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Girls Empowerment Group at Tower Hamlets YJS

Summary:

Tower Hamlets and City of London Youth Justice Service has shared its girls programme, which was established in November 2023 to support girls with their own distinct needs. The programme has been designed to empower, inspire and uplift girls involved in youth justice. 

Description:

The programme has several sessions, co-delivered with partners across the boroughs including:

  • Beauty and sports a session run at the local community youth centre where children have the opportunity to use the salon, learn about treatments and get active on the climbing wall. The session is designed to grow confidence and communication skills.
  • Barnardo’s – a workshop with Barnardo’s colleagues to support girls to consider their relationship with themselves and others. The workshop aims to improve girls’ relationships with themselves and develop a positive self-identity.-
  • Exploitation a safe space for girls to discuss their understanding of sexual and criminal exploitation and what this looks like with colleagues from the Tower Hamlets Exploitation Team. This session is designed to help girls understand the dangers of being exploited and how to identify warning signs. They develop skills in goal-setting and how to achieve them.
  • Substance misuse and sexual health – a session is run by Safe East colleagues with the aim of enhancing the girls’ knowledge of substance use and sexual health, considering breaking some of the more common myths.
  • Youth justice – a session run by the youth justice service to support children to explore the impact of their offending and how to keep safe online. The session offers girls the opportunity to reflect on their journey through the youth justice service and what their future looks like.
  • Self-worth – Barnardo’s and the service co-facilitate a session on self-worth, body image and wellbeing to help girls see themselves positively and feel empowered.

Once the girls have completed all of the sessions as a group, the youth justice service has established a small graduation ceremony to celebrate the group’s achievement and continue the ethos of the group; to increase self-worth, empowerment and a positive identity.

Contact:

NameTyrell Ritchie and Angela Akinyande
EmailTyrelle.ritchie@towerhamlets.gov.uk Angela.Akinyande@towerhamlets.gov.uk