Girl Advocacy
How Girls Are Speaking Out
By Susan Goldberg
Girls have a lot to say about what matters most in their lives and are savvy in developing creative solutions to address those issues.
In Girl Scouting, we view advocacy as a critical leadership skill for girls. Through various national and local program initiatives we are encouraging a new generation of girls and young women to engage in issue advocacy starting in their local communities. Whether those issues are Internet safety, getting more girls interested in math and science, homelessness, or school wellness policies, participation in advocacy can be very empowering for young people, especially when they realize their ability to influence change.
Many Girl Scout councils have incorporated some form of advocacy into their program models and public policy efforts. For example, “Pipeline to Power” developed by the Girl Scouts, Patriots’ Trail Council in Massachusetts is a model that encourages girls to learn about our system of government, and to participate in that system. They also have an initiative called “I Promised a Girl Scout I’d Vote” that teaches girls about the election process and the importance of voting. Other councils have used these models in their communities and/or states.
The Girl Scout Council of Vermont, the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital and the Girl Scout councils of California have legislative aide, shadowing, public policy internship programs, and “Day at the Capital” events.
In Maryland, girls in partnership with volunteers have actively lobbied their state legislature in favor of law that would provide full college in-state scholarships to Girl Scouts who earn the Gold Award.
This summer, girls from across the country are participating in a Girl Scouts destinations program called “Pathways to Politics” sponsored by Rutgers University (N.J.) and the Girl Scout Council of Delaware Raritan Valley. In this two week program, participants will learn first-hand from leading women in politics about how vital participation in public policy and advocacy is for girls. They will travel to Washington, D.C., to experience politics in action through a comprehensive leadership curriculum.
Engaging girls and young women in advocacy has the added advantage of potentially increasing the number of women in the political arena. The latest statistics indicate a clear need for more women elected officials in state legislatures, in the United States Congress and in the White House. Currently, women comprise 52% of the population but make up only 15.3% of elected officials in the United States Congress, and only 22.8% in all state legislatures combined.
On the positive side, however, a recent Gallup Poll found that 93% of Americans said they would vote for a qualified woman for president.
Just maybe the first female president will have been a Girl Scout!
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