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A Place of Belonging

Everyone deserves to experience the joy that comes from finding a community, developing friendships, and building confidence. Girls on the Run creates a safe and welcoming environment where participants can discover their spark and take it far beyond the finish line. Why do we do this? Because we know that within every girl is a brave and worthy soul capable of achieving her dreams.

Organization

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) at Girls on the Run

At Girls on the Run, we create a welcoming space where participants with different backgrounds and abilities can have a meaningful and engaging experience and feel like they belong. This culture of belonging is reinforced through our curriculum, which honors and respects all people; our coach training, which prepares our volunteers to lead with love and compassion; and our hiring processes, which are intentionally designed to ensure staff members reflect the communities they serve. This commitment to belonging embodies our core value of embracing our differences and finding strength in our connectedness.

IDEA in Action

A recent external review of inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) within the Girls on the Run programming found that participants, families, and coaches overwhelmingly felt that Girls on the Run was inclusive, promoted diversity, and was accessible and equitable. The study also showed that:

Nearly 100% of participants agreed that they feel safe at Girls on the Run and that their coaches care about them.
97% of participants agree that they can be themselves at Girls on the Run and feel included in all GOTR activities they wish to participate in.
100% of parents/guardians who reported that their child requires accommodations to fully participate agree that their child could participate equally to their peers.
97% of parent/guardians believe that the Girls on the Run coaches care about their child and who they are as a person.

Our Ongoing Commitment

We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. We recognize that many girls face seen and unseen challenges and barriers that make reaching their potential more difficult for them than their peers. Research shows that Girls on the Run has a positive impact on all participants and has the greatest impact on girls who enter the program with lower perceptions of their physical, social and emotional competencies. This knowledge further underscores our responsibility to remove barriers to access and provide programming that is inclusive of and equitable to girls from all backgrounds and communities. We encourage you to learn more about our IDEA strategic objectives and progress towards our goals.

Local

Two Girls on the Run participants in yellow shirts run while smiling at the camera

Our Local IDEA Work

At Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run, we strive to make our programs as inclusive, equitable, and accessible as possible while celebrating the diversity of the girls who participate. Since our inception, Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run has made efforts to partner with local organizations serving children with varied socioeconomic histories, children of different abilities, and children of varied races and ethnicities.