By Sophie Beaupain
Rites for Girls is on a mission to change the world – one girl at a time. An organisation that offers group mentoring for girls through their adolescence aiming to make growing up an easier, safer and better supported journey.
Rites for Girls CIC (Community Interest Company), was founded in 2010 by Kim McCabe, author of “From Daughter to Woman – Parenting Girls Safely Through Their Teens.”
Kim created Girls Journeying Together Groups as a response to her work counselling distressed teenagers and guiding young adults and parents.
She said “after 30 years of working with young people, I have found a way to give girls the robust support they need to see them through their teens.”
Girls Journeying Together
In Girls Journeying Together groups, girls in Years 6 and 7 (10-12 years old) are supported in a group of up to 12 girls. The group meets once a month for a year in sessions that empower girls to grow in confidence and strength.
During the year, the girls are supported to take charge of their emotional, social and physical well-being.
They learn about puberty changes, friendships, social media influences, menstruation, body image, self-esteem and a range of personal skills to sustain them.
Importantly, each girl is encouraged and welcomed to be herself. Her own unique qualities are acknowledged and celebrated during the year.
Join your local group
We have a number of facilitators offering Girls Journeying Together groups in their local communities around the country and abroad.
In South London, groups are run by Sophie Beaupain in Wimbledon, Annamaria Papini in Kingston, Nicola Brown in Balham/Tooting, Charlotte Sarre in Peckham, and Anna Silver in Reigate.
Girls Journeying Together Facilitator, Sophie Beaupain in Wimbledon says; “ Lots of girls are struggling and since the pandemic these girls’ groups are more needed. Our daughters feel so much pressure and sadly many are not coping.
There is pressure to do well at school, pressure to look good, to have the right friends, to be happy, to go to the right places, to be kind, to be fearless, to be digitally connected, to fit in and the list goes on… It’s exhausting.
Girls Journeying Together groups support girls to take charge of their own well-being and develop a greater sense of themselves so that they can stand stronger. A key part of the programme is that each girl is valued and welcomed exactly as she is, without needing to change herself to fit in”.
Testimonials
“I was nervous about growing up but now I’m not.”
“It’s brilliant, we talk about things, really talk, so you realise that others feel the same way.”
“I liked being able to ask questions about things on my mind.”
Girls’ Net
Rites for Girls also offer a shorter, online programme called Girls’ Net for girls who are 8-18 years old. This 6-week course offers guidance and camaraderie through times of challenge to small same-age girls in weekly sessions.
Rites for Girls is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
To enquire for your daughter, please contact Sophie Beaupain sophie@ritesforgirls.co.uk or visit www.ritesforgirls.com.
You may also enjoy reading about the incredible work that Home-Start Merton does with families.
