Today’s tween girls have the whole world in their hands. Modern young girls are starting companies, dreaming big, over-achieving in academics and sports, and generally taking the world by storm.
Girls are bright, creative, and talented – and they’re shaping the future of society. Young girls and women today have more opportunities than past generations, and the stereotypes are slowly being broken down by girls with go-getter attitudes who pursue their dreams with passion.
But the modern world is also a tough one to grow up in, particularly for the tween demographic. There’s a lot of peer pressure, the stereotypes that are still hanging on, and the general expectations of society to contend with. Couple that with the hormonal and emotional changes commonly occurring at this age, and it’s no wonder that being a tween girl today is sometimes confusing and challenging. Despite these challenges, girls can – and do – accomplish big things. Girls can do anything, and tween girls are taking steps every day to break down the walls of these challenges to carve out their personal place in the world.
In the tween and teen years, encouragement is incredibly valuable to help girls navigate these internal and external conflicts and give them the confidence they need to pursue the goals that are in line with their own identities without fear. That’s the aim of the following 30 websites. Listed in no particular order, these websites empower young girls and young women to live to the fullest, ignore the negative peer pressures and stand firm with their own values and beliefs. Today’s tween girls are the leaders of tomorrow, and the following websites empower modern young women to take control of their lives and futures with positive influence, encouragement and opportunities for growth.
1. I Am That Girl
@iamthatgirl
I Am That Girl is “A global community, a support system, and a movement of girls (8-108) turning self-doubt into self-love.” This website addresses the “epidemic of self-doubt” that exists for young girls and encourages a healthy balance of physical, emotional and mental well-being to develop a strong sense of self-worth. More than 100,000 girls from around the globe participate in online and offline initiatives consisting of community, content and education, share stories of struggle and adversity that turn into triumph, encourage and get encouragement from other girls, and much more.
2. GirlsHealth.gov
@girlshealth
GirlsHealth.gov is maintained by the Office of Women’s Health in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It’s intended for girls between the ages of 10 and 16, but also has resources for parents and teachers. With quizzes, activities and inspiring information about avoiding drugs and alcohol, relationships, bullying, body image and more, GirlsHealth.gov is a valuable resource for girls.
3. EMpower
@EMpowerweb
Empower is a resource network and organization supporting at-risk youth, particularly young girls, in developing countries. The organization was founded in 2000 by financial professionals from Emerging Markets (EM) who wanted to give back to the countries in which they conduct business. Education, health and well-being, livelihoods and leadership are the focus of Empower.
4. Girl Up
@girlup
Girl Up is a project of the United Nations Foundation. Girl Up’s vision is a world in which all girls from everywhere in the world have the opportunity to be educated, live a healthy, safe and prosperous life, and even take charge in leadership roles to lead the next generation in a positive direction. The organization partners with a variety of other forward-thinking organizations, giving young girls the opportunity to become Youth Champions and participate in programs that help provide education, health and safety resources to fellow girls in disadvantaged countries.
5. SPARK Movement
@SPARKsummit
The SPARK Movement is a girl-envisioned, girl-initiated, and girl-run movement with the goal of ending the sexualization of women and girls in the media. There’s a difference between healthy sexuality and sexualization, and SPARK is building a collaborative effort by partnering with other national organizations – currently more than 60 – to reject the negative images in the media and encourage the use of images that reflect girls’ inner beauty, brilliant minds, and drive to succeed.
6. Girls with Dreams
@girlswithdreams
Girls with Dreams was founded by Carrie Silver Stock, an author and teen advocate with a passion for making a difference. And that’s precisely what Girls with Dreams does – encourages young girls to make the world a better place. Carrie’s goal is to create world where girls build each other up instead of compete and knock each other down. Girls with Dreams is an inspirational resource with fun quizzes, activities, articles and more – created by girls, teens and women just for girls.
7. Engineer Girl
@NAE_DC
Got a girl with a big imagination? Girls have amazing minds filled with creativity, and there are tons of career options to put that inner-brilliance to great use. The National Academy of Engineering aims to throw gender stereotypes out the window with a girl-focused site encouraging girls to follow their passions. With profiles of highly-successful female engineers, articles and resources for girls who love math, science and other engineering-related fields, essay competitions and a cool “Try on a Career” feature that describes the many possible careers in engineering, Engineer Girl is a fantastic resource for encouraging young girls to pursue their interests – regardless of gender roles and stereotypes.
8. BrainCake.org
BrainCake.org is a project of The Girls, Math & Science Partnership, which is a program of the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA. The mission of The Girls, Math & Science Partnership is “to engage, educate, and embrace girls as architects of change.” The program targets girls between the ages of 11 and 17, as well as their parents and educators, to create a collaborative effort to encourage girls to embrace their love of math and science and pursue excellence in these fields.
9. GirlGeeks.org
An online community for women and girls interested in technology and computing, GirlGeeks.org is another empowering website that supports girls who want to follow their own interests and talents in technology and related fields. Girls can submit stories, articles and artwork, read profiles of successful Girl Geeks and delve into their love of technology in an environment free of judgment, where their talents are applauded and never discouraged.
10. Girls Communicating Career Connections (GC3)
Girls Communicating Career Connections is supported by work from the National Science Foundation. The GC3 project features videos about math and science-related careers, created by middle school-aged girls, as well as games and activities allowing girls to explore the many career opportunities that use science and math skills. The multimedia series is also used by educators in classroom settings.
11. 7Wonderlicious
@7wonderlicious
Power, vision, hope, hard work, meaning and contribution are all emphasized at 7Wonderlicious, a website for girls to convene and collaborate to inspire, guide and educate billions of girls around the world. There’s also a storybook app, The Adventures of the 7Wonderlicious Girls, ideal for girls between the ages of 3 and 7. The story cards feature inspirational girls who are excellent role models, love to solve problems, and encourage young girls to be themselves, accept themselves for who they are, work with others, and other positive traits. The 7Wonderlicious blog delves into topics such as commercialization and its role in girl stereotypes.
12. Girls Globe
@GirlsGlobe
Girls’ Globe is a worldwide network encouraging female leadership and action to make the world a better place for women and girls everywhere. The website is an ever-growing network of bloggers and organizations sharing similar goals and aspirations. The group speaks and consults, as well – check out the Global Events Calendar for a look at the many events taking place worldwide to support the needs and interests of girls and women.
13. Girls Learn International, Inc.
@GirlsLearnIntl
A program of the Feminist Majority Foundation, Girls Learn International is an organization promoting and supporting efforts to provide girls all over the world with access to education. Girls Learn International was founded in 2003 by Lisa Alter, along with her two teenage daughters, Arielle and Jordana. Their belief is that youth, girls in particular, will be leaders in the change movement that empowers girls everywhere.
14. 60 Million Girls
@60MillionGirls
60 Million Girls focuses on the millions of children – especially young girls – who lack access to primary education. With the belief that “Education of women is the key to economic productivity and political stability,” and “Healthy, safe, empowered girls transform families, communities and countries,” 60 Million Girls invests in the women of tomorrow with resources, support and hands-on projects to provide education to girls in underprivileged communities and nations.
15. Girls Can’t What?
@girlscantwhat
Girls Can’t What?, founded in 2005 by Gretchen Cawthon, aims to empower girls of any age to pursue their interests, dreams and passions, breaking free of gender stereotypes and perceptions. The site donates 20 percent of its monthly profits to support initiatives that enable girls and women to start businesses, expand their education and improve lives. With interviews, articles and other free stuff packed with inspiration, Girls Can’t What? is an exceptional resource for girls and an excellent way to give back by purchasing products designed by Gretchen and other contributing artists.
16. PrimaDonna Incorporated
PrimaDonna, Inc. promotes hope, love and self-sufficiency in young and adolescent girls. The group encourages abstinence and strives to prevent teen pregnancy, encouraging alternate activities and outlets that encourage young girls to take the path towards self-sufficiency and build successful futures.
17. Reel Grrls
@ReelGrrls
A non-profit media arts and leadership training program for girls between the ages of 9 and 21, Reel Grrls inspires girls to pursue their dreams both in front of and behind the camera. A year-round program, Reel Grrls provides hands-on workshops for girls to learn from female media professionals and educators.
18. Powered by Girl
@poweredbygirl
A media activism campaign for girls, by girls, Powered by Girl is a blogger network and activist group taking on the negative stereotypes and sexual portrayal of girls and women in the media. The site takes on major brands like Disney for over-emphasizing girl stereotypes, such as princesses, frills and pink. “We consider ourselves culture jammers who call out the absurdity of who and what we’re expected to be in the media and in our daily lives.” The project is co-sponsored by the Girls Advisory Board of Hardy Girls Healthy Women and the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department at Colby College.
19. New Moon Girls
New Moon Girls is a place for girls to share artwork, positive stories, poetry, videos and other creative work in a supportive environment. The site is fully moderated and designed to encourage healthy online behavior and confidence. Topics cover body image, arts and culture, feelings and emotions and other topics relevant to the tween age group.
20. Passion Foundation
@passionteams
In today’s world young women find more connection with what is going on around them rather than what is going on within them. Our environment creates pressures for girls to “fit in” and as a result has caused uncertainty about how they can achieve success in life. These environmental influences can affect the self worth of young women and create the potential for self-harm through substance misuse and abuse, cutting, unhealthy relationships, and poor self-care. Passion Foundation’s mission is to help young women achieve personal success in life by supporting each other.
21. iTwixie
A certified TRUSTe site for kids’ privacy, iTwixie is a website encouraging girls to take action and change the world to one filled with respect, empowerment and safety for girls everywhere. “iTwixie.com brings all girls together to celebrate their vast interests and dreams to Pledge to start changing the world, one girl at a time.” Programs include a monthly BeYOUtiful Tween, Blogger of the Month and other positive programs building an environment of mutual encouragement and support.
22. Girl Talk
@GirlTalkInc
Girl Talk is a community that develops local chapters and programs for high school girls to partner with and mentor middle school girls to help them deal with the issues they face during this challenging stage of life. Founded in 2002, Girl Talk has helped more than 40,000 girls through local programs in 43 states and seven countries through weekly team meetings led by Girl Talk leaders. There are plenty of resources, information about camps and programs, and materials for parents and educators on the site.
23. Girls’ Respect Groups
@RespectGRG
A plethora of empowering articles and resources on self-esteem, navigating relationships, bullying, respect, body image and making a difference in the world, Girls’ Respect Group is also an after-school program for pre-teen girls led by specially-trained high school girls. Girls’ Respect Groups was co-founded by Lorna Blumen, Natalie Evans, and Anne Rucchetto. Lorna has 18 years of experience as an educational consultant and bullying prevention specialist, and is also an author and lecturer who has appeared on multiple radio and television programs in the U.S. and Canada.
24. Hardy Girls Healthy Women
@hghw
HGHW is a non-profit group with a vision for all girls and women to live a life of equality, independence and safety. HGHW addresses girls’ lives in relational and social contexts through services, programs and opportunities touching on the environmental components – families, schools, and community organizations. The idea is that it’s not girls who are in need of repair, but the culture in which we live. To that end, programming emphasizes the environment as the real agent of change.
25. Girl Museum
@girlmuseum
A virtual museum that celebrates girlhood, Girl Museum promotes education, feminism, confidence, self-esteem and the many things that make girls who they are – the key to the future. Shop at the Girl Museum boutique for unique gifts celebrating girls and women with Girl Power slogans and Girl Museum branding, read inspirational stories about female role models, and more.
26. Global Girl Media
@globalgirlmedia
Global Girl Media is a non-profit organization serving girls all around the world in underprivileged communities. The organization provides media, journalism and leadership training to give girls a voice in the global media universe – and in their own futures. Global Girl Media was first a group of highly-successful women broadcasters and journalists who recognized the over-emphasis on violence, celebrity and disaster while allowing the voice of the modern girl and modern woman to fly under the radar. Now, the organization strives to shift this trend by empowering girls with the tools and education to become digital and blog journalists, become their own agents of change and bridge the gender divide. Girls have a strong voice to be heard, and media and journalism careers provide an excellent platform for sharing your ingenuity with the world.
27. Girl Mogul
Girl Mogul, founded by Andrea Stein in 2007, believes that girls can change the world (as we know they can!) and provides tools and activities that instill confidence and boost self-esteem. The site features deluxe girl power kits and a girl power blog that features inspirational stories from Girl Moguls. With games, content, quizzes and other fun activities geared towards the tween girl, Girl Mogul encourages girls to dream big and reach for the stars. A print magazine is in the works.
28. GirlStart
@girlstart
A site dedicated to empowering young girls with interest in the areas of math, science and technology, GirlStart features fun projects girls can do at home, information on after-school workshops and programs, information for parents and educators, and other resources to encourage creativity, confidence and curiosity while discouraging social bias and inequality.
29. Girls, Inc.
@girls_inc
Girls, Inc. develops programs and supports initiatives designed to help girls become stronger, smarter and bolder while navigating economic, gender and social barriers. With a special section of the site just for girls, Girls, Inc. discourages the societal pressures that make girls think they have to think and behave in a certain way. Girls, Inc. promotes and spreads the essential message that girls can do anything and be anything they set their minds to.
30. SheHeroes.org
SheHeroes.org is a site geared towards girls between the ages of 8 and 12, empowering them to “dream big, explore their interests and passionately pursue careers in any field regardless of gender.” With videos highlighting many successful women in a variety of careers, girls can get inspired and learn that if they can dream it, they can do it.
