In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're highlighting the work some amazing organizations and people are doing to improve women's health. Last week, I interviewed Susan Roberts, executive director of Girls on the Run of the Bay Area, a program in San Francisco. Girls on the Run is a curriculum-based exercise program that cultivates self-confidence, physical fitness, healthy decision-making and teamwork in girls 8 to 13. In Girls on the Run's words, "We believe it is critical to reach girls at an early age in order to teach them these important life lessons and to prevent at-risk behavior such as eating disorders, substance abuse, depression, obesity and adolescent pregnancies."
Me: How did you get involved with GOTR?
Susan: I started at Girls on the Run in fall 2004 as program director. I had previously been working at an after-school program in the Outer Mission/Excelsior district of San Francisco, and we had Girls on the Run at my site. I immediately saw a lot of changes in the girls who were in the program-- on the playground and in the classroom. Teachers said girls were raising their hands and participating more and standing up for themselves.
In 2004, I ran the Lollipop Family Fun Run with my girls, which is a great event. Then I was hired as program director for Girls on the Run, and last year I was promoted to executive director.
Me: Girls on the Run is an international organization. Where are there chapters?
Susan: Yes, it is international. It started in 1996 in Charlotte, NC, and there are 165 chapters all over the United States and Canada. Girls on the Run of the Bay Area has been its own 501 (c)(3) nonprofit since 2002. It started as a program with five girls, and this year we served 500 girls in 39 locations throughout five counties.
Me: You work with girls ages 8 to 13. Why is running beneficial for girls of this age? What kind of skills do you think Girls on the Run teaches participants?
Susan: We have a program for elementary girls in third through fifth grade and then a program with a separate curriculum for girls in sixth to eighth grade. It's a preventative program, providing a positive, supportive environment for young girls. We teach important life lessons, covering topics including gossiping, bullying, nutrition, healthy decisions, teamwork, cooperation and community improvement. We implement a community service project as one of the lessons. The program is a supportive network for them-- encouraging social, emotional, physical and psychological health. We have two to three volunteer coaches who work with a group for ten weeks, meeting twice each week. Our girls really bond during this time. It's a non-competitive program, and it's open to girls of any shape, size or ability.
Me: How much does the program cost?
Susan: The cost depends on each community. We partner with schools so we can meet in the after-school hours, where there is the greatest need. 75 percent of our girls receive scholarships. The full cost of the program in a high-income community is $225. which includes 20 one-hour sessions, a water bottle, T-shirt, snacks and the final Lollipop Run. At another school, the cost is $125, and the average participant paid $67. In low-income communities, the cost might be $0-10 for participants. We write grants and fundraise to offset the cost.
Me: How can girls use the skills they learn at Girls on the Run outside of the program?
Susan: Educating these girls has a ripple effect. They teach their families and friends how to make healthy decisions. Families will tell us their daughters influence the grocery shopping and what they eat for dinner-- the girls encourage them to make healthier choices. Parents and other family members come to the Lollipop Family Fun Run at the end of the program, and they are inspired to complete their own 1 mile or 5K run. A number of the girls go on to join the cross country and track teams when they get older. They gain confidence and exposure to running.
Me: Do girls tend to continue with the program for more than one session?
Susan: Yes, 40 percent come back season after season. Some programs have as many as 60-70 percent of participants come back.
Me: What do your participants say about their experiences in the program?
Susan: The girls really enjoy the program. They are very enthusiastic about it and get very excited to participate. The girls make new friends, learn to make healthy decisions and get to experience setting and reaching goals. We get a lot of feedback that the program is really fun.
Me: Does each session work up to a large running event?
Susan: We have a Lollipop Family Fun Run every December and May at the end of each session. We had about 1,000 people come out this last May in Golden Gate Park. Each girl has a running buddy who runs alongside her. About 200 of our girls came out for the last run.
Me: How can people get involved with Girls on the Run?
Susan: We definitely always need volunteers and funding, and there are a lot of ways to get involved. You can be a one-time volunteer by coming to the Lollipop Run and spending three to four hours handing out water or T-shirts. You can also be a coach and meet twice a week for an hour for ten weeks. You can also be a running buddy, whether you're male or female, and be paired with a girl to meet for one practice and come out to the final run. It's a great point of entry-- a lot of people end up going on to a longer term role as a coach or committee member. We also have internships for high school and college students. There are committees of people who plan the Lollipop Runs and do marketing for us. You can see all the available volunteer opportunities on our site.
Me: At YN Play City, teams of young activists are starting their own sport-for-social-good projects. What advice could you give them for creating successful projects?
Susan: Listen to the needs of the community-- what is it people need? Especially for after-school programs, it's important to be in tune with the barriers that might prevent kids from getting to the program. We need to offer our programs on campus after school because it's more challenging to have practice at a gym or a park at 6 p.m. A lot of families have transportation barriers to get their kids there, as well as language barriers and other challenges. We need to make sure all our materials are bilingual and we have translators available. When you work with youth, the coaches you have will make or break the experience. You need to make sure the people leading the program have great energy and are really supportive and encouraging.
Me: How do you think sport-for-good programs benefit communities as a whole?
Susan: Sports-based youth development is a very powerful tool. Sports teach youth life lessons-- cooperation and learning how to win or lose gracefully. They also educate youth at a young age to have a healthy and active lifestyle as part of their daily habits. The costs of obesity-related diseases like type 2 diabetes are skyrocketing. The more a community is active and outdoors, the more it benefits everyone.
Me: Thank you so much for your time!
Take action with Girls on the Run of the Bay Area:
If you don't live in the Bay Area, find a Girls on the Run chapter near you.
