Many Hoosier girls are not OK, but the Girl Coalition of Indiana (GCI) is working to change that.
GCI, launched in 2022, is a social innovation initiative inspired by the six Girl Scout councils that currently serve girls in the Hoosier state. They serve all girls, particularly those who live in low-income communities.
When GCI partnered with the Indiana Youth Institute to create a comprehensive report on the well-being of girls statewide, the intent was to learn where girls are thriving and where they’re struggling. The first Indiana Girl report, published in 2023, revealed that Indiana girls are in peril. For starters, data showed that 47% of seventh- to 12th-grade girls reported feeling sad or hopeless for two weeks or more.
“Half of girls in this state are depressed,” says Mackenzie Pickerrell, GCI executive director. “Moreover, one in four said they have contemplated suicide.”
Although Girl Scouts is good at engaging young girls, the report found that females in middle school and high school struggle when it comes to maintaining good mental health, making and keeping friends, being bullied, and experiencing sexual violence.
“Girl Scouting could play an important role in the lives of middle school and high school girls,” says Pickerrell. “It’s important that we create opportunities for girls from kindergarten through 12th grade so that they have supportive adults, connective peers, and safe environments in which they can try new things and take healthy risks.”
Two key barriers involve finances and transportation.
“We’re actively working to make sure that from a financial perspective, every girl can take part of a Girl Scout experience, regardless of fees,” says Pickerrell.
In addition to providing financial aid, they’re looking at bringing the Girl Scout experience to girls where they are, since they recognize that in some cases, the after-school bus is a child’s only way home.
“We plug into the school so that if they want to participate in Girl Scouts, we can easily make that happen without putting additional barriers on the caregiver, whom we know already has a lot on their plate,” Pickerrell says.
Over the last nine months, GCI commissioned additional research to better understand national trends. They also talked to female students and their caregivers.
“Girls need to be heard in this process because they are their own best advocates,” Pickerrell says. “It validates the data and helps us better understand how [these issues] are showing up in their day-to-day lives.”
Girls shared that they want to know what their options are after high school, and they want access to favorable networks in which they can develop healthy relationships and mentorship experiences. This might include a Girl Scout program or internship. When youths are engaged in these programs, they’re more likely to learn about the steps they can take to care for themselves, whether that be engaging in stress management, self-esteem programs or leadership development programs.
The report found that 43% of girls aged 6 to 17 have experienced some level of bullying, harassment or exclusion within the last 12 months. And 17% reported sexual dating violence in the last year; this means that one or two girls in a high school classroom have dealt with some level of dating violence.
A whopping 51% of caregivers for girls aged 3 to 17 reported difficulties finding mental health treatments for their girls. This is where policymakers come into play, as they can provide access and funding for mental health resources. Policymakers also need to engage in evidence-based prevention and intervention programs.
Staff with GGI have spent the last eight months building relationships with elected officials to bring to light the realities that girls are facing.
“The honest truth is that it’s complicated,” Pickerrell says. “Girls are thriving in some spaces and facing great challenges in others.”
In August 2024, they launched the Indiana Girls Advisory Council, which brings 12 influential leaders from across the state to brainstorm on the systems that need to be tackled first, the strategies to do so, and how to best take action collectively.
“Girl Scouts isn’t the only voice in this, but we are the convener to bring together many voices so that as a state, we can collectively advocate for systemic change for girls,” Pickerrell says.
GCI’s mission is to enable all Hoosier girls to live their best lives, physically, academically, emotionally and socially.
“Every girl deserves to live their best life,” Pickerrell says. “It’s our honor and responsibility to lead the charge.”
