Stand Beside Her

From a very young age, girls are inundated with negative messages about behaviors that prevent them from building healthy relationships and ideals about their potential. In fact, research has shown that at nine years old, girls’ self-esteem peaks and then takes a nosedive. The unhealthy self-image that girls develop follows them into adulthood and can prevent them from reaching their fullest potential.

In an effort to show girls that they can be anything they want to be, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast (GSCCC) has partnered with Girl Scouts Heart of the South and Girl Scout councils across the country to take part in the Stand Beside Her Movement, which culminates every year with National Stand Beside Her Week. This year, the week will be celebrated from October 30 to November 5, and the week includes the birthday of the founder of Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low, on October 31.

Stand Beside Her is a call-to-action to find mentors, support and development opportunities for girls and women. At the current rate of change, it will take until 2085 for women to reach parity with men in leadership roles in the United States. And, a study conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute found that only 21 percent of girls believe that they currently have key qualities required to be a good leader. Girl Scouts are working with the Stand Beside Her Movement to end comparison and competition and create a more collaborative and supportive world so that girls and women can succeed.

Here are some ways that you can celebrate Stand Beside Her Week with your girls:

• Take the pledge. Visit the Stand Beside Her website and fill out the pledge form to commit to making a change for girls.
• Chalk It Up to Being a Girl Scout. Girls can come up with messages of encouragement and write them with chalk out in the community. Be sure to get permission first!
• Start the conversation. Use Leadership Tips for Girls from Ban Bossy, to start the conversation with girls about taking initiative and pushing themselves beyond their comfort zone.
• We’re a Pair Sock Project. Ask each girl to bring a pair of new socks to a troop meeting. Girls can decorate the socks and should add encouraging messages on the bottom of the socks. Use the free, downloadable sock wrap and have girls exchange socks to remind each other “where you go, I go.”