The Power of Crowdfunding

Nela knew she had to train as a Girls Journeying Together Facilitator from the moment she heard our founder Kim talking on a podcast (The Menstruality Podcast by Red School). She had been looking to create a course for girls growing up in Germany, prompted by her own daughter’s requests to make a ‘puberty course’ so that she could share her excitement about growing up with her friends. Nela, already working with and for women in Berlin, knew empowering girls was the next step for her. It was while researching content for creating this course she discovered it already existed – as Girls Journeying Together.

The stars aligned for Nela, during her research she noticed that one of our training webinars was running just 10 minutes later. She immediately registered and attended, and that was that,

“Yes you have to do it,” Nela’s inner voice told her. There were just two problems, time and money! Nela had been unwell in 2023 and had spent more time than she would have liked away from her family, now she was thinking about going away again.

“I had this big yes, do it! I was doing something that was meaningful for my power, strength and happiness and I was doing it for me as a mother, for the girls, and the world.”

Her husband and both children were so pleased that it was something lovely and were not concerned that it would be taking her away this time.

The next issue was money. Nela had been unwell and had used up all her savings. She knew this was something she had to do, so how to raise the money? The answer came in the form of a crowdfunding campaign which was incredibly successful. In just four weeks Nela raised the full amount for her training and a week later found herself on a plane from Germany to the UK to attend the first part of the programme.

So how did Nela crowdfund everything she needed to cover the cost of our training in just four weeks? I will share her top tips below. The whole process took about three months. Nela told me,

“Even if you have the money, the campaign is so worth it to build up the community.”

It seems that launching a crowdfunding campaign had a two-fold benefit. Nela found that whilst she was raising money, she was building a community of women and girls interested in her girls groups, as well as supporters of her work.

If you are unsure how crowdfunding works, it’s a simple process:

You find a platform that suits you, there are lots to choose from including Kickstarter, Crowdfunder, GoFundMe. You need to do your research to make sure their criteria is right for you and your campaign. Nela used Startnext which offered her two options – a target that you could aim for but didn’t have to meet, or a target that if you didn’t reach all the money was returned to the investors. Her intention was to use the ‘safe’ first option and top up with help from her parents or the bank if necessary, but friends persuaded her to go for the second. Hitting the target or bust approach means the pressure is on but people are keener to see you reach it. It turned out to be the right choice as supporters were cheering her on to reach that target to do the training. Nela made a pitch video for the campaign as well as gathering and making ‘goodies’ to give to supporters who invested.

For supporters, there were also two options – either to just give a donation or to invest in return for something. Nela offered virtual high fives for five Euros as her cheap offering but then as the sums went up supporters were given physical items in return. These ranged from homemade mother-and-daughter bracelets, an e-book she had written (the most popular option), up to buying your daughter or another girl her place on Girls Journeying Together in advance. In this way she already had two girls booked onto her first group for girls who might otherwise not be able to attend. Nela launched her campaign with a personal video on social media, and a countdown, and off it went…

Nela is now entering the second year of the training, and launching her first Girls Journeying Together group this spring. We will keep you posted on her journey.

In the meantime, here are Nela’s top tips for launching a crowdfunding campaign.

  • build in enough preparation time; Nela had two months and says preparation is the most important thing
  • have great photos to use
  • create a pitch video that really shows you, your face, your why, and your passion
  • answer all potential questions: Where is the money going? What is the plan? What is the profit for the world? Give them the bigger picture
  • four weeks is the perfect time for a campaign to run, it’s a whole cycle
  • have goodies ready to send out when your campaign is completed
  • text/message and talk to everyone you know – the community around you and all of their communities “The bigger circle around you.”
  • use magazines, podcasts
  • ask people to spread the campaign

Visit Nela’s finished campaign:

https://www.startnext.com/die-maedchen-bande

If one woman can raise everything needed to train with us, so could you!

Why not come along to our training taster day in London on February 3rd. For just £65 you can experience our incredible training and see why it inspires such commitment and passion from so many women.

For more details and information about bursary places please email info@ritesforgirls.com or visit the booking page: https://forms.gle/cppmqMp75Mi9G8Wb7

Thriving at Work: Mental Health Support for Women

Did you know that working women struggle more with their mental wellbeing than men? Why might that be?

May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth,  and we’re raising awareness around the unique struggles faced by women in the workplace, including their mental health.

46% of working women report exhaustion compared to 38% of men (from a recent study from the McKinsey health institute) with women of colour even more affected. And women employees are struggling disproportionately with their mental health too – with 5% lower scores reported on mental health and 7% lower scores on spiritual health.

The number of women in top-earning positions has increased from 17% in 2015 to 28% in 2023 (according to the World Economic Forum) but while the financial balance is improving, well-being does not seem to be.

What are the biggest struggles that women face in the workplace?

From burnout to impostor syndrome, there are a range of issues that contribute to statistics on working women’s mental health. Research has shown that working women are twice as likely to experience depression or Generalised Anxiety Disorder, with different factors that exacerbate this, from pay inequity microaggressions.

Many women experience burnout at a rate higher than men – but is this exacerbated by unrealistic expectations placed on women? Women have the added pressures of balancing work with family, and high-pressure, leadership roles mean women often have to make big sacrifices. Women are often in charge of managing teams in work which can involve a lot of emotional pressure to ‘take care of their team‘ through crises and challenges. This takes its toll in terms of time and energy.

Work-life balance is also a key issue women struggle with, with the current hybrid or remote working climate bringing fresh challenges. Particularly for women who are balancing parenting with working, it can create a sense of always being “switched on”, and struggling to draw boundaries with work – leading stress to seep over into personal life. 

And, employees with diverse backgrounds are particularly affected by poor work-life balance, with 41 per cent of women of colour believing their work does not allow for healthy integration of their personal and professional life – 10 per cent more than white women.

What can we do about this?

Firstly, identifying “green flags” in potential workplaces can make a significant difference:

  1. Collaborative, Supportive Environment: Seek workplaces where teamwork is valued, and support is readily available. An environment that fosters collaboration over isolation is key.
  2. Equal Structure with Mutual Respect: Look for organisations where everyone’s voice is heard and valued equally. Avoid settings with hierarchies that overshadow individual contributions.
  3. Open Communication: Choose workplaces where issues are openly discussed and addressed. Encouraging transparent communication allows for problem-solving and fosters a supportive culture.
  4. Sense of Purpose: Pursue roles that align with your values and contribute to a meaningful mission. Finding purpose in your work can boost motivation and overall satisfaction.

While systemic issues like equal pay require broader action, there are steps women can take on an individual level:

  1. Build Support Networks: Connect with allies both at work and home. Starting a support group or forum can provide a safe space to discuss shared challenges and find solutions together.
  2. Seek Guidance: Don’t hesitate to reach out to HR or your manager for support. Many workplaces offer resources like mentoring or therapy. Remember, you control how much you disclose about your mental health.
  3. Evaluate Leadership: Assess the inclusivity of leadership within your organisation, especially towards women of all backgrounds at every managerial level. Welcoming and encouraging environments contribute to higher levels of mental well-being. Consider if management is open to feedback and committed to promoting well-being.
  4. Explore Better Opportunities: If your current situation doesn’t support your well-being, consider finding work that aligns with your values and brings meaning to your life.

Embracing New Work Paradigms

Many women are tired of the old, rigid structures of traditional workplaces. We yearn for something more flexible, something that allows us to contribute meaningfully to both our well-being and our communities.

That’s exactly what we offer to our Girls Journeying Together Facilitators. Many of them come from successful corporate backgrounds but felt burnt out and in need of something more. Our training provides them with an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of preteen girls and their mothers. 

Our Facilitators find fulfillment and deep connections in their work. Mothers among them report becoming better parents and everyone gains a supportive sisterhood of colleagues.

If you’re looking for meaningful employment, that fits alongside your work and other commitments, and want to learn more about our training, click the link below:

https://www.ritesforgirls.com/facilitator-training/ 

What is meaningful work? And how can we find it?

While a YouGov poll concluded that only 17% of British workers claim to love their job, a Conference Board 2023 survey saw that women are almost 4 points behind men in terms of job satisfaction. And what is it that holds women back from applying for a role they really want? 

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