MORE THAN A WOMAN
More Than A Woman (The Grenfell Girls Group) is a 11-19 yrs girls only youth group promoting life skills, well-being and female empowerment through regular creative sessions, mentorship, workshops and professional speakers.
Our work focuses on (but is not limited to) supporting girls who were affected by the Grenfell tragedy to transition into the next stage of their lives in a positive way.
Through weekly group work sessions and one-to-one interventions we support vulnerable young women to reach their full potential.
The aims of this project include:
Develop confidence and self-love
Create own safe space
Create own community
Become creative
Enhance talents
Debate on subjects picked by the members
Re-enact past social experiences and talk about it to learn to overcome similar conflict
The session themes include:
Team building and personal development
Interpersonal skills and self-image
Healthy lifestyles and volunteering
Relationships and friendships
Life-skills and well-being
“This is the best group, I am able to debate and share stories and be myself.”
Gallery
A Day at the London College of beauty Therapy
YAA organised a beauty workshop May half term for the girls group in collaboration with London College of Beauty Therapy (LCBT) on Tuesday, 28 May 2024. An engagement Officer at LCBT, facilitated the session with seven girls. Content covered:
courses available ranging from make-up courses to various beauty procedures and therapies
demonstrations to learn about skincare - skin type and products to use for different skin types
make-up demonstration to learn the art of make-up including eyebrows, eye lashes, lipstick, and nails.
The girls were demonstrating on each other and themselves. They also showed interest in having another session on eye make-up, learning how to use bronzer and hair care.
Impact
36
young women participated in 2024/25
60
sessions delivered
96.7%
attendance rate
93%
report that they have learnt to make positive choices for themselves and their future
85%
report having learnt coping mechanisms to better manage challenges in their life
80%
report that they have improved relationships with others
81%
report their confidence has increased
69%
report that other areas of their lives have been positively affected
““Girls Group was a group which introduced me to new girls and helped me with my social skills and communication with others. This was a comfortable place to express my emotions, thoughts and being able to listen to others with no judgement as well as meeting new people.
Throughout being in this group, it benefited my mental health by allowing me to express anything on my mind and having one to one conversations with people such as Lorna with experience and life lessons to guide me with advice which personally benefited me a lot and I would recommend to others if given the opportunity to participate in this.”
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Case Study
ES, 13 year old girl
ES, a 13-year-old female, wanted to attend the project to improve her social and emotional well-being. She was referred to the project by the safeguarding lead at her school who recognised that the group sessions could provide the support ES needed.
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She had been struggling with low self-confidence and maintaining only a very limited social circle, which affected her ability to engage fully in social situations. The project offered a safe and structured environment where ES could work on these issues, helping her develop better social skills and increase her self-esteem.
"I want to work on feeling more confident around other people and making new friends. I sometimes feel nervous in social situations and want to get better at talking to others and feeling more comfortable being myself."
During her engagement in the project, ES faced some challenges in opening up to the group initially due to her low self-confidence and limited social circle. She was hesitant to participate in discussions and activities at first, which made it difficult for her to fully engage. Additionally, building trust with her peers took time, as she was not used to interacting in larger social settings. However, with consistent support and encouragement, she gradually began to overcome these obstacles and became more comfortable engaging with others.
ES has demonstrated remarkable progress and engagement throughout the project. In the previous term, during the financial literacy classes, which spanned over eight weeks, she emerged as the brightest performer, collecting the maximum points for her work. Her intelligence and active participation in group activities were frequently praised by the facilitator. Furthermore, in the self-defence classes, she showed impressive commitment, attending all sessions and quickly mastering the techniques. ES’s bold voice, quick thinking, and resilience in demonstrations even surprised the trainers. Notably, she prioritized her self-development by consistently showing up, even when her friends were absent. Her dedication is evident, as she has chosen to continue with this year's girls group, eager to meet new people and build on the progress she's made.
"Last year’s activities and trips really helped me build my confidence and learn new things. I enjoyed the classes and was proud of how well I did. I’m looking forward to this year and meeting new people."
Days & Times
Every Wednesday from 4pm – 6pm
@Kensington Leisure Centre, W10 6EX
Contact
Lorna Capewell
Programme Assistant
lorna@youthactionalliance.org