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BCYF G.I.R.L.S.

BCYF G.I.R.L.S. programs focus on Growth, Intervention, Respect, Leadership, and Service for Girls.

Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) provides high quality programs and services for Boston’s girls. G.I.R.L.S. helps Boston’s girls meet their full potential through programs that meet their interests and needs. G.I.R.L.S. meets girls’ needs in an empowering, supportive, and welcoming environment. We want all girls to become healthy, strong, self-confident, and successful women. BCYF girls' programming is inclusive of girls of all ages, interests, and backgrounds.

G.I.R.L.S. programming includes:
  • BCYF Girls' Nights
  • BCYF Girls’ Leadership Corps
  • Youth Trainings
  • Staff Professional Development
  • Girls Only Program Time: designated times and spaces set aside for girls programming

BCYF Girls Sports Summit

We want to hear from you! This year, Boston Centers for Youth & Families is diving deeper into Girls Sports Programming and planning Girls Sports Summit for Boston girls 7 to 14 over April school vacation week (April 16-19, 2024).

To make sure this event is a total success, we need your input. Please take the survey.

BCYF Girls Sports Summit survey

BCYF Girls Sports Summit Survey flyer

Girls Nights

We offer a variety of Girls Nights year-round for Boston girls. Pre-registration is required for each event by emailing Erika.Butler@boston.gov.

Black history month skate and trivia

Thursday, February 22, from 5- 8 p.m. for Boston youth ages 17 and under. Make sure you RSVP to erika.butler@boston.gov.

BCYF Girls’ Leadership Corps

The BCYF Girls' Leadership Corps (GLC) is for girls ages 12 - 14. GLC takes place during the summer. Summer 2023 is full.

Leadership Corps members:
  • take part in personal and leadership development workshops
  • learn to establish positive and healthy lifestyle goals
  • build essential skills and confidence to become successful and independent women
  • develop and support girls programming
  • lead community service projects, and
  • engage other young women in workshops to address issues facing young women.

Trainings and professional development

BCYF G.I.R.L.S. facilitates training opportunities for both youth and staff. Trainings address issues that concern girls and women in Boston.

Partners providing training include, among others:
  • Girls’ LEAP
  • Girls Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, and
  • Big Sister Association of Greater Boston.
Training topics include:
  • interventions for violence perpetrated against women by men or by other women
  • trauma response and sensitivity
  • teen pregnancy
  • healthy relationships​
  • exploitation ​prevention, and
  • sports-based youth development focused on girls.

The BCYF G.I.R.L.S. Initiative is grateful for the sponsorship of the Shannon Grant and the Foundation for BCYF, and the support of Beats By Girlz, Girls' Leap, Love Your Menses, InnHer Uplift Consulting LLC, the Boston Police Department's Civic Engagement Unit and G.R.O.W. Girls program, the YWCA, and the Boston Housing Authority.

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