Addressing Impacts of Gender Inequality and Young Girls’ Mental Health

Presenter

Nicole Fusaro

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Ellen Correa, Department of Civic Engagement & Service-Learning, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 5, 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C22, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 3 (C21-C30) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Society has created a set of rules governing how females are expected to think and act. These preconceived notions have been passed down through generations, which oppresses women consistently. Adolescent girls are failed by the systems that oppress them because they are taught to continue the cycle of subordination to the male-dominated society. These experiences lead to more mental health difficulties, including higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide (Feigt, 2018 as cited in Nkansah-Amankra, 2013). For my civic engagement project, I partnered with Girls on the Run, a program supporting young girls to fight against these systems. The program has created a thorough set of lessons to educate and equip young girls with the tools, resources, and knowledge they need to navigate the oppression and obstacles that they face. Therefore, the participants of the program are given better opportunities to have positive mental health outcomes. While the curriculum is outstanding, there is a lack of participation in the program. To encourage engagement from young girls and parents, I am creating a video advertisement based in the Western Massachusetts branch while coaching alongside participants' parents. My coaching allows an additional school to participate in the program. I will also be able to get an inside perspective on how the program impacts not only participants but parents and coaches as well. The goal is to expand the program by allowing those outside of the program to see how impactful, important, and special Girls on the Run is in small communities.

Keywords

Women's Studies, Mental Health, Civic Engagement, Education, Adolescence

Research Area

Women's Studies

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