Circles for Girls Facilitator Training

This free training is for women who wish to learn more about and/or volunteer to co-facilitate Circles for Girls with the Center for Dispute Resolution at Missouri State University. The training includes a light breakfast and lunch. Pre-registration is required.

Circles are scheduled at area middle schools and high schools during the school day. If you choose to volunteer with this program, we will work with you to assign you to a circle that fits your schedule.

Circles for Girls is a 6-8 week structured educational group for girls and young women. It brings together a group of 4-10 girls with trained college-aged facilitators to explore topics relating to their social, emotional and physical well-being.

Goals: The program is designed to help girls enhance their communication skills, learn to manage conflict effectively, realize their strengths, withstand social pressures, and build and maintain healthy relationships.

Curriculum: Circles for Girls offer fun, thoughtful and creative experiences that encourage girls to learn and grow. Each circle meeting focuses on a different topic, including communication skills, managing conflicts, body image and self esteem, healthy relationships, effective decision-making, coping with peer pressure and more.

Structure: In schools where circles are offered, guidance counselors select students who may benefit from the program. The sessions convene during the school day over the course of 6-8 weeks, typically for 50-60 minutes once a week. In each session, facilitators introduce a theme for the week. Next, girls take part in a fun activity that further explores the topic, such as playing games, painting, role playing, writing poetry, making collages and more. Girls also take part in guided discussions and journaling. Between sessions, facilitators “write notes” back to the girls in their journals to answer questions and provide feedback one-on one.

Community Impact: Since 2010, this program has served hundreds of girls in area schools, and more than a hundred Missouri State students have volunteered as circle facilitators. The program continues to provide a powerful and fun learning opportunity for girls and an impactful volunteer experience for college-aged women.

Free