Girls clubs

Childhood is a time of physical, emotional and intellectual growth. Parents have the responsibility to give their children the formation necessary for them to successfully face the many challenges of growing up into mature, confident individuals, willing and able to contribute to society.

With this in mind, a club for girls was started by a small group of mothers who wanted to find ways to complement the ideals being taught in the home, to help their daughters develop their characters to their full potential.

The idea was simple: offer activities that combine fun, friendship and personal development. During each club day, time was set aside for a talk/discussion on a specific topic dealing with a character strength (e.g. honesty, perseverance, kindness) with practical ideas on putting these qualities into practice. Each girl would also be offered personal mentoring with one of the leaders to help improve in the principle being discussed.

Since the first girls club began in 1980, various clubs have branched from the original one and have been offered at different times and locations in Ottawa, Gatineau, Kingston and Belleville.

Saturday Girls Club

The Saturday Girls' Club is intended for girls aged 7 to 11 years. On each club day, the girls and leaders get together for a variety of activities, which may include making a craft, doing a cooking project, doing some sports or participating in other special activities or outings. The girls have a chance to get to know one another in a great environment.

Currently, the club meets two Saturday afternoons per month from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Avenue, in Ottawa. The year is divided into 2 sessions: the Fall session (which runs from September to January) and the Winter session (which runs from February to May). The fee is $50 per session. The club is run by volunteer leaders with the assistance of teen junior leaders and parents.

For further information, please contact: Amy Lau 613-741-6717 or Natasha Gajraj at 613-224-1179.

Friday Night Girls Club

This club meets every second Friday evening between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. in a private home (in the west end of the city). It is intended for girls aged 7-11 who love cooking and baking. In addition, crafts, talent shows and other fun activities are offered.

The club runs between October and June (2 sessions, $20 each). Mothers are welcome to participate by teaching the girls new recipes or crafts or just by having fun with their daughters and their friends.

For further information, please contact Agata Moyana at 613-823-4335

Past activities

Neeje Association for Women and Family has tried to meet the ongoing needs of youth in the community. Past activities have included:

Imaginations Unlimited Book club was started for girls in Kingston, in hopes of fostering a love for reading and culture. Skits, games and role-playing added a delightful twist. Numerous friendships were forged and books exchanged. This relaxing monthly get-together proved to be great fun for everyone. Many girls from grades 4-12 have benefited from reading truly good books that clearly speak about fundamental traits of good character-honesty, courage, friendship, perseverance, responsibility etc.

Reel to real Video Club Once a month a group of girls aged 16-19 come together to enjoy a great night out featuring a movie, munchies and lively discussion. Good movies challenge, thrill, excite and awaken us to the potential drama of life. They present opportunities to get in the habit of asking Why? What if? Where is this headed? Where do I want to go? Would this really make me happier? It is so important for people, and especially young people, to form good habits of reflecting, asking questions, deliberating and learning from experience. They can gain a better understanding of what makes for good character, noble integrity and wholesome values. These insights will assist the girls for many years to come. Movies are a great medium for enlarging our understanding of human nature, meeting all kinds of people and becoming better judges of character.