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Press Release
MEDIA ADVISORY
March 7, 2008
CONTACT: Olivia Doherty - 301-656-0348
Free Conference Provides Unique Forum for DC Girls
More than 100 Youth to Explore Options for Life After High School, Fashion Trends and Makeup Advice, Body Image and Health Issues
What:
Free, all-day conference for DC girls, ages 13 to 18, to explore issues facing girls today
When:
8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, April 12
Where:
Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Avenue NW
WASHINGTON, DC – The DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation will host a ground-breaking, free, day-long conference for more than 100 DC girls, ages 13 to 18, to explore issues facing girls today, such as college, work and vocational training, positive body image, sexually transmitted diseases and advocating for oneself when visiting the doctor.
The conference, entitled G.A.M.E: Girls Acquiring Meaningful Experiences – Purpose, Passion and Power, grew out of the Trust’s recognition that girls and young women have distinct strengths and needs requiring special supports and services. This is the second G.A.M.E. conference to convene girls from across the District.
As part of the Trust’s G.A.M.E. initiative, the Trust awarded grants of up to $50,000 each to seven DC nonprofits to provide girls and young women with opportunities to express their opinions, excel as leaders, broaden their academic or life skills, and enhance their personal and professional development. G.A.M.E. is an initiative of the Trust in partnership with DC government’s plan for Effective Youth Development.
Girls in the District, like many urban areas, face particular challenges:
• 85 percent of girls of color in DC live in poverty
• 38 percent of young women, ages 16 to 21, are unemployed in DC
• The DC teen pregnancy rate, though declining, is still one of the region’s highest
“Girls face a host of unique issues and challenges, and we are dedicated to supporting them through this critical period in their young lives,” said Greg Roberts, president and CEO of the Trust, a nonprofit that works to increase the quality, quantity and accessibility of services for children, youth and families in DC. “Through the G.A.M.E. conference, we hope girls will find a safe forum to discuss these issues and strengthen their knowledge and support networks to help ensure a successful future.”
In fall 2005, the Trust began preliminary conversations with its grantees about the girls they serve. The Trust then held a staff retreat to frame a focus for the G.A.M.E. initiative, met with local grant-makers to gain more insight about organizations supporting young women and conducted focus groups with girls to listen to their thoughts and experiences. All these conversations resulted in a multi-faceted approach to achieving the goals of G.A.M.E. As part of this initiative, the Trust is cultivating formal partnerships with local grant-makers to increase resources for programs focused on girls and to host sessions for nonprofit providers to discuss promising practices addressing the needs of adolescent girls and young women.
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The DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation is a public-private partnership chartered by the District to help a wide variety of organizations in the city improve the quality, quantity and accessibility of services and opportunities for every child in the District. For more information, visit www.cyitc.org
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