Young people in South Shields tackle violence against women and girls

Girls Standing Up is an innovative youth-led project to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG).

The project adopts a youth led approach and aims to remind all the young women involved of the strength and potential they hold as young women in society today and to reclaim their voices as women within their local community.

The team at Bright Futures organised ‘Girls Standing Up’ workshops over the summer holidays, delivering educational sessions covering topics such as consent, healthy relationships, street harassment, online harassment, and female empowerment.

Within workshops, various guest speakers were in attendance to further support the education work being delivered.

Guests in attendance included Northumbria Police, PCSOs, self-defence instructors, sexual health nurses and PCC Kim McGuiness.

Hannah Woodward, youth work apprentice at Bright Futures, said: “Over fifty young people have participated with Girls Standing Up so far and the project continues to flourish.

"We’re now hoping to increase awareness of the project on a local level involving a multitude of different schools, colleges, and partner agencies.

"The young people involved are hard at work planning various projects to create further awareness and increase education surrounding this issue.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness, said: “Women’s safety, happiness and opportunity – it’s all very much in the spotlight at the moment and this is because there is so much more that needs to be done to support and protect our young girls.

"Bright Futures is already doing all this and is paving the way for others. It’s a charity with so much to offer the community – a real asset to women growing up in South Shields.

"It’s been a pleasure to meet the girls involved in this project and hear more about the issues that matter to them as well as their hopes and goals for the future. I hope they go on to great things.”

Bright Futures is a registered charity working with young women aged 11-25 to give them a brighter future by raising their self-esteem and confidence around a range of issues.

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