Village Bloggurls: More than a Media Literacy Program
The Village Bloggurls program is a free leadership and media literacy program for girls and women aged 6 to 20 years old in North York’s Lotherton community.
The Village Bloggurls program is a free leadership and media literacy program for girls and women aged 6 to 20 years old in North York’s Lotherton community. The older girls and women mentor the younger girls through activities, trips, discussions, and digital media making in a supportive space. Village Bloggurl mentors often move into volunteer and paid positions in the program. The media projects include creating digital artwork, blogging, podcasting, mapping, and more. They discuss and reflect on topics such as gender identity, self-care, body image, media literacy, race, and world issues.
Village Bloggurls at the movies!
“We focus on womanhood, media literacy, and mentorship,” Rickysha, Program Lead, says. “The program allows girls the opportunity to grow and to get to know each other, as well as to build community and a sense of belonging.”
Participants benefit from creating relationships and networking with other girls in the community; participating in community events and initiatives; and developing critical thinking and leadership skills. They also receive a certificate of completion and a reference letter.
Imani, who joined the Village Blogguls four years ago through Joyce Public School, started as a mentee and is now a mentor.
“The program had the greatest positive impact on my mental health. I was able to talk about things that I couldn’t talk about with anybody else; I was comfortable speaking. It became like an open family.” — Imani
Village Bloggurls started 11 years ago by parents in the Lotherton community and has been funded for the last 8 years, first by the Canadian Women’s Foundation and then North York Community House. They support over 100 girls and young women every year.
Rickysha says that one of their biggest challenges now is a lack of space to conduct programming. They adopted a hybrid model because of COVID-19 but in-person programming has been difficult since March 2021 because they no longer have a physical space in Lotherton. Rickysha explains that one of the difficulties is that they have to work with condominium management instead of Toronto Housing, for example, where some community centers are.
Rickysha and Village Bloggurls.
“We try to create an online space. We’re able to type to each other or do a one-on-one check-in online but they preferred the safe space in-person and being together so we can all discuss and talk about things that matter to them.”
Rickysha says they may have programming at Joyce Public School in the future, and in the meantime, they await warmer weather to hold programming in the Lotherton Orchard and Community Garden. Although even then, they have some limitations, like access to washrooms or somewhere to wash their hands before they eat.
Imani says that it’s “definitely not the same online but we still talk like how we could if we were in person”. Recently, the Village Bloggurls have done food drop off, received gift packages with picture frames and gift cards, and went to go see a movie at the theatre.
Lunching and paining!
Village Bloggurls, a cherished program in the Lotherton community, helps participants navigate the sometimes-choppy waters of girlhood and womanhood. The program teaches mentorship and leadership skills, along with technical aptitudes in digital artwork, blogging, podcasting, and more. The program allows participants to develop confidence, meaningful friendships, and networking opportunities. All girls and young women deserve a space to be themselves, to create and talk with their peers, to laugh, to support and be supported, and the Village Bloggurls program is just that for over 100 girls and young women each year.