Savvy-ness

As usual, I’m behind schedule with posting my news on the blog. A whole week behind. Life gets in the way, but sometimes it’s better that way.

Last Wednesday I mentored at a GirlSavvy workshop, held in Yass, along with a wonderful group of other professional women of various careers and lifestyles. After much trepidation, I told myself “Just go with it”, and it turned out to be a lot of fun and very worthwhile.

I was fortunate that the girls at my table were excited to be there, very outgoing and curious, and happy to participate. One of the other young mentors was not so fortunate. She got the “too cool for school” girls who really didn’t want to be there, making long silences and group activities very hard to get through. I guess they warmed up to her later though, as everyone was smiling and laughing by the end of the day. Still, not an envious position to be in.

What the girls got most out of the day, I think, is the assurance that they can do and be anything they want. One girl’s career goal was to be a receptionist. Now, not everyone has to be ambitious, career-focused or cure cancer, but hopefully she is more aware of the options available to her, and that certain lifestyles just aren’t achievable on a receptionist’s salary. We did an activity on budgeting, and I think some of the girls got a rude shock!

I got a lot out of the day too. I was reminded of what it was like being a teenager (not that long ago, but adult life and the day-to-day grind puts a filter over those memories). I learned that town girls are not much different to city girls. And that not all teenage girls are teeny-boppers (I was never one of those. shudder). They can be just as mature and intelligent as many adult women I know, with as much ambition, enthusiasm and confidence. I’m also excited to be able to take one of them on for work experience at the end of the year. Watch this space.

So, I’m doing it all again next week. Youth 2 Youth is running a similar workshop—though not a whole day—so it will be interesting to see how this one goes.