Girls from Ocean View Secondary School took part in the first Girls on Fire mentorship camp hosted by the Global Centre for Change (GCC) Foundation, launching a year-long programme focused on personal development, confidence and life skills.
Image: Supplied
Thirty-two girls from Ocean View High School recently took part in the first Girls on Fire mentorship camp hosted by the Global Centre for Change Foundation(GCC).
The three-day camp took place in April at the Soetwater Environmental Centre and marked the start of a year-long mentorship programme aimed at supporting young women through personal development, career readiness and life skills.
According to GCC Foundation founder and chief executive Tarryn Hallaby, the organisation, Girls on Fire, forms part of the GCC Foundation’s youth mentorship pathway, which focuses on building long-term change in Deep South communities.
The programme is designed to help young women navigate challenges such as social comparison, relationship pressures and self-worth during their formative years.
During the camp, participants were divided into teams and paired with dedicated mentors. Sessions focused on identity, personal standards and self-worth, with structured reflection and peer engagement throughout the weekend.
“When a young woman understands her worth, her decisions change,” said Ms Hallaby.
The Global Centre for Change (GCC) Foundation’s Girls on Fire programme gives young women access to mentorship, life skills and personal development support through a year-long journey.
Image: Supplied
“Girls on Fire creates the structure and consistency required to build that over time, not just in a weekend.”
Following the camp, participants will take part in 12 months of structured mentorship.
The programme will conclude with an awards ceremony attended by families and the wider community. Graduates may also be invited to return in future as mentors for the next group of participants.
One parent said she noticed a positive change in her daughter after the camp.
“My daughter doesn’t normally connect with anyone, but she connected with her mentor and the group in a special way. She came back more confident and more open.”
Mentor Reece Pagel said the camp created a safe space for the girls to connect and build confidence.
“There were vulnerable tears, but also confidence, connections and bonds built between the girls, the mentors and each other over the three days,” she said.
“It can be difficult to embrace a space like a girls’ camp with all the different personalities, but I think this one was one for the books.”
Ms Pagel added that mentors also walked away having learnt from the experience.
“The girls enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and even as mentors, we walked away learning so much about ourselves as women,” she said.
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