Girls in Gear Learn about a bicycling youth empowerment program providing girls in marginalized neighborhoods unique opportunities to build self-confidence and self-reliance through five specific areas of skill-building. Presenters: Presenter: Jess Mathews Consider Biking Co-Presenter: Amanda Golden - Blevins Designing Local

1. GIRLS IN GEAR
A girls-specific bicycle youth
empowerment program
PWPBPP 2014
Jessica Mathews Amanda Golden Columbus, Ohio

2. About Columbus
PWPBPP 2014

3. ABOUT GIRLS IN GEAR
•Eight-week, once a week empowerment program targeting girls ages 8-14.
•Focuses on five areas of skill-building: bicycle safety/road-riding, bicycle mechanics, nutrition education, urban design, and public speaking.
•Graduates receive a bicycle, set of lights, helmet, and lock.
•Graduates have the opportunity to meet with a local community leader and return to mentor new program participants.
PWPBPP 2014

4. WHY ‘GIRLS-SPECIFIC?’
“I think some girls don’t want to do [STEM] because they don’t think it’s something girls should do. It’s a boy subject; they should stay far away from it.”
-(Teen girl, Indianapolis, Indiana)
"There isn't a strong network of females in engineering. You either need to learn to be 'one of the guys' or blaze the trail yourself, which is very difficult,"
- (Anonymous, Huffington Post, “40% of female engineers are leaving the field. This might be why”,2014)
PWPBPP 2014

5. Why ‘Girls-Specific?’
70
30
Self-Esteem Matters!
Not Good Enough (measuring
either physical appearance
and/or school work) (out of 10)
Good Enough (measuring
physical appearance and/or
school work) (out of 10)
(Source: Dove, 2008)
PWPBPP 2014

6. ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: INEQUITY!
•How many girls-specific programs integrate: active transportation independence, STEM-base exercises, and nutrition education
•64% of girls felt they were more driven when involved in STEM projects than 48% of girls not involved. (source: Girl Scout Research Institute)
•STEM girls are more inclined to grapple with adversity and obstacles in their life than non-STEM girls (91% vs. 85%)
(source: Girl Scout Research Institute)
PWPBPP 2014

7. MINDSET MATTERS!
PWPBPP 2014
Fixed Mindset Intelligence and talent are fixed at birth
(susceptible to loss of confidence when encountering challenges)
Growth Mindset
Intelligence
and talent
that can go
up and down
(greater belief in the power of effort, learn through challenges, confidence grows)

8. FAILING AT FAIRNESS
•Failing At Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat Girls by Myra and David Sadker
They observed teachers and noticed that teachers allow boys to struggle with mathematics problems long after they have rushed in and rescued girls from the same struggle.
By letting boys struggle and tinker, adults send a message: “I have high expectations for you, so I will wait a little longer. I know you can get it if I give you a chance.” (Growth Mindset) By intervening rapidly with girls, adults let them know that they should be afraid of doubt, investigation, and experimentation—all of the essential elements of tinkering (Fixed Mindset).
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9. PWPBPP 2014

10. HOW ‘GIRLS IN GEAR’ STARTED
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11. HOW ‘GIRLS IN GEAR’ STARTED
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12. 1. BICYCLE SAFETY / ROAD RIDING
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•Hand-signaling
•Communication
•Bicycles are vehicles and must abide by the same laws
•Being visible

13. 1. BICYCLE SAFETY / ROAD RIDING
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•Learning to lead
•Communication
•Learning navigations
•Understanding what ‘riding predictably’ means
•Traffic controlled devices

14. 1. BICYCLE SAFETY / ROAD RIDING
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•Helmet-fitting techniques

15. 2. BICYCLE MECHANICS
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A study of 852 teen girls from across the country was done by the Girls Scouts of the USA (Generation Stem). 83% responded liking doing hands-on projects. 67% responded liking to build things and put things together.
Encourage! Encourage! Encourage!

16. 2. BICYCLE MECHANICS
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•Bicycle parts and their functions
•Basic cleaning and maintenance
•A, B, C, Quick Check

17. 2. BICYCLE MECHANICS
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•Step-by-step fixing a flat tire
•Front / back brake release
•Putting chains back on rings

18. 2. BICYCLE MECHANICS
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•Understanding the ‘why’ behind changing gears

19. 3. NUTRITION EDUCATION
PWPBPP 2014
•Importance of eating healthy
•How fruits/veggies help your body in certain ways
•Access to fruits/veggies
•Frequency of consumption on a weekly basis
•Samples

20. 3. NUTRITION EDUCATION
PWPBPP 2014
•Things to eat/drink before, during, and after riding a bike
•Review of healthy snacks you can prepare/grow at home
•Why unhealthy snacks are bad (tired, sickness during ride)
•Girls prepare healthy snack

21. 4. URBAN DESIGN
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•Definition of a ‘friendly’ street versus an ‘un-friendly’ street
•Design elements that help create the feeling of a ‘friendly’ streets
•Compare/contrast different streets

22. 4. URBAN DESIGN
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•Neighborhood walk- audit
•Discussing the built- environment
•Understanding why potential barriers are created

23. 4. URBAN DESIGN
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24. 5. PUBLIC SPEAKING / LEADERSHIP
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•Local community leader joins group – shares stories and inspiration
•Change-agents discuss their experiences of ‘GiG’

25. 5. PUBLIC SPEAKING / LEADERSHIP
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•Met with Mayor Coleman of Columbus
•Presented Urban Design portion of ‘GiG’ session

26. 5. MAYOR COLEMAN IS A FAN!
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27. WOMEN LEADING YOUNG WOMEN
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.
•Mentoring can inspire and give girls an inside view of what its like to work in STEM careers.
•Inspiration, education, and retention by mentors can boost more girls going in to typically more male-dominated careers

28. WOMEN IN LEADING POSITIONS TODAY
356
476
973
79
24
27
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
U.S. Congress
Fortune 500
Companies
Fortune 1000
Companies
Men
Women
Percentage of Women
(Source: www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/levels_of_office)
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29. VISION: ALL GIRLS NEED TO FEEL EMPOWERED
•To date: Three full program cycles have been completed
•Started in February of 2013 with four change-agents
•Last cycle had 11 change-agents
•Total of 20 change-agents have graduated ‘Girls in Gear’
•95% graduate rate
PWPBPP 2014

30. VISION: ALL GIRLS NEED TO FEEL EMPOWERED
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•Professionalized curriculum
•Ability to be used in-class, after-school programs, any city/state
•Online access to resources

31. PARTNERS ARE PRICELESS!
PWPBPP 2014

32. PWPBPP 2014
THANK YOU Contact: Amanda Golden amanda@designinglocal.com Jess Mathews. jess@considerbiking.org