ABSTRACT

Girls in the urban context still face challenges far beyond those of their higher-income peers. Violence, and violence against women, is a fact of life in the neighborhoods and schools in which young women live each day. Many girls face violence in school, with a sizable minority reporting that they had a physical fight last year. In successful mentoring programs for young women, building leadership and doing community service are powerful tools to help participants achieve. This means helping give young women a sense that they can be leaders, that they can make a difference, and that their voice matters. While sitting and talking about issues can be a valuable activity, young women also need opportunities to get out into their schools or their communities and make a difference through service. Since many of issues facing young women are based on how they perceived, taking spotlight off them, and having experiences that bring perspective to their issues, can be helpful.