GEM

Girl Empowerment through Mentorship

G.E.M. is a peer-to-peer mentorship program created by AMWA, a non-profit organization, to develop leadership skills in girls ranging in age from 11 – 18 years old. AMWA believes that youth have the ability to strongly influence each other because they are more likely to imitate the behavior of those they see similar to themselves. Adolescents tend to view their peers as more credible and having a better understanding of the concerns of young people.

Matching high school students with middle school students to form a mentoring relationship is beneficial to both groups. The younger students (mentees) have a caring mentor and the high school students (mentors) learn the importance of community stewardship. This relationship helps the girls to build self-esteem, develop their strengths and leadership abilities, live up to their highest potential and motivate each other to become more influential voices in their communities.

Perseverance – To teach how to find solutions to problems and hold ourselves accountable for success.
Leadership – To teach skills that will enable them to establish a clear vision and provide the information, knowledge and methods to realize that vision.
Empowerment – To inculcate the ability to represent their own interests in a responsible and self-determined way.
Altruism – To selflessly serve the needs of the community
Social Responsibility – To be accountable for one’s actions and choices that have an impact on
the larger world.
Expertise – To identify and nurture areas of interest and help develop those interests to become proficient