Girls Friendly Society
We believe that every girl and young woman has the potential to achieve anything. Our mission is to help them fulfil that potential by providing a supportive and fun place for girls to meet friends, learn more about themselves and grow in confidence. We support volunteers throughout England and Wales in running weekly girls-only groups with a programme of activities that will help girls and young…
Project overview for completed projects

Dissertation title: What Role Does Girls Friendly Society (GFS) Play in the Lives of Women and Girls? Exploring GFS Volunteer Motivations and Impact

Course Title:  MSc Social Policy and Social Research

Supervisor: Jenny Woodman

The problem: GFS provides a safe space for girls to be themselves through weekly, girls-only sessions. The organisation wanted to better understand their volunteers by assessing their motivations and how volunteering impacts them. We analysed how experiences in girlhood led volunteers to GFS and how this volunteering benefits both women and girls.

What we did: Our collaborative approach developed organically; through monthly meetings, research aims and design were co-constructed. The student collaborator then independently undertook qualitative interviews to collect and analyse the perspectives of volunteers aged 18-25. The findings will inform GFS' understanding of their volunteer community and influence the charity's marketing, communications and impact.

Our hopes for the project: Analysis revealed a synergy between volunteers' childhood experiences and a desire to support girls today. Volunteers can develop their skills and confidence in these roles, helping them both personally and professionally. These insights will enable GFS to engage more volunteers, expand their work and reach more girls who need them.

Idea for research
Idea for research
We are a national charity, supporting girls across England & Wales since 1875. Our vision is of a world where girls are free to be themselves and feel proud of who they are. Without this, girls are held back and continue to experience the consequences of gender inequality.

One fundamental question we frequently confront is, ‘Why is it a problem that girls can’t be themselves?’ We are interested in exploring this further amongst the women who make up our volunteer base, many of whom who joined GFS to ensure that the next generation of girls don’t experience the same challenges and prejudices that they did.

Our aim is to build on existing research and knowledge into girls’ experience through the lens of our volunteers age 18-30, improving our understanding and evidence base for the wider and longer-term impacts of girls feeling unable to be themselves. We wish to focus on the nuanced aspects of the barriers and challenges women faced - as girls - in being authentic, the impact it has had on their lives and how their experiences compare to what they see today amongst the younger girls at GFS. We are also interested in finding out if their involvement with GFS has had an impact on any of these experiences, and how the skills or benefits they may have gained through volunteering have affected their perspective.
Impact of idea
With our 150th anniversary coming up next year, it’s never been more important for us to evidence why girls still need GFS, and why change is still needed to achieve a more equal society for girls and women. This research will allow GFS to better understand the experiences of girls and young women, the motivations and impacts of volunteering with GFS, and how we can continue to improve our services for girls now and in the future.

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Application process
Application criteria
Researcher should identify as a woman.
Is this project fully accessible to students with the disabilities?
No

Departments/Faculties