Girls Gearing Up Leadership Academy

Girls Gearing Up goes online in 2020

11/12/2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 we replaced our in-person International Leadership Academy in Berlin with our first ever Virtual Campfire.

This eleven-week online program allowed our 2020 cohort to participate in Girls Gearing Up from the safety of their own homes in eleven countries around the world. Together, we explored the core Girls Gearing Up pillars - building an international network and growing confidence; practicing concrete leadership and communication skills; and inspiring girls to take action on issues that are important to them.

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Our 2019 Camp Location

6/13/2019

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We're so excited to announce some of the locations for our 2019 Summer Academy!

Our residential site this year will be JETpak Ecolodge located on the edge of the Grunewald Forest. The site's power is 100% renewable.

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Crowdfunding Campaign: 25k to run GGU in 2018

12/6/2017

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Today we launched our first crowdfunding campaign at betterplace.org. The goal is to raise money to help finance our 2018 programming.

We need to mobilize enough people who believe in our mission to raise EUR 25,000 - the first step to make Girls Gearing Up sustainable and scalable. If we reach that goal by the end of January 2018, we'll be well on our way to launching our GGU 2018 programs.

3 Things you can do to support GGU now
We need to reach people who believe in our mission of equipping the next generation of female leaders. So far, we’ve impacted the lives of over 200 diverse girls and their communities from 25 countries around the world. Around 30% of our participants come from conflicted regions.

But this is not enough. Not only are there too few women in leadership roles today; too few girls are being equipped with the skills and resources to change that in the future.

You can make an immediate difference by:

Investing in the future of female leadership and donating money to our crowdfunding campaign

Sharing this post on social media and motivating your network to spread the word and invest in a great cause

Sharing the link within your company and encouraging your colleagues to contribute (a great pre-christmas activity!)

Seriously, every Euro counts and brings us closer to our goal of equipping the next generation of female leaders!

Donate now

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3.5 billion ways to change the world

6/28/2017

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On Wednesday, June 21st, Girls Gearing Up went to Munich to meet amazing women from all over the world at the G(irls)20 Summit. They talked about the same topics as the G20 leaders: Digital Economy, Energy and Climate Change and Migration. We heard Malala's father, Ziauddin Yousafzai speaking about the importance of education and the author Sandra Uwiringiyimana told us about her experience as a refugee and gave us some tips about how we can help people seeking refuge to feel welcome. Some of our #GGU2016 superstars came along to meet all these inspiring people. It was so much fun!

We were so proud of the GGU delegation for speaking up with questions and connecting with women they found inspiring.

We also found a minute to get a quick glimpse of Munich!

All in all, it was inspiring, exciting, and fun day for all of us! We can imagine some of our girls will be interested in applying to represent their countries at the G(irls)20 in the coming years!

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Women Teach Girls Tech Hackathon - win a ticket!

1/27/2017

Want to learn from a panel of important female role models in the tech industry?

Then enter to win a ticket to our invite-only panel discussion - as part of our Women Teach Girls Tech (WTGT) Hackathon.

At the WTGT Hackathon, hosted at SoundCloud HQ on February 11th, 2017, we're inviting girls ages 13-17 to learn how to code with women teachers from Frauenloop.

In addition, we are hosting an exclusive panel discussion where we'll talk with Caoimhe Keogan, SVP People, Places & Community, Soundcloud and Raffaela Rein, Founder and CEO of CareerFoundry, about challenges and wins, fears, and advice they have for women in tech. (PSSSST: A third special guest will be announced soon!).

We believe role models are critical for providing inspiration, showing what's possible, and guiding toward making better decisions.

Don't miss this chance to join us for an intimate, invite-only discussion with female tech role models!

Join our invite-only panel discussion with:

Caoimhe Keogan, SVP People, Places & Community, Soundcloud

Raffaela Rein, Founder and CEO of CareerFoundry

The panel discussion will take place at Soundcloud HQ on Saturday, February 11th, from 15.30-17.00.

For the chance to win a ticket, follow one of these simple steps:

Tweet to @girlsgearingup using #WTGThackathon
Follow us on Instagram (Girls_Gearing_Up) and comment on one of our posts using #WTGThackathon

Winners will be announced on 08.02.2017.
Hope to see you there!

***Girls ages 13-17 can sign up to participate in the entire all-day workshop. The hackathon is FREE and open to ALL interested girls, but spaces are limited. Tell any teen girls you know to save their spots by sending an email to info@girlsgearingup.org! ***

Women Teach Girls Tech Hackathon Partners & Sponsors

GGU 2016 Recap

12/21/2016

It’s December already! Can you believe it?! We took some time to look back at the year and felt a great amount of gratitude.
That’s why we'd like to say THANK YOU for joining our mission to equip the next generation of #changemakers!

30 GGU girls. 1 inspiring power mentor. $500 raised for Students Rebuild.

Hosted by Berlin Metropolitan School, Kimberly Marteau Emerson joined us as power mentor for our Unite - Inspire - Act event. The group made 250 pinwheels for the Students Rebuild Healing Classroom Challenge which resulted in $500 for Syrian refugee children.

26 girls. 9 countries. 8 amazing power mentors. 1 empowering week

GGU's 2016 camp has been an unforgettable week full of inspiration, empowerment, and SOUL ENERGY!

Thanks to our power mentors for being wonderful role models for our girls: Kerstin Wagner (Head of Talent Acquisition @ Deutsche Bahn) Anna Alex (Co-Founder @ Outfittery), Dr. Nakeema Steffblauer (Founder @ Frauenloop), Syd Atlas (Senior Coach @ Own the Room), Susanne Rodeck (Founder @ Avidere), Madeleine Gagne (Founder @ The Collins Miller Project), Núria Tous (Engineer @ German Aerospace Center), Kave Balumbo (Founder @ Women Across Borders)!

Globally connected via Skype, WhatsApp, Facetime & in person.

In October we came together to reconnect and see what the girls learned at camp and are now applying in daily life. We were speechless! Don’t miss hearing these inspiring stories - follow us on Facebook & Instagram to hear about GGU's #changemakers stories.

WOW! We’re so grateful for every single moment with Girls Gearing Up.

Especially in the context of today's world, we're more committed than ever to building bridges of understanding and friendship and help create a wave of positive change!

What was your favorite moment with GGU? Let us know in the comments!

With much love and gratitude,
Courtney, Chi & Tina

Throwback Thursday: Kimberly Marteau Emerson Power Mentor Event

6/16/2016

It’s been a few weeks since we held our first Power Mentor event, but the joy we experienced after seeing our girls come together still has us feeling especially excited for camp and future GGU events! The afternoon, which featured human rights advocate and civic leader Kimberly Marteau Emerson, was an opportunity for girls to come together, take on leadership roles, and spend an afternoon getting to know each other before many of them attend camp in August. Lots of our girls encouraged their friends to come to the event as well, which we were so excited about.

We loved watching the GGU network expand to include these new superstars, who so readily jumped into the GGU spirit. We’re also looking forward to continuing our Power Mentor event series, featuring impactful, talented, and game-changing women. This past Thursday, we attended the “Fempreneur Summit” which had keynotes from female founders, coaches, and business experts and we scoped out future power mentors for the series… stay updated with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter because there’s so much to look forward to!

GGU Interview #3: 2016 Power Mentor Syd Atlas

5/31/2016

When the group of #powermentors we have coming to camp seems to be as diverse as the group of girls, that must serve as an indication of just how amazing our week is going to be. Our next power mentor reveal is Syd Atlas, who among her many distinguishable attributes is a globetrotter, mother of two, creative genius, and maybe most notably, a professional coach and driver of creative concepts. We were lucky enough to be able to conduct an email interview with her where she shared her insights on new experiences, what she was like as a teenager, and her take on confidence. Read on!

GGU: How did you get your start?
Syd Atlas: I started doing one-woman shows and making documentaries. I went from telling my story to helping others tell their stories.

GGU: You’ve been living in Berlin for about 22 years, correct? What was it like establishing yourself in a foreign industry and what inspired you most to become a business oriented global (expat) citizen?
S.A: I tried out many things and still am. Every job is a new experience and your relationship to that experience is what separates the men from the boys, or the women from the girls. Try things, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Making mistakes is the quickest way to learn.

GGU: What were you like at fifteen?
S.A: I was confident. I always loved being a girl and now a woman and never saw a disadvantage. My face looked much older than my body and I had a terrible perm so needless to say, awkward.

GGU: What advice would you give a teenage girl today?
S.A: There is a reason people fall in love on their last day of vacation. That “what do I have to lose” attitude will get you far.
The energy wondering what other people will think about you is wasted energy. Do things. Take chances. Be kind.

GGU: What do you love most about what you do? What are you most proud of?
S.A: I love that my job balances perfectly how much I need to learn and how much I can give. If you are in a job where you are always giving, you feel burnt out quickly. And if you are always on a learning curve, then you feel insecure. I love watching the ever so slight changes that take place with clients and people having the courage to try things that make them feel uncomfortable.

We owe a huge thanks to Syd for taking the time to answer our questions, and we could not be more excited for August because I’ll let you in on a little secret… she has lots of things in store for us as a power mentor who aims to teach! And we most certainly are eager to learn.

April 18th, 2016

4/18/2016

Get to Know #GGU2016 Power Mentor: Madeleine Gagne!

Often times, when people think of magical book characters, their mind jumps to fictional ones. Earlier this week, we had the chance to speak to a young woman who was a magical character in her own right, and the book that she could seemingly be a character in is nonfiction. The best part about it? She’s a power mentor for #GGU2016. Check out what scientist Madeleine Gagne, cofounder of the Collins Miller Project and the New Age Girls initiative has to say about her inspirations, aspirations, and motivation; as well as her push to get girls involved in STEM. Also, did we mention that she’s only seventeen?

Cailey Newton: How did you get your start? What would you say inspired you and how did the Collins Miller Project and New Age Girls initiative come to life?
Madeleine Gagne: I grew up a dreamer. I love reading and I always wanted to be one of those amazing, smart book characters that I read about. It’s always been about bringing magical books to life for me. My mom says, “magic is just science we don’t understand” and while both my parents are English professors, in seventh grade I began to make the shift from English to science after participating in my school’s science fair. I continued pursuing the project I was working on which was comprised of using alternative algae-based energy sources and it’s grown from there!
CN: That is SO cool! Can you tell us more about the New Age Girls initiative?
MG: Of course! The amount of help and support I’ve received from so many people throughout my work with the Collins Miller Project made me really want other kids to have that same opportunity. The goal is to get girls around the world into the lab. NAG is a way for girls to make some amazing discoveries even though they don’t have the chance in their own homes.
CN: What were you like at fifteen or, I guess maybe a better way to phrase it, how would you say you’ve evolved?
MG: As a tiny freshmen walking into a lab that housed college students - both undergraduate and graduate, it was definitely an intimidating environment. I learned that fear is not something that just goes away though, you’re not born without it. It’s okay to be afraid. It’s amazing how all of these little things that I daydreamed about became real. Now, for me, it’s about turning dreams into reality. I am no longer that timid little freshmen, I’ve grown into a much more confident person.
CN: What advice would you give a teenage girl today?
MG: I think if you’re doing something no one else has done before, it probably means you’re doing something right. You have to be willing to take a chance. When I called Ohio State University, I had to be confident. Make your own path!

Besides being a scientist and always wanting to get her hands on a good science book, Maddie also shared with me her involvement with Girl Scouts; her passion for playing the piano and composing semi classical music; how she’s always looking to connect with new and different people and expand her network; and her love for flying planes (which she learned how to do last summer). By the end of the interview, I felt as if I was talking to a friend and I concluded that not only will she be an incredible role model for the girls, but she’s one of mine as well.

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4/8/2016

5 Ways You Can Make an Impact in 60 Minutes or Less

Take Part in the Healing Classrooms Challenge
The healing classrooms challenge is a way to get involved and gain knowledge about the Syrian refugee crisis. The first step is registering a team (don’t be shy to enlist help from a teacher or parent/guardian)! Next, follow the few easy steps provided here to make a pinwheel. Finally, package them up and send them in! Each pinwheel made will be matched with a $2 donation to the International Rescue Committee’s Healing Classrooms program. Quick, easy, and impactful.
Visit DoSomething.org | Volunteer for Social Change If you’re looking for a way to make an impact while also doing something that you’re passionate about, check out DoSomething.org for some great ideas! There are plenty of projects to get involved in that take 60 minutes or less, but if you have time for longer term projects, there are plenty of those as well. The wide variety of activities, causes, and time spent on them is what makes this one of our favorite go-to sites when we’re looking for a cause to get involved in!
Neighborhood Clean-Up Whether you have a park nearby you, live close to the beach, or simply have a neighborhood that you think could use a little bit of tidying up, grab a bag- of course one that’s made out of 100% organic or recycled materials- and go! We continue to be so, so inspired by the Bye Bye Plastic Bags Campaign and think their goals and initiative provide the perfect motivation to become more mindful and take action towards a more environmentally friendly world.
Team Up, Take Action, and Make a Pledge Is there something that you feel particularly passionate about? Something that really makes you say, “I want to take action and I want to take action now”? Use resources such as the internet, colleagues, friends, family, etc. to find a group of like-minded individuals that are interested in the same cause. Girls’ education is something we are especially passionate about (check out the #62milliongirls campaign, Let Girls Learn & Girl Rising- a global campaign for girls’ education. While it can be overwhelming to consider all of the world’s problems and how to even begin tackling them, by taking a pledge and equipping yourself with knowledge about something you care about, you get the ball rolling!
Start With Your Own Community
There are so many ways to get involved within your own community whether it be at your school or at your church, and in 60 minutes or less you could:
- Tutor, mentor, or coach someone
- Play games with or read to someone at a retirement home
- Volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen or food bank
All are quick ways to assist individuals in your own community.
BONUS! Check out the tool kit at the Girl Effect to find some more inspirational and practical ways to make an impact!

<<Previous

Girls Gearing Up goes online in 2020

Our 2019 Camp Location

Crowdfunding Campaign: 25k to run GGU in 2018

3.5 billion ways to change the world

Women Teach Girls Tech Hackathon - win a ticket!

GGU 2016 Recap

30 GGU girls. 1 inspiring power mentor. $500 raised for Students Rebuild.

26 girls. 9 countries. 8 amazing power mentors. 1 empowering week

Globally connected via Skype, WhatsApp, Facetime & in person.

Throwback Thursday: Kimberly Marteau Emerson Power Mentor Event

GGU Interview #3: 2016 Power Mentor Syd Atlas

April 18th, 2016

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5 Ways You Can Make an Impact in 60 Minutes or Less

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