GFS (Girls Friendly Society)

Who we are

About GFS

For almost 150 years, GFS has been working to create a world where all girls and young women can thrive. Today, girls as young as six are telling us they are not able to be themselves. So, our groups work to help girls build their confidence up by offering a safe single-gender place where they can learn to be themselves and proud of who they are.

Unlike many organisations, we aim to achieve this through early intervention, working with girls to prevent the degradation in confidence and self-esteem that comes with around age 11, rather than reversing it during the teenage years.

We primarily work with girls in the most deprived areas of England and Wales, where we know girls’ futures are disproportionately disadvantaged. 

We support them through services that provide a non-competitive environment that values every girl individually, and allows them to build and consolidate the foundations that will prepare them for life’s challenges.

Our culture and values

Our vision

Our vision is of a world where girls and young women are free to be themselves and feel proud of who they are.

Our mission

Our mission is to support and inspire girls and young women. We will create spaces where they feel safe and valued, so that they can build strong foundations that will prepare them for life’s challenges.

Our values

In everything we do, GFS will be:

• Girl-focused
• Brave
• Feminist
• Ambitious
• Inclusive
• Fun

How do we achieve these?

We run after school groups for girls. The groups are a fun and safe space for girls to have new experiences, feel valued for who they are and be inspired.

Research shows that from the age of five, girls start to see themselves and what they can achieve differently. And that by the age of 17, only 38% of girls feel able to be themselves. However, research also found that single-gender spaces encourage girls to take more risks, express themselves and develop their confidence.

So single-gender spaces are what we provide.

We recruit volunteers to run our groups and provide that safe space. They use them to help girls and young women build the foundations of self-esteem, acceptance and trust that will see them through the challenging years to come.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

At GFS, we are committed to tackling all forms of discrimination wherever we can.

GFS has a long history of recognising and addressing inequalities girls and women face in life – almost 150 years of history in fact! While we’re confident speaking openly about gender inequality, our thinking and practices, we know we have more to do to be truly intersectional and inclusive of everyone. 

Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, we realised it was past time for us to open new conversations about racism and privilege within GFS and across the charity sector as a whole. We started this mission by publicly supporting the Charity So White campaign and launching a new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy.

To find out more, head over to the Girls Friendly Society website.