BCYF G.I.R.L.S.
BCYF Girls programming is full for summer 2020.
BCYF G.I.R.L.S. programs focus on Growth, Intervention, Respect, Leadership, and Service for Girls.
Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) provides high quality programs and services for Boston’s girls. G.I.R.L.S. helps Boston’s girls meet their full potential through programs that meet their interests and needs. G.I.R.L.S. meets girls’ needs in an empowering, supportive, and welcoming environment. We want all girls to become healthy, strong, self-confident, and successful women. BCYF girls' programming is inclusive of girls of all ages, interests, and backgrounds.
G.I.R.L.S. programming includes:- BCYF Girls' Nights
- BCYF Girls’ Leadership Corps
- Annual Girls Summit
- Youth Trainings
- Staff Professional Development
- Girls Only Program Time: designated times and spaces set aside for girls programming
Erika Butler, GIRLS Initiative Coordinator
- Closures: All BCYF community centers are closed for in-person programming and recreation.
- Meal distribution: Select BCYF locations are meal pick-up sites only. You can learn more and find a location online.
- Learn about other BCYF summer programs.
Summer 2020
All programs are now full.
Due to COVID-19, our summer 2020 programming looks a little different from past years:
- Girls Day Out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, featuring Zumba and walking in Hemingway Park
- Virtual Girls Nights on Mondays, and
- Girls Self-Expressions weekly on Wednesdays, promoting self-love through writing, poetry, and song while allowing girls to explore their feelings and emotions.
BCYF Girls’ Leadership Corps
Applications currently closed.
The BCYF Girls' Leadership Corps (GLC) is for girls ages 12 - 14. GLC takes place during the summer.
- take part in personal and leadership development workshops
- learn to establish positive and healthy lifestyle goals
- build essential skills and confidence to become successful and independent women
- develop and support girls programming
- lead community service projects, and
- engage other young women in workshops to address issues facing young women.
Learn about our leaders
Kesanet and Samari were our summer 2018 Girls Leadership Corp supervisors. From program planning to empowering girls, they were incredible leaders and mentors and a welcome part of the BCYF family.
Kesanet told us how great it was to guide the girls in building trust and bonding within the group. Samari shared the joy of exposing the girls to new experiences and ideas and watching them grow.
Trainings and professional development
BCYF G.I.R.L.S. facilitates training opportunities for both youth and staff. Trainings address issues that concern girls and women in Boston.
Partners providing training include, among others:- Girls’ LEAP
- Girls Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, and
- Big Sister Association of Greater Boston.
- interventions for violence perpetrated against women by men or by other women
- trauma response and sensitivity
- teen pregnancy
- healthy relationships
- exploitation prevention, and
- sports-based youth development focused on girls.
The BCYF G.I.R.L.S. Initiative is grateful to receive support from the Shannon Grant, Foundation for BCYF, Lingzi Lu Foundation, and Boston Police Athletic League.