Girl Talk Workshops

Girl Talk Workshops explore being a girl with topics such healthy communication, relationships, media literacy, body image, and parent-daughter relationships. Girl Talk Workshops are offered to schools and community groups year-round. These sessions are designed for 4th-12th grade girls, parents, and educators. Sessions utilize group presentations and hands-on activities that are designed to address the complex issues girls face today.

Girl Talk Workshops allow participants the opportunity to educate themselves and ask candid questions from professionals and role models. For over 15 years, GENaustin has provided a safe, girl-only environment, where girls can discuss their concerns about topics that are sometimes too difficult to talk about with family and friends.

Girl Talk Workshops can accommodate groups of 10-25 participants. Each workshop can be scheduled for 45-90 minutes to fit your needs. Workshops are a great tool for school classes, community groups, and parents. Through workshops, we strive to increase community awareness of the needs of adolescent girls and forge alliances with other organizations to help girls. All you have to provide is a classroom space, school contact person, and participants. GENaustin brings the rest!

Healthy relationships

• Abuse vs. Respect: Recommended for grades 4-6, this workshop helps girls explore the characteristics of healthy relationships and understand what to do if they ever encounter an abusive situation.
• Defining My Values: Recommended for grades 7+, this workshop guides girls through understanding what is most important to them in a relationship how their personal values and boundaries relate to dating.
• Friendship Counts: This workshop gives girls the opportunity to discuss common friendship problems and offer solutions through activities designed to break down stereotypes and promote understanding.

Body image:

• The Healthy Ideal: This workshop helps girls investigate the problematic “Hollywood ideal” and encourages them to recognize what makes each of them uniquely beautiful.
• The Media and Me: Using real examples from film and magazines, this workshop allows girls to examine the illusion of “perfect” women and brainstorm ways to advocate for more positive portrayals of women and girls in the media.

Communication

• Be Assertive! This workshop for girls in grades 4-6 helps participants recognize the difference between communication styles, showing how assertive communication is more effective than passive or aggressive behavior.
• Communication with Friends: This workshop for girls in grades 7+ helps participants understand how consistently using assertive communication can create respect amongst friends.
• Communication with Parents: This workshop for girls in grades 7+ helps participants understand how consistently using assertive communication will earn respect from teachers and parents.

Other workshops:

• Leadership: In this workshop girls are encouraged to discover and enhance their leadership styles, and use them to become more effective leaders in their schools, communities, and friendships.
• Parent workshop – Help! My daughter’s being bullied: This workshop for adults provides some practical tips to support girls and empower them to address bullying situations.
• Parent workshop – Body image: Promoting the healthy ideal:  In this workshop, adults investigate the problematic “Hollywood ideal” and explore ways to promote healthy body image in girls.

In the 2010-2011 school year, Girl Talk Workshops impacted over 2,000 girls and parents in many central Texas school districts and community organizations. Workshops are designed to reach all girls in grades 4-12.

Girl Talk Workshops are also available anywhere in the state of Texas!

To schedule Girl Talk Workshops please complete a Workshop Reservation Form. If you have any questions, please contact joybeth@genaustin.org or (512)841-4036 for further information.

Workshops are valued at $100 each.  Schools and community organizations that lack the ability to pay are offered two free Girl Talk Workshops per year, with any additional workshops at the $100 rate.  Schools and community organizations outside of Central Texas are asked to also pay an additional fee toward the cost of travel, on a case-by-case basis.