Stronger Girls: Confident in My Own Skin
Girls are growing up surrounded by powerful messages about how they should look and who they should be. AI, social media, beauty marketing and harmful influencer content are intensifying comparison culture, placing increasing pressure on girls’ confidence, wellbeing and sense of identity.
These pressures are reaching girls at an increasingly young age. Many girls under 10 regularly use anti-ageing products designed for mature skin. Poor body image can be linked to anxiety, self-harm, disordered eating and withdrawal from sport, leadership opportunities and community life. Disabled girls, neurodivergent girls and girls from minority ethnic communities can face even greater scrutiny and exclusion.
With the money raised, Girls’ Brigade will create and deliver Confident in My Own Skin – a programme helping 5,500 girls under 18 to understand body-image pressures, challenge comparison culture and develop greater confidence and self-worth over the next 18 months.
Through age-appropriate sessions exploring identity, digital wellbeing and peer support, girls will learn to question the messages they encounter, build resilience and feel more confident in who they are. The programme will include tailored content for disabled, neurodivergent and minority ethnic girls, ensuring their experiences are recognised and represented.
Body-image pressures are not going away, so this work will remain relevant beyond the campaign itself. If we exceed our fundraising target, we will extend our awareness-raising activities so that even more children and young people can benefit.
