzz: OV in the media

2009-03-01T16:24:00.002-07:00

As part of being celebrated as Global TV Edmonton's March Woman of Vision, the lovely Lesley Macdonald wrote this piece on February 27, 2009 in the Edmonton Journal on the journey that's been Ophelia's Voice:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Health/Teen+leader+driven+empower+girls/1335020/story.html

Also, watch Global TV at 6pm this Monday, March 3 to see the Woman of Vision feature on Ophelia's Voice! (My understanding is that it's being shown nationally - yikes!). If you miss it, it should be available online here.

Share your comments!

where's Joanne these days?!

2009-03-01T16:08:00.004-07:00

That's the question I've been getting a lot lately, since I've been M.I.A. for almost the entire month of February (sorry! life gets busy!). I've been back and forth to Toronto (and detouring in Calgary ...) interviewing for undergraduate scholarships - all of which are now gloriously done, with splendid results! - and tomorrow morning I'm heading to Ottawa for Equal Voice's launch of the Experiences program.

What is that, do you ask? It's all about engaging girls & young women in Canadian politics! The super-cool launch of the Experiences program begins with a youth dialogue this Tueday, March 3, at Rideau Hall with Her Excellency Michaelle Jean entitled "Women and girls changing the shape of democracy". Yours truly has been invited to be a youth facilitator for the event! :)

(I secretly suspect that when you get an invite from the Governor General's office you can't really say no, right? Some civic duty thing, haha).

What's cool about this is that 100 girls from across the country get to speak directly to Her Excellency about their barriers of getting involving in politics, and how they envision a future of political equality. Equal Voice and Status of Women Canada are the masterminds behind this incredible project.

For those of you not able to join us in Ottawa on Tuesday, there's good news - the GG is tech-savvy. The dialogue will be web-casted from 10 am - 2:30 pm (EST, I would think) and there's an online forum.

So girls - the Governor General actually wants to hear from you. Whether or not it's in this dialogue or not, you have valid opinions & people who want to listen to you. Don't be afraid to make some noise!

After I return from Ottawa I'll be sure to update!

Chris Brown - Rihanna controversy

2009-02-09T16:58:00.002-07:00

So I'm not one to thrive off celebrity gossip, but I think the recent news about the domestic abuse allegations between Chris Brown and Rihanna has implications for girls & women and society's perception of domestic abuse in general.

I don't have the specific details on this - nor am I interested - but my understanding is that Chris Brown, currently in a relationship with Rihanna, physically assaulted her & is now charged with the felony of domestic abuse. Yikes.

I can imagine how intrusive and painful and violating that must have been - never mind having it occur in the realm of public scrutiny. There's a few points I think are important to make:

- The mainstream media is going to sensationalize, sympathize, and glamorize this instance of domestic abuse since it involves high-profile celebrities ... rendering "normal" cases of domestic abuse insignificant and the same "hidden" issue they have always been.

- If it happens to celebrities, it happens to everyone, right? What worries me that this instance of domestic abuse, which involves two celebrities extremely popular with adolescent girls, will establish a sense of normalcy towards domestic abuse in general. When the public is desensitized to an act of violence, its implications are far less significant.

- At the same time, girls who look up to and respect Rihanna - or anyone who has experienced domestic abuse - can appreciate her courage and personal strength for following through this issue to a resolution - one that will likely lead to Chris Brown facing prison time. If nothing else, this case will demonstrate to young people the gravity of domestic abuse and its consequences.

America The Beautiful

2009-01-23T11:33:00.004-07:00

So this year for Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 22 - 28, 2009) the Eating Disorders Education Organization in Edmonton is hosting a film screening of the film "America The Beautiful" (in addition to their annual conference, "Letting Go & Living More").

From what I've heard about "America The Beautiful", it sounds awesome (haven't seen it yet!). EDEO's film screening is taking place at the Winspear Centre the evening of Saturday, February 28 at 8 pm. Tickets are $10 for students.

The film explores America's obsession with the beauty industry - plastic surgery, cosmetics, celebrities, and everything in between.

An excerpt from the synopsis explains it this way: "In America the Beautiful we see how these increasingly unattainable images contribute greatly to the rise in low self-esteem, body dysmorphia, and eating disorders for young women and girls who also happen to be the beauty industry's largest consumers. Who actually benefits from this high-priced journey towards this ideal? Is corporate America’s bottom line so important that it justifies a nation’s psychosis? What are the true costs of our obsession with youth, beauty, and a slender physique?"

We'll definitely be taking the Ophelia's Voice girls & some of the mentors - it sounds great.

What's interesting though is that, in the United States, the film was given a Restricted rating for one single slip of the word vagina. Hmm. Since when is a part of women's anatomy "restricted"? And remember, vaginas aren't shown in the film, just mentioned ... once. (In my mind there's a lot of derogatory words that should merit a Restricted rating, and vagina doesn't even come close).

Just some food for thought ... hope to see you at the screening!

let's have the sex talk - with books!

2009-01-14T16:54:00.003-07:00

So tonight's our healthy sexuality workshop with the girls, and in an Amazon binge to make our new resource library as huge and awesome as possible, I've been ordering a lot of books on puberty, healthy sexuality, and GLTBQ issues - books with a variety of approaches.

There's the grassroots, super-relatable, peer-to-peer style like The Little Black Book For Girlz by St. Stephen's Community House (which is great, by the way), and there's the very grandmotherly, all-you-ever-need-to-know styles like What's Happening To My Body? For Girls, Cycle Savvy, and Period. A Girl's Guide.

I recognize that girls are at different ages and levels of comfort with the subject, so I'm trying to find resources that would suit everyone - but I am noticing there's a great lack in very straight-forward, peer-to-peer resources that are comprehensive enough, queer positive, comfy to read, and not something you'd receive as a textbook for sex ed.

Head & Hands is a wicked organization in Montreal that has created the coolest peer education manual ever for healthy sexuality that is SUPER comprehensive, developed by young people, and a great resource for any kind of sex education.

Do YOU have any recommendations on healthy sexuality resources, especially ones specific to girls & young women?

Oh yeah - as always, Girls Action Foundation blows everyone else out of the water with their Sexual Health Resource Centre available here on the Kickaction website. ;)

time for a GIRLcott

2009-01-12T11:23:00.003-07:00

So when the OV girls were brainstorming an idea for the National Day of Action 2009 on February 14, they came up with a great idea to make a website/blog to "girlcott" advertisements or products that they found offensive to women and girls (and also to celebrate those that shed a positive light on girls!). That's all I'll say about the project so far, but watch closely for some updates in the upcoming weeks!

I was googling some other "girlcott" (it's a play on boycott, if it was unclear to you) efforts - the most famous being the one done by the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania towards Abercrombie & Fitch - and www.oneangrygirl.net has a whole series of companies & products she feels should be girlcotted. She posted a video on Unilever (famous for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund and "real beauty" campaign) that showed the irony between the Dove ads and the blatant sexism/objectification in Axe body spray commercials (both made by Unilever ... hmm).

Here's the video:

"Created Equal"

2009-01-06T16:04:00.007-07:00

I love this video - it's in response to the Proposition 8 passed in California back in November. Another great example of alternative media being used to affect social change. Thanks Natalia for the link!

welcome to 2009!

2009-01-06T15:49:00.004-07:00

So my blogging was halted over the holiday season because of more exciting diversions - like chocolate, gifts, and napping! - and I apologize. I hope your holidays were as restful as mine & Happy New Year!

If you've been wondering why the main website, www.opheliasvoice.org, is down - it's because our main server was infested with spiders (no joke) and a replacement should be along in a week or so. :) A day in the life of grassroots organizations ... when you rely on your older brother's basement web hosting service!

January is brimming with exciting activities for the girls, including:
- planning our National Day of Action for February 14 (I've got a great idea - why don't you host a Day of Action too? A wonderful organization called the Girl's Action Foundation is offering $400 mini-grants for young women to do some cool action in their community!)
- having a healthy sexuality workshop with OPTIONS Sexual Health Association
- going rock climbing at Vertically Inclined Rock Gym
- having a facilitation training/pizza night
- having a movie night, watching "The Education of Shelby Knox"

A word on "The Education of Shelby Knox" - the coolest girl ever in Lubbock, Texas decides her school board should implement a comprehensive sex ed curriculum and allow a gay-straight alliance. It's an amazing documentary about the struggles teen activists face, especially in very conservative communities when trying to influence public policy. Check it out!

Speaking of public policy ... are you planning to change it any time soon? Girls Action Foundation has a cool and very accessible, girl-friendly zine called "Step It Up: A Young Women's Guide To Influencing Public Policy" available here.

That's all my updates for now - have a good one! :)

Real Woman on the Run

2008-12-08T19:54:00.004-07:00

So Real Woman on the Run is a locally-owned and operated magazine from Lacombe, Alberta whose mandate is to "lead, encourage, and support all women in recognizing and honouring their natural worth as leaders of a healthy and functional society". Myself - Joanne Cave - and Ophelia's Voice were featured in their December 2008 issue! Check it out!

How are YOU going to recognize the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women this December 6?

2008-12-04T17:32:00.004-07:00

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women was ratified by the Canadian government in 1991 when 14 young women, on December 6, 1989, were killed at l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal because they were women. December 6 is supposed to be a reminder of how gender-based violence is a daily reality for many girls and women in Canada and worldwide.

Consider this:

Young women under the age of 25 experience the highest rates of violence.
When the economic costs of violence against women are analyzed, the health, criminal justice, and social services costs are thought to be in the billions.
Women are more likely than men to be victims of the most severe types of spousal abuse - spousal homicide, sexual assault, and stalking.
Violence against women has psychological, physical, social, and economic impacts on victims, their families, and societies.

Some resources:
YWCA December 6 Fund
Section 15
Status of Women Canada

Be active, be vocal & spread the word - violence against women is everybody's business.

what are your dreams for women?

2008-12-03T16:39:00.002-07:00

Dreams For Women is a community art project initiated by Ms. Magazine and the International Museum of Women that asks individuals worldwide what there dreams are for women in society. The postcards were made into a 2009 calendar and they still have 500 calendars left to sell before the end of December - the best part is, the proceeds go towards the Antigone Foundation, which will support the civic engagement of girls! Woo! Purchase the calendars here. Here's some of the fantastic postcards they received:

What are YOUR dreams for girls & women?

the girl effect

2008-12-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

the debut of our resource library!

2008-12-02T14:19:00.003-07:00

After tirelessly haunting bookstores and Amazon.com, Ophelia's Voice is ready to launch our resource library! Are you a parent, program facilitator, educator, girl, or young woman? We have resources for you - including over 50 books, newspaper articles, zines, pamphlets/brochures, and multimedia resources.

The topics include: body image, healthy sexuality, feminism, girlhood, mental health, drugs/alcohol, program development, identity, activism, relationships, and many others!

Resources can be "checked out" for a 2 week period, using our old-school index-card system, and you can access them at pre-arranged times by contacting joanne@opheliasvoice.org.

Take a peek at our online catalog here! If you have suggestions for resources, don't hesitate to forward them my way!

the sex(ual orientation) talk

2008-11-23T19:21:00.003-07:00

OPTIONS Sexual Health Association is coming in to do a workshop next month on GLBTQ issues and homophobia and so I've started doing some research and collecting resources on the issue. Before I go any further, this is an excerpt from Queen Bees & Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends & Other Realities of Adolescence (Rosalind Wiseman, 2002) on the idea of "straight until proven otherwise":

"Imagine if heterosexual individuals were asked these questions on a daily basis:

What do you think caused your heterosexuality?
When and how did you decide you were heterosexual?
Is it possible that your heterosexuality is just a phase you may grow out of?
Have you disclosed your heterosexual tendencies to anyone? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to keep these feelings to yourself?
Why do so many heterosexual seem compelled to seduce others into the heterosexual lifestyle?
If you've never slept with someone of the same sex, how do you know you wouldn't prefer it? Is it possible that you just need a good gay experience?
Why are heterosexuals so blatant, always making a spectacle of themselves? Why can't they just be who they are not flaunt their sexuality by kissing in public and wearing wedding rings?
Heterosexual marriages have total societal support, yet over half of marriages end in divorce. Why are there so few lasting heterosexual relationships?
Given the problems heterosexuals face, would you want your child to be heterosexual?
Why do heterosexuals place so much emphasis on sex?
A lot of heterosexuals seem very unhappy. Would you consider some kind of therapy to help you change?
Most child molesters are heterosexual men. Do you consider it safe to expose your child to heterosexual males? Heterosexual male teachers in particular?"

Wow, hey? It makes you realize how pervasive heteronormativity is - in the media, society's collective consciousness, and especially amongst youth with the phrase "That's so gay!" being just another slang phrase.

The Pride Centre of Edmonton and the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies at the University of Alberta are also great local resources.

Here's a great resource on heterosexism, if you're interested.

left, right, left ... a bootcamp of another sort

2008-11-06T15:43:00.003-07:00

Just a quick note ... next week from November 12 - 16 I'll be in New York City participating in Do Something's super cool Social Action Boot Camp, a one-day conference for young people under 25 who are leading non-profit organizations to build skills in areas related to sustainability, fundraising, promotion, and much more. :)

anti-oppression

2008-11-06T15:34:00.003-07:00

Things have been busy lately - we returned from the POWER Camp National Network Retreat at the end of October, and earlier this week myself and one of our interns were panelists at the Alberta Teacher's Association "Learning To Say The F Word: Gender Issues Symposium" on the future of feminism in education.

At both conferences, I started thinking a lot about "anti-oppression" and the intersections of race, class, ability, and sexual orientation with being female. I also started thinking a lot about white privilege and how that affected not only myself but the girls I work with and the community I live in.

At the ATA symposium I heard someone say something interesting about white privilege - that you don't see it unless you're on the outside looking in. One delegate commented that they did an exercise with students where they asked them to list all of their intersecting identities (Mexican, lesbian, woman, feminist, Canadian, etc.) The point of the exercise was to show that if you are part of a "mainstream" or normative group (like being male, Caucasian, or heterosexual) you don't view it as a defining part of your identity. However, for women, sexual minorities, and ethnic minorities, those parts of their identities that they felt they were "marginalized" because of were high on the list.

Challenging White Supremacy is one of many resources out there that I've discovered doing some research on late - courtesy of the fabulous POWER Camp National Resource Centre.

To be honest, this is a topic that I find pretty challenging to workshop, coming from a position of privilege myself. It's something that I've just started researching and reflecting on, so if you have any resources or knowledge in this area I'd love for you to share! ;)

are you a rebELLE?

2008-10-12T22:23:00.003-06:00

So, I have to admit, I'm a little sad I haven't been part of the fun this weekend in Montreal at the Pan Canadian Young Feminist Gathering. RebELLES 2008, as it's called, promised to be the largest feminist gathering of the under-35's in Canadian history - last I heard they had 450 registrations. The emphasis was on consciousness-raising (everything from the feminization of poverty to the hyper-sexualization of girls in the media), followed by creative resistance through drama, video, and visual arts. By the end of this weekend they were going to produce a Feminist Manifesto to describe the challenges that the youngest generation of Canadian feminists were facing.

Sounds cool, no? I've just been crazy busy with Ophelia's Voice & school lately - for those of you that went, I hope you had an amazing time!

Here's some media buzz they've received:
http://www.hour.ca/news/news.aspx?iIDArticle=15786
http://citizen.nfb.ca/blogs/citizenshift/rebelles_2008_blog/waves-of-resistance/
http://section15.ca/features/news/2008/10/01/waves_of_resistance/
http://peaceculture.org/drupal/node/91

Filles d'action! - POWER Camp National & Project L

2008-10-12T22:08:00.004-06:00

There is an absolutely fabulous organization out there called POWER Camp National/Filles d'Action (www.powercampnational.ca) based in Montreal, that's basically an enormous national network of incredible girl-serving organizations from across the country. POWER Camp National strives to help promote the empowerment, leadership, and healthy development of girls across Canada, and they do this by helping create connections between organizations and projects.

Ophelia's Voice has been a proud member for the past 4 years and I'm thrilled again to attend their National Retreat from October 23 - 26 in the Laurentian Mountains outside of Montreal. This year they are launching a super innovative & very exciting leadership development program pre-retreat for young women aged 16 - 24 called Project L, and I was lucky enough to secure a spot!

Project L will be a group of 20 girls who are passionate about a certain activist issue - maybe it's the environment, human rights, or feminism. POWER Camp Naional is bringing these girls together for 4 days of discussion, creation, and dialogue - we'll be learning about influencing policy, project development, media arts, mentorships, fundraising, and much more, in addition to doing yoga, flamenco dancing, and theatre ...

The National Retreat post-Project L is a more intergenerational gathering of girls and women from across Canada that are part of girl-serving organizations. Often the participants lead workshops on everything from photography for empowerment to ecofeminism to media literacy to influencing sex ed curriculums. It's an amazing sharing experience and every year when I return I'm energized, rejuvenated, and excited.

If that isn't enough for one organization to take on, POWER Camp also does a training for program facilitators that I took last year, called Amplify. It's another pre-retreat program that helsp facilitators plan programming that best establishes critical thinking and leadership skills in girls. We talk about workshop plans, program development, and program formats - it's also an incredible training to be a part of.

If you want to learn more, check out www.powercampnational.ca! They also launched a groovy site for young women to connect over activist pursuits called www.kickaction.ca - you can have your own blog, post videos and pictures, and have discussions on message boards! There's also a super impressive blogroll and some of the ladies that blog on there are just plain neat.

I'm be gone from October 19 - 27, so don't be too lonely - I'll have lots to share when I get back!

learning to be activists

2008-10-08T16:29:00.005-06:00

So here's a little update on what the new crop of Ophelia's Voice girls have been up to:
- we tried out some yoga and talked about self-acceptance and body image
- made an action plan for our year and started discussing our leadership projects
- critically analyzed music videos, print advertisements, and songs for how they objectify and demean women and reinforce stereotypes

It's only the beginning of October, but the girls have already started learning how to raise awareness about issues they are passionate about & advocate for what they believe in!

- At the Strathcona County Library "Get Savvy, Girl" workshop we put together a "Wall of Shame" and "Wall of Pride" on advertising and women and that will be displayed in the library Teenzone

- The girls have also wrote letters to various advertising agencies and companies about ads that specifically demean or objectify women, after the inspiration of the girls at the Calgary Girl's School!

Next week, on October 15 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., a guest speaker from CJSR Radio will be coming to talk about how to use grassroots media to get your message across & we'll learn how to use radio equipment!

take our girls to vote campaign

2008-09-22T15:54:00.003-06:00

When I hear about these kinds of things, I get so excited - educating girls about the value of civic engagement and democracy!

A fantastic coalition of organizations, including Equal Voice, Girl Guides of Canada, YWCA Canada, Student Vote, and TakingITGlobal are working together to help encourage girls to get involved in the Canadian political process - or at least pique their interests in politics and voting.

The idea is simple - have individuals, both politicians and voters, pledge to bring a girl to the polls on election day (October 14) to engage them in politics. It's like "Take Our Daughters To Work Day" but with a twist! ;)

So how can you get involved? Pledge: http://www.equalvoice.ca/pledge.cfm

Maybe take it even further - have a discussion with the girls in your life (daughters, neices, siblings, neighbors) about politics, current events, and getting engaged in our world. This is one step to increasing the number of women in politics in the future (by the way - Rwanda is really close to becoming the first nation in the world with the number of women exceeding the number of men in Parliament - it's currently 48%, with the potential of rising to 55% with the upcoming election. Why are we so behind?!).

from the bookbag

2008-09-19T13:14:00.005-06:00

Has anyone heard of the extraordinary book, GirlSpoken: From Pen, Brush, and Tongue edited by Jessica Hein, Heather Holland, and Carol Kauppi?

It arrived in my mail today! As a contributor to the book - which is essentially an anthology of Canadian girls' realities - I was so excited to finally see the finished product. GirlSpoken: Creative Voices for Change is more than a book - it was a project started out of the School of Social Work at Laurentian University by the enterprising team of Jessica Hein and Heather Holland, both women's studies majors. They decided to compile a book of girls' experiences, but it grew into much more than that - a survey, an arts-based workshop series, and a traveling exhibit. They received over 800 pieces of writing, poetry, and art and compiled it into a gem of a book, with the following themes: voice, beauty, strength, and becoming.

Here are a few of my favourite quotations from the book:

"Right now, teenage girls in Western society have more rights than ever before, and it hasn't always been this way. Remember where we came from, and keep fighting for change. Never give up!" - Chelsea Jones, 18

"Girls can survive anything. And rarely escape any stage of life unscathed. The trick is to enjoy it - fill your life with wonder. Notice your spirit. Shut out all the voices trying to shame you and surround yourself with people who love you. Girls need other girls." - Jenn Cole, 19

Go find it at the library or local bookstore and check it out!

girls & a little something called "social change"

2008-09-08T15:15:00.004-06:00

So I'm a big fan of the U.S.-based organization Girls For A Change and I was super excited to hear that they launched their Action Network early in September! Hooray for using technology to link girl changemakers :)

This action network has a Facebook-y feel but it's rooted in uniting girls who are savvy about social issues and making a difference in their communities. There's forums, events listings, and interactive blog tools (like posting a video). It's a super cool way to meet activist girls from all over North America (primarily the U.S.), if you ask me!

What's even more exciting is that GFC has posted their Action Kit -- it's like a toolkit for girls who want to affect social change but don't know where to begin.

I'll admit, I'm a little ecstatic that all these online connecting forums are being made available for girls who have a say about the social issues affecting their world - perhaps POWER Camp National's Kickaction is GFC's Action Network Canadian equivalent.

So browse around the new Action Network and let me know your thoughts! Do these online tools significantly help your activism? What's missing?

Ooh - and if you're a reader from a U.S. city like San Francisco or New York City, you might be interested to know that Girls For A Change is launching their National Tour this September where they will be delivering free "Change Your World" trainings to girls in schools and community groups.

let's get political

2008-09-07T18:55:00.004-06:00

Unattainable for Canadian girls & women?

On the heels of the U.S. presidential election and the recently announced Canadian federal election, let's talk about girls and women in politics. It's been a hot issue lately with unexpected twists like Sarah Palin being announced as McCain's V.P. candidate (and slamming "community organizing" - the foundation of things like Ophelia's Voice - in the process, but that's another discussion).

First off, here's a few incredible organizations that are making real change in helping shatter this glass ceiling. In Canada, the organization Equal Voice pushes this issue to the forefront through public awareness campaigns, support for women candidates, youth and regional chapters, mentorships, and online courses to build women's confidence in the political arena.

For youth, another incredible and very innovative youth-led organization, Apathy is Boring - while not gender-specific - is kicking ass by promoting the arts and technology as tools to engage young people in the democratic process.

Yet another phenomenal organization - Girls in Government - says "There have always been female rulers and leaders (some Egyptian Queens are believed to have governed from around 3000 BCE) but today women in power are usually the exception, not the rule. Together we can change that!"

Even with these brilliant organizations, among others, working from the ground up to help girls and women engage in the political process, there's been some startling realizations in the past few elections: female candidates, like Hillary Clinton, endured almost daily criticism over their wardrobe, "feminine" display of emotion, and eventual defeat; women voters are stereotyped as always supporting female candidates without regard to platform or policy; and women are tokenized strategically to "snag the women's vote". Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party of Canada, struggles to forge new territory in Canadian politics while being surrounded by an all-male caucus of party leaders. And the closest teen girls have been brought into the political arena in the U.S. is the scandal over 17-year-old Bristol Palin's pregnancy.

Can teen girls make change, influence policy, and represent themselves as politically savvy and engaged in their world? Let's hope so. From 1867 - present in the Canadian House of Commons and Senate, only 267 women have walked through their doors in a position of power as a Senator or Member of Parliament. In 2006, 21% of the House of Commons was made up of women. Canada has less women engaged in politics than Afghanistan and Rwanda - with a ranking of 47th worldwide.

So the question remains ... how do we interest girls and young women in politics without getting the "eww" reflex? How do we raise awareness of the political power girls and women can offer? How we do bridge political issues to the realities faced by teen girls?

girls rights, your rights

2008-09-03T17:33:00.007-06:00

"Internationally girls are making their voices heard, empowering themselves and inspiring others one community at a time. 411 is sharing the stories of girls by highlighting both their struggles and successes in impacting change as local heroes. This project is committed to portraying positive, engaging stories and to offering real life testimonies from Haiti, Sudan, Colombia and Canada that provoke discussion among young Canadians."

Something called the 411 Initiative for Change is offering theatre presentations within Ontario and Quebec about the issue of girls' rights around the world - girls education, girls leadership, gender equity, early marriage, child labor, and violence against girls!
There's 2 reasons I'm excited about this project:

The use of theatre to convey such a powerful message
The dialogue they are creating about international girls' rights - a topic not commonly discussed in a developed country like Canada

What is your opinion/experiences about international girls' rights? Is it necessary to raise awareness among Canadian (or North American) girls about international girls issues, like FGM or child labor?

More cool related projects - UNICEF Working Group on Girls and the United Nations Girls Education Initiative.

weekly 5 - kick-butt women role models

2008-09-03T16:32:00.011-06:00

We all need some inspiring women role models who are kicking butt (past or present) for social justice & equality. Here are a few of mine ...

1) Gloria Steinem - feminist writer, author, and activist that is famous for disclosing the oppressive working conditions of Playboy Bunnies and creating the women-directed Ms. magazine. During her lifetime Gloria advocated for women's rights, gay rights, and human rights. She raised awareness to American women about female genital mutilation (FGM) in a famous article and had strong opinions about abortion, pornography, and everything in between.

2) Hillary Clinton - Hillary is a political inspiration, being both a Senator and running as a Democratic candidate for the presidential election. Clinton won more primaries and delegates than any other female candidate in American history! Hillary has definitely made a few cracks in the "glass ceiling" that feminists refer to when talking about the efforts of women to further achieve gender equality. Even though Hillary lost the ballot to Barack Obama, she's a huge inspiration for maintaing her strong beliefs and organizing such a solid campaign.

3) Benazir Bhutto - Bhutto was the first female prime minister of Pakistan and the first woman elected to lead a Muslim state. Benazir helped Pakistan establish a more democratic government and helped instate some liberal reforms. What a courageous and strong-willed woman! Benazir was instrumental in raising awareness of women's issues in Pakistan such as health and economic participation.

4) Nellie McClung - Nellie McClung was a feminist, politician, and social activist in Canada in the early 1900s. Nellie was an important part of the Persons Case, in which 5 women (Irene Parlby, Henrietta Edwards, Emily Murphy, and Louise McKinney) petitioned the government to have women considered "persons" so they could have the right to vote. Nellie's hard work led to granting women the right they have today to participate in the democratic process by voting!

5) Elizabeth May - Elizabeth May is an environmentalist, activist, and current leader of the Green Party of Canada. May has done some inspiring things with her life - being the executive director of the Sierra Club of Canada, going on a 17-day hunger strike in 2001 to protest the government's lack of attention to the Cape Breton tar ponds, and helping with international lobbying. Elizabeth May has been a very crucial Canadian figure in helping bring about dialogue about a huge, pressing social issue - climate change!

The women role models in our world certainly aren't limited to this - but the question we need to start asking is: how do we prepare today's girls to be role models for future generations?

weekly 5 - experiences/"aha" moments in Quebec City

2008-08-26T17:02:00.011-06:00

So the lull in blogging was due to the fact that from August 10 - 22 I was in Quebec City at the 4th World Youth Congress learning and discussing and meeting people from all over the world! It was an incredible experience - 600 young people aged 15 - 30 from over 110 countries spending 12 days discussing youth-led development, leadership, human rights, and the Millennium Development Goals. On August 15 I presented a workshop called "Mobilizing Young Women for Empowerment and Gender Equality", which went amazingly - I had participants from Sri Lanka to Australia and everywhere in between. It's really hard to compress my time in Quebec City into 5 of the top experiences or photographs, but I'll try!

1) I learned a lot about influencing policy at the Congress - whether it was during a dialogue session with the Governor General herself, Michaelle Jean, or doing a workshop about how a group of youth represented the United Nations at the Bali climate change conference. I guess one of the biggest realizations for me was how complicated it can be navigating structures like government, and how challenging it can be to really affect concrete change. The possibilities weren't lost on me though - hearing the inspiring stories of others was very motivating.

2) I also learned a lot about the power of youth movements! To celebrate International Youth Day on August 12, the delegates of the World Youth Congress participated in something called the World Youth Walk. 2000 youth walked through the streets of Quebec City, on a 8 km route escorted by police. It was so incredible to be surrounded by young people from around the world carrying flags and banners demonstrating their passion for issues like AIDS, youth engagement, gender equality, climate change, and education. The citizens of Quebec City definitely took notice - tons of people came out on their doorsteps or balconies to watch us (either thrilled or a little dumbfounded, I think). It was such a powerful experience to be a part of and it reminded me how dedicated young people really can make a huge impact.

3) I recognized the value of media in helping to get a message across. At the World Youth Congress the "Young Journalist" division published a daily newspaper and 8 hours of live radio each day. The articles and interviews were insightful, provocative, and very innovative in helping to trigger discussion and debate. I also participated in a "Using the Web for Social Change" workshop hosted by TakingITGlobal, which talked about the value of blogging and interactive web tools, like wikis, in engaging young people in social causes.

4) I also learned that you have to walk the talk. 12 days of discussion and dialogue and exchange are nice, but to really authenticate your message, you have to take action in some capacity. That's why the World Youth Congress integrated the 3-day action projects to allow young people to make a difference in the local community, in addition to just talking about the issues. My project was at a cooperative 2 hours west of Quebec City called "Aux Berges du Lac Castor", where we helped make nature paths for members of the cooperative to enjoy - 3 long days in the wilderness with clippers and machetes! My project wasn't as glamorous as it could have been, but I learned a lot about working in a team and the truth in that small efforts can make a huge difference.

5) Cross-cultural exchange was one of the most valuable assets of the World Youth Congress. Having breakfast at a table with people from Croatia, Zimbabwe, Australia, and Peru at the same time was an incredible experience. In our clans, or breakout groups, we had members from all parts of Canada, Scotland, Samoa, Egypt, and Zimbabwe. Something that really hit home for me was coming back home and hearing on the news about natural disasters or warfare in different parts of the world - and for the first time thinking about my new friends from those countries and how they might be affected.

If you missed out on this one, the 5th World Youth Congress is going to held in Istanbul, Turkey in 2010!

weekly 5 - cool activist "teen" girls

2008-08-07T16:36:00.004-06:00

For this week's "weekly 5" I'm sharing with the world some amazing, brilliant, and completely innovative things that teen girls are doing in the realm of social justice & activism. Enjoy!

1) Natalia Thompson, the 16-year-old founder of Madison S.O.S. in Madison, Wisconsin
- Natalia started Madison SOS at age 15, with aspirations to create a forum for girls to discuss social justice issues and build leadership skills (with the intention of creating a status report for Madison about girls' issues). If that isn't enough, she's trying to create a pan-North American network for teen girl activists called the Teen Feminist Action Network. You blow me away, Natalia. Check out Madison SOS here.

2) The ladies at the Miss G_ Project who started an organization to pressure the Ontario Ministry of Education to include a women's & gender studies course in the high school curriculum - an extremely worthy and ominous task! These ladies have succeeded at their mission through countless, and extremely creative, efforts, such as a phone-in where close to 500 supporters bombarded the Minister of Education's phone line!

3) Sejal Hathi, the 16-year-old founder of Girls Helping Girls in San Jose, California. Sejal started an international non-profit organization to encourage partnerships between North American girls' groups and international girls' groups, to identify issues related to the Millennium Development Goals and take action. She has reached 1000+ girls so far through her entirely youth-led initiative. Check out her website here.

4) Hannah Taylor, the 11-year-old from Winnipeg (yes, 11 years old!) that started her own organization and foundation (The Ladybug Foundation) to raise awareness about Canadian homelessness. Hannah does speaking engagements nationwide, was chosen as a Top 20 Under 20 recipient, and has raised in excess of $1 million for homeless shelters. Amazing.

5) Hawa Mire from Vancouver, whose past involvement has included Go Girls and a policy paper with the FREDA Centre, funded by Status of Women Canada. Her current initiative is called 20 Ways To Look At the World, where she will be traveling to Uganda in September to do work on using photography for dialogue and empowerment. (20 youth and 20 disposable cameras!). When she returns to Vancouver, Hawa will use the photos to initiate dialogue with local youth to create some amazing cross-cultural discussion about development & social justice. You can find out about 20 Ways To Look At the World here, and donate to their cause if you can!

Inspiring, no?

weekly 5 - reasons to join Ophelia's Voice!

2008-07-30T21:34:00.003-06:00

Now that we are full force in recruiting mode, here's 5 reasons why you should join Ophelia's Voice! For more recruitment info check out Program Information on the website - we have a downloadable brochure and registration package. Deadline for registration is August 25!

1) It's LED by girls - that means you! You get to pick the discussion topics, the activities, even the dates. You get to pick the projects & we'll even encourage you to help co-facilitate the workshops if that's what you're interested in. The purpose of Ophelia's Voice is that the girls take ownership - the program is whatever you make it to be.

2) You can talk about the "tough stuff". Let's face it, being a teen girl isn't easy. We offer you a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental space to talk about everything. Have questions about sex, drugs and alcohol, or issues like violence or self-mutilation? We're hear to answer your questions and give you the right information that you need to make positive choices. If you want to chat with the youth facilitator or an adult mentor one-on-one ... hey, no problem.

3) It's more than just workshops - it's fun! We do retreats, social activities, fitness classes, art projects, community volunteering, movie nights, games, discussions online in message boards, travel opportunities ... the list goes on. It's a great place to get together with girls your own age and feel comfortable being yourself while making new friends. :)

4) It's more than just talking about magazines and bullying and "girl stuff". We talk about real issues in the world - social justice, human rights, and how to get involved in the community. While participating in Ophelia's Voice, you can feel like you're really making a difference and building leadership skills. We even give you the opportunity to start your own small community projects! (The best part is: we'll support you the whole way through, and give you some $ to make it happen).

5) Express yourself, make new friends, build self-confidence, get answers, feel safe and supported, affect a change in your world, talk about issues that matter to you, get empowered, enjoy yourself, have something to do, become a critical thinker, talk about what bugs you & what inspires you, get creative, try new fitness activities, celebrate your individuality, and be a powerful and confident girl!

Mall Wide Registration

2008-07-28T21:02:00.003-06:00

Ophelia's Voice will be doing some recruiting and registering at the Mall Wide Registration event held at Sherwood Park Mall (2020 Sherwood Drive) August 14 - 16, 2008.

Come and visit our display:
August 14 5 - 9 pm
August 15 9:30 am - 9 pm
August 16 9:30 am - 5:30 pm

There will be brochures, registration forms, and Ophelia's Voice alumni and volunteers on hand to answer questions and tell you about their experience. It's a great opportunity for you to drop off your registration form!

If you are a former Ophelia's Voice participant interested in volunteering to cover a shift at the display, give me a shout please!

See you there ;)

Ophelia's Voice is RECRUITING girls!

2008-07-28T16:10:00.002-06:00

Ophelia's Voice is launching an exciting new year-long program in September 2008 for girls to talk about issues that affect them, build leadership skills, and get involved in the community! We are looking for teen girls who are interested in participating - information is available on our website and there is a downloadable brochure and registration form.

The program will be on a "membership" basis where there will be ongoing workshops, activities, and special events each month and girls can choose to participate in whichever ones interest them and fit with their schedule! The activities will vary and could include anything from a yoga class to a discussion about music videos to a cooking class to talk about nutrition to a community volunteer project!

The emphasis is on leadership and encouraging girls, in teams, to plan small-scale community action projects on an issue they are passionate about (Ophelia's Voice provides training, support, and funding for the projects).

The cool part is - all the workshops are led by teen girls themselves, and all of the workshops and activities are driven by the participants. We even encourage participants to help lead sessions that they are interested in!

Our target age is 12 - 15, but we're flexible with the age guidelines! The participation fee for the year is $200 and that covers facility rental, guest speakers, refreshments, and supplies. The workshops and activities will be in Sherwood Park and all events will be posted online on our calendar for girls to RSVP to.

Our registration deadline is August 25 so register soon! Tell your friends & spread the word!

weekly 5 - girls & leadership

2008-07-22T18:04:00.003-06:00

Girls and leadership is a hot topic nowadays. How can we empower girls to take the lead? What does being a "leader" even mean? Why do girls disengage from leadership positions in politics, business, or academia later in life? Lucky for us, there are some tremendous organizations and resources out there that deal with this issue by equipping girls with everything they need (resources, support, tools, mentors, advice ...) to build their leadership skills, however that is defined for them.

That's our focus for Ophelia's Voice ... how can we get girls passionate about and engaged in the issues that affect them? How can we bridge the gap between the issues relevant in girls' immediate lives and the ones that affect them on a broader scale? (For example, if girls can identify with the issue of their personal sexuality, what does it take for them to identify with the issue of policymaking for comprehensive sex education?).

Here's the weekly top 5 of resources, organizations, or musings about girls & leadership:

The Girl Scout Research Institute has done some amazing and very comprehensive research into girls and leadership - the barriers to leadership, the definition of leadership, and how leadership intersects race, class, and gender. Take a look at two of their reports, Change It Up! and Exploring Girls' Leadership.

One of the coolest organizations in the world, POWER Camp National, is hosting a special training session for girls/young women across Canada aged 16 - 24 who want to affect a change in their world! It's called Project L and while the selections for this year are complete for the program October 19 - 26, 2008, keep an eye out for next year! The program is all-expenses paid and includes training on advocacy, project development, and media arts as well as a follow-up mentorship program and participation in the National Retreat. Cool, no?

Another fantastic organization, Girls For A Change in California, has a brilliant model they use to engage thousands of girls in affecting social change. The fantastic part is, the girls themselves create a team, choose an issue, and plan a project from the ground-up with the support of an adult mentor! Some of the projects have addressed issues like the environment, dating abuse, poverty, body image, and stress ... anything and everything relevant in girls' lives.

Some girls' leadership programs in the United States that I've heard are incredible are the Girls' Leadership Workshop at the Eleanor Roosevelt Centre in New York and Take The Lead at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts (both for high school aged girls). Girls Leadership Institute is another organization I find amazing.

Youth Leadership is a resource-packed website I'm sure you'll love.

Any thoughts or musings or ideas? Other resources?

weekly 5 - girl resources

2008-07-15T17:46:00.005-06:00

Here are some of my favourite resources for girls! Take a peek!

New Moon Magazine - a feminist, multicultural, and ad-free magazine for girls aged 8 - 15+!
gURL - info, advice columns, message boards, comics/art, and loads of games!
Kickaction - want to connect with other teen activists from across Canada? Here's the place!
Shameless Magazine - for "smart, strong, and sassy" young women!
Cool Nurse - reliable and makes-sense health info on any topic

Send your favourites my way!
:)

"Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer!"

2008-07-15T17:29:00.003-06:00

As a small grassroots non-profit organization, we are always looking for volunteer effort to sustain our programs! If you're interested in volunteering for a youth-led organization that empowers girls, builds their leadership skills, and helps them make positive choices, take a look at the following volunteer opportunities!

Adult/Student Mentor
We are looking to expand our mentorship team (currently composed of graduate students from the University of Alberta). We need adult women over the age of 18 to help supervise workshops/assume an adult role, offer feedback on programming, and mentor both Joanne and the girls participating. (This opportunity includes some traveling/chaperoning too, if you're up for it!). You can be as involved as you like, this is a very flexible position with lots of benefits :) This position would start in September 2008 but interested mentors are accepted on a rolling basis all the time, anytime.

Steering Committee Member
We are in the process of launching an interim steering committee to transition into our Board of Directors. We'd love a wide representation of a variety of community roles - past/current employees for nonprofit organizations, parents, politicians, business owners, everyone! We are looking for individuals with an invested interest in the wellbeing of girls and young women. If you have the following skills, we'd love you even more!
- Nonprofit fund development (grant writing, corporate sponsorships, capital campaigns)
- Program delivery
- Nonprofit governance
- Strategic planning
- Legalities of governance
- Administration, marketing, communications ...
This position would also start in September 2008.

Youth Facilitator
We are also looking to expand our base of youth facilitators! Are you a high-school aged girl with some leadership experience? Are you interested in leading discussions about healthy sexuality, body image, the media, violence, drugs/alcohol, health, women's rights, or social justice? This is a flexible position with training and lots of benefits, including the potential of honorariums. You can facilitate workshops according to your schedule, with lots of support from the main facilitator. Build skills, have fun, and get involved in your community!

General Volunteer
Do you have any skills to lend to a nonprofit organization? Maybe you're good with a computer, content doing some filing/general administration work, have experience writing grants, or want to do some research? Contact us, we value our volunteers!

If you're interested in the above positions, get a hold of us!
780.819.7035 or joanne@opheliasvoice.org.
:)

looking for adult mentors

2008-07-10T14:42:00.003-06:00

Volunteer Description – Adult Mentors

Ophelia’s Voice is a youth-led non-profit organization based in Sherwood Park, Alberta with a mission of creating a peer-facilitated space to support the leadership development of young women. Ophelia’s Voice is a feminist organization that addresses issues of healthy sexuality, body image, media awareness, leadership/social justice, violence, and health to junior-high and senior-high aged girls. Our programming includes ongoing workshops for girls, a Girl’s Advisory Board, online resources, and special projects and events. Ophelia’s Voice was started in 2006 by the then 14-year-old Joanne Cave. Ophelia’s Voice is currently directed by 16-year-old Joanne Cave under the advisory of adult woman mentors, currently 2 graduate students at the University of Alberta. We are currently seeking to expand our “adult mentor” team. You will be acting as a mentor both to Joanne, the program director, as well as the girl participants.

Qualifications

An adult woman over the age of 18 living in the Edmonton area

Some experience studying or volunteering with another organization that deals with issues facing adolescent girls (as well as personal interest)

An appreciation of the youth-directed and feminist philosophy of Ophelia’s Voice

A vehicle/own transportation is a great asset

Responsibilities

Attend monthly meetings with the youth facilitator and other adult mentors (these meetings will be scheduled according to your availability)

Be on call to supervise several workshops (this is not an ongoing commitment and more of an irregular basis) Note that as a “supervisor” you are not facilitating the workshop (done by the youth facilitator) but you are to be present in a supportive role ensuring the workshop is conducted safely (Please note workshops take place in Sherwood Park, Alberta).

The opportunity may be presented to travel all-expenses paid as Joanne’s chaperone to various conferences and events across Canada depending on your availability

Be a support via e-mail to bounce ideas with Joanne and the other mentors about programming

Time Commitment

2 – 3 hours a month, may increase with workshop supervision (workshops typically in the evenings for 1 – 2 hours)

If interested please contact Joanne Cave at 819 7035 or joanne@opheliasvoice.org. Visit www.opheliasvoice.org for more information. You may be asked to provide a resume prior to attending an orientation session.

Canadian girls and their health

2008-07-09T15:48:00.005-06:00

The United Nations Association in Canada launched a special project in 2006 called "Healthy Children Healthy Communities" in response to the UN Special Session on Children in 2002 and the "Convention on the Rights of the Child". In 2006 Ophelia's Voice became a youth advisor to the project and I helped to co-facilitate a stakeholder roundtable in Calgary during their cross-Canada research tour.

The objectives of the project are simple:
- give Canadian young people a voice in health issues
- raise awareness about the "social determinants of health" (SDOH) model of health (the social factors in our lives affect our health greatly, such as socioeconomic status, the environment in which we live, safety, and recreational facilities).

In late 2007 Ophelia's Voice was asked to act as a youth advisor in a bigger capacity by evaluating their "Child Health Action Manual" (a workshop guide for starting discussion about SDOH). 7 cool girls aged 12 - 14 from former Ophelia's Voice programs got together to participate in conference calls with the project advisors in Ottawa, evaluate the activities in the manual, and create some community recommendations to be presented to our Mayor and Council for improving youth health!

In the end ... we had the attention of 3 different newspapers and 2 television stations! (I guess the media isn't used to young people speaking up about their health, hey?). We were also invited to attend the UNAC National Roundtable on Healthy Community Development in March 2008. After some fast-paced fundraising, we ended up bringing 4 girls, myself, and a chaperone to Ottawa for 5 days! (Thank you to Strathcona County Council and the United Nations Association in Canada for their generous grants). In addition to learning about women in Canadian politics while we were there checking out Parliament ... at the Roundtable itself myself and one of the girls presented the keynote, another girl was on a panel about youth engagement, and ALL the girls presented special canvasses depicting images of youth health at a banquet to 100+ people.

In the end ...
- We were asked to submit a statement on the importance of youth engagement in health-related matters to the Senate Subcommittee on Population Health.

- Two very cool documents were produced, Talking Back To Grownups and the Concluding Report. Take a peek!

- Some incredible members of Ophelia's Voice learned what it feels like to influence policy!

Speaking of changing policy ... POWER Camp National produced an awesome, easy-to-read 'zine about young women influencing policy. Check 'er out.

So, influencing policy ... ever tried to do it? What policies would YOU like to change? Let's encourage girls to not be afraid of public policy so they can start affecting change on issues that matter to them!

Joanne

welcome!

2008-07-09T14:06:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Ophelia's Voice blog, a complement to the organization's website. This blog is intended to offer updates about our programs and activities as well as events and resources for everyone involved in girls' programming, girls' leadership, and youth engagement. Some days there might be some resource listings, photos & updates, or feminist news.

Ophelia's Voice is a nonprofit organization based in Sherwood Park, Alberta and was founded by the now 16-years-old Joanne Cave. Our mission is to create a peer-facilitated space to support the leadership development of young women. Some of the super important issues we address: body image and self esteem, healthy sexuality, violence prevention, media awareness, health, leadership and social justice, the list goes on ...

We have been a non-profit organization for just over 2 years and in that time we've grown tremendously. Some of the highlights: 2 10-week pilot sessions, a 6-month project with the United Nations Association in Canada "Healthy Children Healthy Communities" project, and speaking engagements and presentations across the country! We're all about having girls step up and be heard, and be the movers and shakers of the next generation :)

We have some very exciting programming lined up for September 2008, so check back to the blog and website for updates!

If you're out there: what do you think it will take for girls to create change? how can we move from "leadership potential" to leadership action? what's it gonna take for girls to feel authentically engaged in their community?

Joanne