How many girls will be in my daughter’s Girls Journeying Together Group?

Girls Journeying Together is a year-long, supportive journey for preteen girls as they take their first steps towards young womanhood. Guided by an experienced facilitator, the girls explore a range of different topics whilst connecting in authentic ways.  This gives them the experience of knowing what healthy friendships look and feel like, which they can take into their other friend groups and future relationships.

A question many parents ask is how many girls will join their daughter’s Girls Journeying Together group. For some girls, this can be a determining factor in how comfortable they feel about joining the group, and parents might be concerned about their daughter finding her place in a particularly large or small group.  Group size, as well as the girls’ personalities and their needs, can influence the group dynamics so facilitators will follow guidelines to assure the group gets the most out of their journey.

Is the size of the group fixed throughout the year?

Yes and no. Once the journey has started, those girls form the group and will meet monthly for a year.  However, first, a free taster is offered to girls and their mothers or carers to come along and see what Girls Journeying Together is all about. For this taster, facilitators will invite a maximum of 12 girls, who most often won’t know each other. After the taster, it’s up to the girls to decide if they want to continue the journey and there will be a place for all girls if they want it. Only once all girls have made their decision, is the group formed and will it stay the same.
Once a girl has joined the group, parents will be asked to make full payment, even in the rare case that their daughter misses a session or drops out at a later stage in the year. This way, facilitators can keep their groups small and help establish good group bonding and stability by avoiding having to bring in new girls at a later stage. Each session holds invaluable information and builds on the one before, so facilitators will urge parents to commit to the whole year and find a way to bring their daughter along to all sessions, prioritising this time for her once a month ahead of other plans.

What if my daughter belongs to a full group?

There are benefits to a girl being part of a full group of 12 girls. Firstly, a full group will have a good range of group diversity, whether it’s in opinions, experiences, backgrounds or personalities. This creates plenty of opportunities for girls to learn from each other’s differences, and to accept each other rather than needing to change to fit in. In practicing this acceptance in the safe container of their girls’ group, girls can start to loose their fear of standing out, a common worry for pubescent children. The diversity in personalities also increases the chance for a girl to connect with a like-minded spirit and creates space for both extroverts and introverts. Some girls may also be more comfortable expressing themselves in a larger group because they feel less in the spotlight and can blend in the group more easily. For this reason, it may also be easier for girls to connect with their intuition and inner voice instead of prioritising the preferences of the group. Lastly, with more girls to partner with, there’s lots of opportunities to spend time together when collaborating in teams or talking in pairs.

Should I worry when there are fewer than 12 girls in my daughter’s group?

Not at all, there are some advantages to belonging to a smaller group. If she wants to, a girl will have more opportunities to share and contribute to the group, and get to know all the other girls really well. Her facilitator will also be able to give her more individual attention if she needs it. Moreover, the group may bond more easily, with high levels of trust and therefore strong friendships as a result.  Although facilitators will be vigilant of this no matter the size of the group, seperate friendship groups or cliques are less likely to form in smaller groups. Introverted girls can find a smaller group more comfortable and less overwhelming, although some may find it more intense, so this really depends on the girl’s character. To be able to function well and for the girls to have a valuable experience, a Girls Journeying Together group does need a minimum number of four girls, which makes it really important for girls in a smaller group to come to all sessions.

What about the Mothers Circle?

Facilitators encourage mothers to meet at the same time as their daughters to discuss topics that mirror what their daughters are covering. Particularly large or small mothers circles may therefore also benefit from the group dynamics mentioned here.

Will my daughter’s Girls Journeying Together experience be affected by the size of her group?

It might, although remember that group size is only one of many factors that can influence how a girl experiences her journey, the girl’s personality being one of the most important ones. Furthermore, group dynamics are predominantly determined by the individuals who make up the group and are therefore different in every group, irrespective of the size. As each group will bring it’s own energy and character, each Girls Journeying Together journey will offer a unique experience with plenty of personal and social advantages. At the core of any group is that all girls are welcome exactly as they are. Whether they’re chatty or quiet, girls don’t need to change anything about themselves to belong to their Girls Journeying Together group, no matter the size.