Girl Talk

Family Services of the North Shore is very pleased to be able to bring Girl Talk to schools in British Columbia. The Girl Talk program is aimed at adolescent girls to help increase awareness in the areas of healthy eating, active living, positive self-regard and resiliency.

 

Girl Talk came out of a research project by Dr. Gail McVey, an award-winning Psychologist and Health Systems Research Scientist at Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto. Her project used both a media and module format and was evaluated on its ability to facilitate positive changes in personal empowerment and lifestyle habits within this target group. Dr. McVey ran her project at schools in Ontario and Nova Scotia and evaluations indicated enormously positive results in these areas of risk for adolescent girls. Positive response rates in final evaluations indicated exceeding high engagement amongst the girls involved with this program.

 

“I will use the things I have learned in this group in my daily life.” (96.7%)

“I feel I have learned ways to deal with pressure from peers.” (89%)

“I feel better about myself after being in the group.” (89%)

 

Family Services of the North Shore chose Rockridge Secondary School in West Vancouver as the pilot site for Girl Talk being taught to a group of Grade 9 girls. The program ran with a group of 15 girls in Fall of 2011. The Girl Talk format of focused sessions that are information-rich, media savvy and interactively connecting appears to result in personal empowerment for adolescent girls that has an impact far beyond group completion. Topics include Self-Esteem and Body Image, Media, Relationships, Resistance to Dieting, Stress Management, Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle.

 

We are enthusiastic about our next set of Girl Talk sessions at the Balmoral Campus of Carson Graham Secondary School in North Vancouver. This program begins in March 2012. It is our intention to eventually get Girl Talk into as many schools in BC as we can!

 

If you would like to know more about Girl Talk and how you can bring this program to your school, please contact Shelley Hine, M.A., R.C.C. at 604-988-5281, Local 204 or 1-888-988-5281 outside the Lower Mainland or email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .