Tag Archives: girls
SUPPORT GROUP FOR GIRLS who have experienced sexual abuse
From the Worcester office of the MSPCC
Who: Girls, ages approximately 8-12 yrs, who have experienced sexual abuse.
When: Thursdays, 4:30 pm – 5:30pm (starting 2/26/15 and running 8 weeks).
This is a “closed” group; participants who are unable to join from the beginning are invited to call the Group Facilitator about participation in a future group cycle.
Where: MSPCC, 335 Chandler St.,
Cost: Free
Topics:
· Week 1: Creating Safety (getting to know one another and learning about sexual abuse)
· Week 2: Mind, Body, and Emotions (learning ways our bodies respond to our environment and understanding our emotions)
· Week 3: Building Self-Esteem (identifying strengths and building positive self/body image)
· Week 4: Coping Skills (learning ways to take charge of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
· Week 5: Relationships (recognizing relationship “red flags” and building positive relationships)
· Week 6: Identifying support network (naming helpful, supportive people in our lives)
· Week 7: Self-care (taking care of ourselves and feeling empowered)
· Week 8: Celebration! (celebrating our relationships and progress)
For more information/to refer, please contact the Group Facilitator, Courtney Rubio, at (508) 767-3088. Please call to speak with the Facilitator before attending.
Addressing violence in the lives of girls – United Way of Central Mass. awards $300,000+ to fund programs
Women’s Initiative Awards More Than $300,000
Addressing the Issue of Violence in the Lives of Girls
The Women’s Initiative of United Way of Central Massachusetts recently awarded more than $300,000 to fund 12 programs in central Massachusetts that directly impact the lives of area girls.
The following 12 funded programs are focused on reducing the incidence of violence affecting girls through the strategy of building, strengthening and supporting the development of healthy, safe, and confident girls.
In addition to funding programs and events, Women’s Initiative continues to offer free community-wide economic empowerment conferences, called “Dollar $cholar,” for eighth-grade girls in Worcester and surrounding towns. During the fall of 2013, Women’s Initiative members mentored 200 girls from Worcester East Middle School and are currently preparing to work with approximately 180 girls from Grafton Middle School and Abby Kelley Foster Charter School in May 2014. Since 2006, almost 3000 girls from central Massachusetts were introduced to the basics of finance and budgeting, setting the stage for future independence and confidence around personal finance.
2014 Women’s Initiative Funded Programs
Express Yourself Program African Community Education Program $23,750.00
Girls Voice Program Boys and Girls Club of Worcester $17,500.00
All Kinds of Girls Clark University $12,000.00
Dear World: Voices of Worcester Girls Incorporated of Worcester $29,450.00
Latina Achievers in Search of Latino Education Institute (LEI) $34,526.80
Success (LASOS) Worcester State Foundation
Project Shine LUK Crisis Center, Inc. $15,500.00
Just Us Girls Seven Hills Family Services $17,427.75
Young Women – Healthy Choices Southeast Asian Coalition $14,025.00
One Circle Program Worcester Youth Center $45,000.00
(with The Community Builders and the
Latino Education Institute)
ASCEND Program Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. $26,600.00
Girls Promoting Safety YWCA of Central Massachusetts $52,263.10
(with Girls Inc.)
Girls CHOICE YWCA of Central Massachusetts $12,750.00
Not for sale
By Edith Morgan
It pays to speak to your neighbors, to find out what concerns them and what they do about it So it happened that I became acquainted with Robin Currie, who lives just three blocks from me. And besides her many activities as a mother, business woman, Crime Watch co-chair, and contributor to many local causes, she is passionate about a topic on which so many of us know so little.
Like many of us out there, I thought that slavery was totally wiped out here – at last- and that we could now focus on other problems. But it seems it has reared its ugly head, in other forms, notably human trafficking, and human smuggling.
I sat down recently with Robin in my dining room, and she poured out so much information about her passion on the issue of human trafficking that I did not know, and to my surprise, we may have a problem here in Worcester also. As regional director of the “Not For Sale” organization , she has been working hard for two years to raise awareness of the problem (as William Wilberforce said:”You may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say that you did not know”).
January 11 was “National Human Trafficking Day”. To raise awareness, Robin has amassed a library of materials on the subject, including books and movies, which are available at 292 Lincoln Street (the offices of Currie Management Consultants) She will lend these out to persons or groups wanting to get better informed, and to be able to spot the signs of such activity.
I was shocked to hear Robin say that in the U.S. 70% of trafficked children are In the foster care system.…. Nevertheless, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Annual report “Trafficking in Persons (TIP)” nations are rated from 1 to 3, 1 being the best and 3 the worst. At present the U.S. has a “1” rating, while Southeast Asia is at 3. Russia has just been downgraded… Most of the trafficked persons are “sex” workers and migrant laborers – under-age, underpaid, underreported, separated from family and support , and undocumented. Their stories are truly heartbreaking, but often out of our sights, as their captors and users keep them virtual prisoners, often right under the noses of those who should be protecting them.
For those of us who share Robin’s concerns, there is much material on-line. The U.S. government has a hotline to report suspicious activity 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) 0r www.dhs.gov/.humantrafficking. I would also imagine that calling our own police department to report suspicious activity would result in help for the victims.
Better yet, watch for flyers and announcements about the “ Not for sale” activities and keep your eyes open: if you suspect a young person is the victim of trafficking (forced into sexual or other activities , has restricted movement, harmed or deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care or other life necessities, and kept from socializing , working without pay, etc) report such abuse. WE all are the eyes and ears of our communities and have a duty to protect the children.
Hooray! HBO’s brilliant series GIRLS …
… returns in January! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been jonesin’ for Hannah, Marnie and pals for months! Brilliant director, writer, creator Lena Dunham (she’s only about 26 years old!!) just blows me away with her sly, sad, wicked, hilarious take on being female (you don’t have to be a 24-year-old girl to dig this show). I’ve already posted my fave clips. Here are a few other wonderful video snippets, followed by another briliant gal writer’s (Tina Fey’s) spoof on the young uns!
Q. How do these women write so incisively, beautifully?
A. Genius!!!
These “girls” inspire all “girls” to be free, real, brave, mean, nervy, vulnerable, loving, lost, wise, funny … FREE.
Check out GIRLS today!
– R. Tirella
Worcester City Council meets this coming Tues.; Economic Development committee meets Wed., Oct. 23 … and some GIRLS
… City Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. City Hall, Main Steet. Click here to see agenda!
Also, the city council Economic Development committee will be meeting to discuss a FOOD TRUCK ordinance.
Hooray!!!!
We wholeheartedly support food trucks!
Get them on the city hall common on Sundays, when people are enjoying our common …. sitting on benches, chatting, walking their dogs! There is NO place to grab a gyro, or veggie wrap, etc when you are hanging about in the centor of our city. There is so much more activity – the good kind as in young people and young couples – on our City Hall common these days! Bring on the food trucks so people can gnosh and socialize! There are no neighboring small biz folks to worry about! No one will be put outa biz cuz of food trucks! Especially on a Sunday or Saturday!
Let’s make downtown come alive again!
Click here Agenda for Economic Development Meeting
BE THERE TO SUPPORT FOOD TRUCKS! – R. Tirella
****************
AND…..Why can’t our city council meetings be as fun as this???
Or: as honest as this??
Smart GIRLS …
… self-sabotaging moves.
Last week I told you how great the HBO TV series GIRLS is. Here are a few of my favorite scenes from the show. Click on links below photos of the GIRLS to watch the video clips. – R. Tirella
Friendly House to honor Camp Reach girls!
Local Middle School-aged Girls Developed Solutions to Shelter’s Landscaping, Handicapped Accessibility Needs!
What: Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s (WPI) summer program for middle school-aged girls, Camp Reach, will be honored by the Friendly House community shelter and city and state leaders. Two groups of alumni from the 2006 and 2010 programs will be thanked for their work in improving the shelter’s landscaping and handicapped accessibility.
Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, Camp Reach is part of WPI’s K-12 outreach program, which is focused on introducing young people to the exciting world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Students are divided into teams and work with teachers to tackle meaningful and real problems around Worcester. Through their project, the students learn about the engineering design process in the context of a social or humanitarian problem or need.
Who: Among those attending the ceremony will be WPI Professor and Camp Reach coordinator Chrysanthe Demetry, Friendly House Executive Director Gordon Hargrove, State Rep. Vincent Pedone, D-Worcester; Worcester Mayor Joseph O’Brien, and Worcester City Councilor Barbara G. Haller. Members of the 2006 and 2010 Camp Reach teams that worked on the Friendly House projects will also be on hand to help with the ceremonial planting of a tree in the shelter’s yard.
When: Thursday, June 23, 2011, 3:30-5:30 p.m., rain or shine
Where: Friendly House Shelter: 87 Elm St., Worcester
Be there!
Author Greg Mortenson cancels May 3 speaking engagement in Worcester
By Rosalie Tirella
In this issue of InCity Times, we ran a promotion, re: Greg Mortenson’s May 3 speaking enagement at Mechanics Hall. After we went to press – and could not make any changes to the paper – we got this note from the UCC (see below). We did not see the Sixty Minutes piece on Mortenson.
In our humble opinion, if the author has accomplished only half of what he claims to have achieved, he is still a great man. I saw a TV news report a few years ago – I think it was a 60 Minutes piece – on Mortenson and all the great schools he was allegedly building in Afghanistan, etc. I was impressed! I still am. Maybe he hasn’t built as many schools as he claimed, but the guy HAS built lots of schools in the Mid East, poor girls there are being educated in his schools and he has shone a bright light on this important issue – educating girls in developing countries is the key to their human rights – for all the world to see.
As far as I can see, the world still needs people who will sit down and have three cups of teas – that is, build friendships gradually and respectfully – with people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, etc – not go in, as we and NATO have done, half-cocked blowing everybody’s brains out. The Mid East needs folks who will support girls and education for girls. They need more activists like Mortenson – not fewer.
As far as the way the guy has handled money – not so good. But he did tell NPR he was saving millions of dollars to provide a huge nest egg for his charity so that when he dies the important work of educating poor girls in the Mid East – the only way their society will begin to see them as full human beings and not chatel – will continue.
***********************************************************************************
Press release received by ICT:
The United Church of Christ – Massachusetts Conference (MACUCC), sponsor of an upcoming appearance by author Greg Mortenson in Worcester on May 3, announced today that Mortenson has withdrawn from his planned engagement due to health concerns.
Mortenson, who was the subject of a highly critical segment aired on April 17th’s “Sixty Minutes” program, announced recently that he is suffering from a hole in his heart which is reportedly due to be surgically repaired in Bozeman, MT, this week. Given the surgery and recuperation time, Mortenson’s agent said it was impossible for him to fulfill his engagement at Worcester’s Mechanics Hall on May 3.
Susan Dickerman, Associate Conference Minister for Leadership Development for the MACUCC, said, “The Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ is deeply concerned about the allegations made by CBS during its “Sixty Minutes” broadcast. Our decision to sponsor Greg Mortenson’s appearance in Worcester focused on providing an opportunity for laity and clergy to be inspired and challenged by Mortenson’s work in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to share with him their questions and concerns. We regret Mr. Mortenson’s illness and inability to fulfill his contract, and will offer full refunds of ticket purchases to all ticket holders.” Those holding tickets should contact the Mechanics Hall Box Office for a refund at 508-752-0888, no later than May 5th.
The Massachusetts Conference of the UCC includes 386 churches with over 73,000 members, and is one of 39 regional bodies of the UCC, which has 5,300 churches and 1.1 million members. The United Church of Christ traces its roots to the Pilgrims and Puritans who founded this country, and founded the nation’s first public schools and universities. The UCC remains a strong advocate for equality in public schools today.