Empowering Girls: How the Step-In Program Builds Confidence and Emotional Well-Being Through Four Pillars
Access to mental and behavioral health is essential for every child to thrive, yet not all schools have the resources to meet each child's unique needs. Charleston Hope is committed to bridging this gap. The Step-In Program empowers girls in grades 3-5 through after-school enrichment sessions focused on mental and behavioral health, helping to build their confidence, resilience, and social-emotional development.
The Step-In Program takes a holistic approach to mental and behavioral health, guided by Four Pillars:
Emotional Well-Being: Girls develop emotional intelligence and social-emotional skills.
Healthy Relationships: They learn how to cultivate and maintain healthy relationships.
Physical Well-Being: Physical activities promote self-reliance and overall well-being.
Community Experiences: Girls participate in new experiences that connect them to their community.
Claire Davies, an AmeriCorps VISTA specializing in fundraising and donor stewardship, also spent time in the Step-In classroom this past year. She witnessed how these Four Pillars come to life in everyday experiences.
Claire felt the program's emphasis on emotional well-being: "Step-In is a safe space where the girls can openly express their feelings and be honest about what they’re going through."
She observed how the program fosters healthy relationships. At the start of the year, the girls created classroom rules and learned to set clear boundaries in other areas of their lives.
Physical well-being was also reinforced through hands-on lessons. Claire recalls a day when the girls learned about nutrition from a specialist, made healthy snacks, and raced outdoors in relay games.
Finally, Claire noted the importance of community experiences. During a field trip to an escape room, the girls built team spirit and leadership skills, working together to solve a shared challenge.
The Step-In Program’s approach to promoting mental and behavioral health through its Four Pillars is not just beneficial for the individual girls—it addresses a much larger issue. Across the country, there is a growing need for mental health support in schools, particularly in high-poverty and underserved communities. Many schools are not equipped with the resources or staff to provide the comprehensive mental and emotional support that students need to thrive. This gap disproportionately affects young girls, who often face unique social pressures and challenges during their formative years.
Programs like Step-In are vital because they empower young girls in these communities, offering them a safe space to develop the emotional intelligence and social skills necessary to overcome these challenges. By focusing on their emotional, physical, and social well-being, the program helps to fill the void left by insufficient school-based mental health services, ensuring that girls who might otherwise be overlooked receive the care and support they need to grow into confident, resilient individuals.
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Written by Natalie Richards, Summer 2024 Intern