By Sheree Hoddinett
Who runs the world? Girls do! If you haven’t heard of Courageous Girls Club, you or someone in your family might just be missing out on something incredible.
Courageous Girls Club is run by Sam Bell and is about fostering a supportive environment where every girl feels valued, heard and above all else, empowered to be her true self.
“In 2022, I saw a Facebook ad relating to a training course in how to facilitate empowerment workshops for young girls,” Sam explains. “Something about it just spoke to me and I followed my intuition to do the training.
“I’m a dance teacher by trade and have always been aware of the particular issues young girls can face. I also used to be an Image Consultant/Personal Stylist and spent six years helping women look and feel their best through the clothes they wear.
“I feel all of this has given me so much experience, empathy and understanding when it comes to confidence and self-esteem.”
Sam undertook the training and was considering offering school holiday workshops, but instead she created Courageous Girls Club and hasn’t looked back.
“I moved from the UK to Bribie in 2019 with my husband and two sons and simply adore this magical place we get to call home,” Sam said. “So, the idea of starting the club on Bribie just made sense - this is home and helping the community is a priority for me.
“I feel that girls definitely need more support in their lives. We have had such a huge cultural shift over the last 70 years or so and women haven’t always had role models to show us the way.
“I think we have a generation of women navigating a tricky landscape and I want it to be easier for our girls growing up to know who they are, what they are about and to pursue their own dreams and ideals with confidence.”
For Sam, knowing she’s been able to help in some way is a big part of what she loves about having the club out there, whether it’s the immediate short-term influence where girls have the confidence to make friends and take on new roles or the longer-term difference.
“The longer-term impact is what I call the ripple effect,” she said. “A tiny drop in the water with far-reaching influence. Knowing that because of the club someday somebody will avoid an abusive relationship because they remember what a respectful friendship should look like. Knowing that girls will break cycles of behaviour and take control of their own future. Giving girls a safe place to be themselves and giving them role models, so that they can see there is always a different way.”
Each week the group will have a different focus topic covering things such as individuality and strengths, fostering a growth mindset or peer pressure. The session will kick off with a warm-up game related to the topic and then it’s time to talk, where everyone has the opportunity to be heard. Some sessions even include craft or drama or role play. There’s always a snack and then the session is wrapped up covering what has been learnt and shared, what’s coming up next and the Courageous Girls ‘shout’.
“When I get a message from a parent telling me that they can see their difference in their little girl - improved confidence, better social skills, bouncing back from hard times - I often get a bit emotional to be a part of that and to know that the Courageous Girls Club works,” Sam said. “I feel incredibly honoured and proud to be able to do this work, to be part of the ‘village’ of other parents and to be a trusted adult for so many girls in our community.”
Courageous Girls Club meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school at Cooinda Hall in Bongaree. There are four groups of ages within the club: Minis 4-6, Juniors 7-9, Tweens 10-12 and Teens 13+.
“We have some beautiful people in our community who sponsor places in the club and pay for girls to come along,” Sam said. “We currently have two privately funded spots for girls who need the club but maybe don’t have the ability to pay their own fees. Aren’t we lucky to have such amazing people around us? NDIS do pay for the club too, if people have NDIS support.”
If you would like to know more about Courageous Girls Club, visit courageousgirls.com.au or phone Sam on 0484 768 748.
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