empowering girls to take the lead
What is Ophelia's Voice?
Who We Are
Ophelia's Voice is a nonprofit organization based out of Sherwood Park, Alberta, with a focus on empowering girls and young women to use their leadership potential to affect social change in their community through self-initiated social justice projects. The organization is led by youth, for youth, and was started by the 16-year-old founder, Joanne Cave, with assistance from her graduate student mentors at the University of Alberta. Ophelia's Voice is in its third year of operation.
The name Ophelia's Voice was inspired by Mary Pipher's book Reviving Ophelia: Saving The Selves of Adolescent Girls (1994), which describes the significant challenges girls face navigating adolescence in an age of hypersexuality, pervasive media messages, and an exceedingly narrow definition of beauty. Ophelia's Voice emphasizes that teenage girls don't need "saving" if they are equipped with a supportive network of other girls, the opportunities to reach their leadership potential, and the resources and mentorships to make positive choices. Ophelia's Voice is directed by girls, and focuses on prevention and the strengths girls already possess! We know that girls are capable of changing the world.
Ophelia's Voice is involved with Girls Action Foundation as one of their associate members. We also maintain partnerships with other community organizations and represent girls on a provincial and national level!
Latest News
Anniversary Celebration
Ophelia's Voice is getting ready to celebrate! We are inviting all interested community members to attend our 5th anniversary celebration on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 from 7 - 9 pm at Festival Place (100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park). There will be presentations, speeches, reflections on our milestones and our future! You can also enjoy birthday cake and the girls' action project showcase. Click here for the invitation, and RSVP to Joanne Cave at joanne@opheliasvoice.org before June 15, 2009. The press release is available here.
Last call to writers! Ophelia's Voice is launching the Legacy Book Project to celebrate what girls and adult women have to share with each other. We are looking for 250 word submissions from girls and adult women to be included in this book. We are still accepting submissions, especially from girls. See the attached submission form for details.
Girls Stakeholders Networking Meeting
- Are you an organization in the Edmonton area that works with girls or young women?
- Is your agency looking for opportunities to network, exchange resources, and identify common challenges?
Ophelia's Voice is hosting a Girls Stakeholders Networking Meeting for all agencies in the Edmonton area that work with girls and young women in any capacity.
Join us on Friday, May 22, 2009 from 9 am - noon at the Stanley A. Milner Library Centennial Room. Attendance is free and includes refreshments. Download the invitation here to learn more or RSVP.
Our resource library is now accessible to the public! We have over 50 books in addition to newspaper articles, brochures, zines, and multimedia resources for program facilitators, educators, parents, and girls. The subject matter ranges from body image, healthy sexuality, feminism, and everything in between. Click here to view the online catalog. Resources can be checked out for a 2 week period.
Our Winter 2009 newsletter is now available for download!
Can I join Ophelia's Voice during the year, even though you're done recruitment?
In short, yes. Our program is designed for girls to participate for the duration of the year so we establish a comfort level among the group, but we will allow girls to join throughout the year if they are interested. Our program fee for the year is $200.00, so for each month missed we will make a $20.00 reduction. In the second half of the year, our big focus will be on helping girls plan their own community action projects, so it is challenging to orient new girls into the program when we are taking on independent projects. It'll be a on case-by-case basis, so contact us. If you missed our recruiting at the end of August, just fill out the registration package and send it our way.
We have launched our new 2008 - 2009 program with a great group of girls! Watch the blog, calendar, and the Latest News section for updates on the cool projects, activities, and workshops we are planning!
Ophelia's Voice has just launched our new blog, available here that will be frequently updated with our organization's news, program information, as well as resources for girls and other organizations! Check it out!
Ophelia's Voice is pleased to announce some new funding sources! Thank you to Strathcona County Council, Government of Alberta Children's Services, Family Violence and Bullying Prevention and Youth Strategies, Sherwood Park Rotary Club, University of Alberta Community-Service Learning Program, Edmonton International Women's Day Committee and County Clothes-Line Foundation!
