International Women’s Day celebrates diversity, inclusivity and gender equity—in all spaces. This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity, which focuses on making positive change and taking action in our own communities, whether at school, work, or in our families, friends, peer and colleague groups.
At Moorelands Kids, embracing equity means ensuring that every child has access to support and opportunities.On International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate all the women who overcome systemic barriers to success every day to be part of the Moorelands Community – kids, donors, staff, board and families. We also want to emphasize how we have promoted gender equity across our organization. We empower girls in our programs through skill-building and self-esteem boosting experiences, provide valuable role models to the youth we serve, and practice what we teach among our staff and culture.
Empowering Girls
In a 2017 study by Statistics Canada, 53% of girls ages 12-19 reported having low to moderate self-esteem. In addition, research shows that girls’ confidence levels fall by 30% between the ages of 8 and 14. This is a critical time in their development.
Moorelands Kids empowers girls from Grade 1 to 12 to become leaders in their own communities through intentional programming in both our after-school programs and at Moorelands camp. Confidence-building is a core element of our Moorelands Kids’ Habits & Qualities curriculum and in 2021, 90% of after-school participants reported feeling more confident after their time in the program.
Part of empowering girls is providing opportunities for them to discover new skills, passions and interests through education. For example, our after-school programs incorporate an intentional focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education—a field where women continue to be underrepresented. Statistics Canada reports that only 34% of STEM degree holders in Canada are female. Moorelands Kids is a place where potential is not limited by gender, and by introducing girls to STEM at an early stage in their development, we can help open doors for their future.
Providing Female Role Models
The Moorelands curriculum encourages positive social connection with peers and the provision of valuable role models for our youth. At Moorelands Camp and in our after-school programs, we believe it is important for young girls to see the skills they are taught exemplified in our staff.
Many of the camp staff and after-school program leaders who mentor our youth are female. They not only show our kids what is possible in terms of career aspirations, but they demonstrate the behaviour, skills, confidence, respect and responsibility that is paramount to Moorelands’ teachings. Seeing women in leadership positions helps to break down long-held gender stereotypes and biases before they are formed. It lets youth, and girls in particular, know that there is a place for them here.
Celebrating Equity
Our Moorelands family is proud to have skilled and creative women at every level of the organization—our program leaders, camp counsellors, volunteers, board members and the team at our head office. We celebrate a work culture where women can thrive and grow personally, philanthropically and professionally.
On International Women’s Day, we thank and celebrate the women behind the scenes who have helped build Moorelands into what it is today, and who continue to contribute to our vision for the future. Each person brings their valuable skills, experiences, passions and personality to the team, dedicating their work to serving kids in our communities.