GIRLS IN GEAR

A girls-specific bicycle youth empowerment program

PWPBPP 2014

Jessica Mathews Amanda Golden Columbus, Ohio

About Columbus

PWPBPP 2014

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

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

Why ‘Girls-Specific?’

70

30

Self-Esteem Matters!

Not Good Enough (measuringeither physical appearanceand/or school work) (out of 10)

Good Enough (measuringphysical appearance and/orschool work) (out of 10)

(Source: Dove, 2008)

PWPBPP 2014

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

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)

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).

PWPBPP 2014

PWPBPP 2014

HOW ‘GIRLS IN GEAR’ STARTED

PWPBPP 2014

HOW ‘GIRLS IN GEAR’ STARTED

PWPBPP 2014

1. BICYCLE SAFETY / ROAD RIDING

PWPBPP 2014

• Hand-signaling

• Communication

• Bicycles are vehicles

and must abide by

the same laws

• Being visible

1. BICYCLE SAFETY / ROAD RIDING

PWPBPP 2014

• Learning to lead

• Communication

• Learning navigations

• Understanding what ‘riding predictably’ means

• Traffic controlled devices

1. BICYCLE SAFETY / ROAD RIDING

PWPBPP 2014

• Helmet-fitting

techniques

2. BICYCLE MECHANICS

PWPBPP 2014

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!

2. BICYCLE MECHANICS

PWPBPP 2014

• Bicycle parts and

their functions

• Basic cleaning and

maintenance

• A, B, C, Quick Check

2. BICYCLE MECHANICS

PWPBPP 2014

• Step-by-step fixing a

flat tire

• Front / back brake

release

• Putting chains back

on rings

2. BICYCLE MECHANICS

PWPBPP 2014

• Understanding the

‘why’ behind

changing gears

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

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

4. URBAN DESIGN

PWPBPP 2014

• 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

4. URBAN DESIGN

PWPBPP 2014

• Neighborhood walk-

audit

• Discussing the built-

environment

• Understanding why

potential barriers are

created

4. URBAN DESIGN

PWPBPP 2014

5. PUBLIC SPEAKING / LEADERSHIP

PWPBPP 2014

• Local community

leader joins group –

shares stories and

inspiration

• Change-agents

discuss their

experiences of ‘GiG’

5. PUBLIC SPEAKING / LEADERSHIP

PWPBPP 2014

• Met with Mayor

Coleman of

Columbus

• Presented Urban

Design portion of

‘GiG’ session

5. MAYOR COLEMAN IS A FAN!

PWPBPP 2014

WOMEN LEADING YOUNG WOMEN

PWPBPP 2014

.

• 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

WOMEN IN LEADING POSITIONS TODAY

356

476

973

79 24 27

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

U.S. Congress Fortune 500Companies

Fortune 1000Companies

Men

Women

Percentage of Women

(Source: www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/levels_of_office)

PWPBPP 2014

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

VISION: ALL GIRLS NEED TO FEEL

EMPOWERED

PWPBPP 2014

• Professionalized curriculum

• Ability to be used in-class, after-school programs, any city/state

• Online access to resources

PARTNERS ARE PRICELESS!

PWPBPP 2014

PWPBPP 2014

THANK YOU

Contact:

Amanda Golden amanda@designinglocal.com

Jess Mathews. jess@considerbiking.org