Outreach and Barrier-Breaking >
National Girls Program

Actua’s National Girls Program was established in 1998 to increase the participation of girls in our co-ed camps. In a larger context, it addresses the known gap in female engagement in STEM studies and careers. The program includes high-quality, interactive programs in all-girl environments including camps, clubs, conferences, career fairs and special events with female mentors.

Our research on gender issues and the impact on girls’ self-esteem and learning styles set the groundwork during the development of the National Girls Program. Activities are designed to increase girls’ confidence, dispel stereotypes surrounding women in science, engineering and technology and instill a positive attitude towards these fields of study. We want to see girls pursue careers in these areas, without hesitation and with confidence. As with our other programs, mentorship is paramount. When youth connect to an individual they trust, knowledge-sharing is far more effective.

In the twelve years since we first launched the program, Actua has successfully reached over 48,000 girls in Canada through intensive, high-impact, all-girl experiences.

At first I thought I'd take one science course and one math course, but now I want to take all three science courses because I’ve gone here and I know what I’m going to be doing and that science is really fun!.

Girls Club Participant