There is strong evidence that girls thrive in a single-gender space. Access to this space can build girls’ confidence and let them test their limits in a safe environment.

There is also compelling evidence in support of access to a wide range of women role models.

Research from Southern Methodist University found that there was “strong evidence of the impact of women role models on women students moving into fields of study in which men are traditionally over-represented, and that the encounters served as an inspiration.”

Our GFS Girl statements are one of the key ways of defining the change we want to make for girls who attend GFS.

While there is no defined point where these statements are ‘achieved’, we aim for girls to feel more able to relate to them as a result of attending GFS.


The changes we see in girls

We ask girls questions about these statements at different times throughout the year, but our biggest review is our annual survey. Here’s what parents and girls told us in January 2022:

GFS Girl outcomes Percentage of current parents who said they had noticed growthPercentage of girls who felt they had gotten better
I can speak up about things that matter to me60%46%
I am proud of who I am
45%60%
I try again if I have a setback

57%

50%
I can try new or unfamiliar things60%76%
I believe I can achieve my hopes and dreams52%67%
I can enjoy friendship with different kinds of people69%73%

Newer girls reported more improvements in trying new things, making friends, feeling proud, and believing they can achieve, suggesting that we have a positive impact on girls in these areas within a relatively short time (six months) after they join a group. Overall, parents whose children had more recently joined GFS also noticed the changes in a more pronounced way.

This data has led our programme development for 22/23, with term one activities focusing on developing resilience and try again, and term two focusing on helping girls feel able to use their voices.

In 21/22, we gained more insight than ever before into, both the impact of our work, and how it’s received by the girls and young women who attend our groups.


Outside of GFS

While our volunteers are able to observe changes in girls within the safety of their GFS group, we are also interested in the impact on girls’ day to day lives.

In our last survey:

  • 81% of girls said they always feel proud to be a girl  
  • an heartening two thirds of GFS girls said they are always happy with who they are. 
  • 71% of girls aged over 12 feel their ideas are always important

However, there is more work to do:

  • Only 42% of girls feel like they can always talk about their feelings. 
  • Only 58% of girls feel like they can always be themselves. 
  • Around 10% of girls never feel like their ideas are important and 5% of girls feel they are never listened to.

98% of parents said they would recommend GFS


Annual and impact reports