LEADERSHIP Savanah Norman
Young Women’s Leadership
J
ustice for Girls (JFG) is a nonprofit organization that promotes social, environmental, and economic justice, freedom from violence, and the health and well-being of teenage girls who live in poverty. Established in 1999, Justice for Girls was formed to address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of teenage girls, particularly in relation to homelessness, poverty, colonization, and violence.
For the last 20 years, the work of our organization has been informed by the lived experiences of teenage girls because we operate under the feminist belief that girls are the experts of their own experience. JFG believes in young women’s leadership and pushes for young women to be at the forefront
JFG not only works to promote young women’s leadership, but also to ensure we cultivate and support young leadership through mentorship.
of designing law, policy, and programs that affect their lives. JFG works not only to promote young women’s leadership, but also to ensure we cultivate and support young leadership through mentorship. Our work is guided by the leadership and experience of numerous young women for whom we have advocated and/or who are or have been part of the organization as staff, interns, or Board members. One of the ways in which JFG cultivates young women and girls’ leadership is through our internship program. We provide internships to young women ages 16 to 24 years, with lived experience as a girl in poverty, so their leadership can direct our work as an organization. Through our internships, girls and young women are able to earn Grade 12 credits and learn about social policy, the criminal justice system, media analysis, public education, and community development. While interning with us, young women also earn a fulltime training wage. The importance and intention of compensating our interns is to remove financial barriers as well as valuing and recognizing their substantial contributions to our organization.
JFG interns meet with Honourable Melanie Mark
Volume 29 Number 1 Spring 2020
Over the past 3 years, The Notary Foundation has funded Justice for Girls’ Internship and Legal Education Program. The impact of this gift cannot be overstated. Interns have played a vital role in the development, vision, priorities, and advocacy of JFG.
The Scrivener | https://www.bcnotaryassociation.ca/resources/scrivener/ TABLE OF CONTENTS
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