In June 2000, Vermont Works for Women (VWW) piloted the first Rosie's Girls Summer Program at the Center for Technology in Essex Junction, VT. Since then, it has worked with partners nationwide to offer the program to over 1,200 girls.

 

Getting Started

 

Vermont Works for Women supports a variety of groups (municipalities, nonprofits and technical centers) in urban, rural and suburban areas in customizing and implementing the Rosie's Girls summer days camps Program. In our experience, successful replication depends on the collaboration and excitement of a group of hard-working, determined individuals or organizations who commit to working together -- and with us-- to plan, run and sustain the program. The ideal team would consist of people having both technical skills and expertise in adolescent girls' development.

An organization or team that purchases a license to operate the program receives significant support and guidance from Vermont Works for Women. The support is most intensive in the first year, including:

 

• Technical support to provide guidance, reflection and perspective and to answer questions about planning and running the program;
• the Rosie's Girls Summer Program curriculum - a detailed, comprehensive set of materials that covers all program components;
• the Administrator's Toolbox - a compendium of nuts-and-bolts materials used in program administration such as sample grant applications, forms and marketing materials;
• Evaluation Tools - used to provide qualitative and quantitative information about a participant's experience in the program
• Access to the national network of Rosie's Girls Summer Program providers

VWW maintains an ongoing commitment to support Rosie's Girls program sites in subsequent years through:

 

• Ongoing (but more limited) technical assistance
• Fostering communication, strategizing and information sharing amongst all Rosie's Girls sites, including through webinars and online forums
• Providing updates to the Rose's Girls Summer Program materials, including the Administrator's Toolbox and the Rosie's Girls Summer Program Curriculum.

 

First steps in bringing Rosie's Girls to your community:

Assemble a team of interested individuals and organizations, thinking about all the skills it will take to bring the program to fruition (organizational, marketing, recruitment, fundraising, program design, program delivery). Assess your team's strengths and determine how you can assemble the broad range of talents needed to run a Rosie's Girls program. If your expertise is in technical skills, such as in carpentry, you will need to consider who you can bring aboard that knows girls and girls' issues. Conversely, if you are a girl-serving organization, you will need to consider how you can involve people who have the technical skills necessary to lead those activities. We will provide guidance and feedback as you assemble your team.

 

Once your team is committed to the project, you will sign a licensing agreement with and pay a licensing fee to Vermont Works for Women. The licensing agreement sets out the formal relationship between your team and VWW. It also gives you access to a wealth of administrative and curricular materials you will need to put the program together.

Contact us if you need more information about the replication process or want some guidance in assembling your team.

 

Funding your Rosie's Girls Summer Program

Each Rosie's Girls summer day camp site is responsible for raising the funds it takes to plan, run and sustain its program. Sites have funded the program in different ways. The most effective way of funding the program is through a mix of foundation, individual and corporate sponsorships and grants. Some programs have received support from governmental agencies, educational institutions and municipalities. VWW will provide you with information about potential funders that comes to our attention. You will also have access to materials to help prepare a solid grant application and to the national network for Rosie's Girls providers who can share their experiences in supporting and sustaining the program. The average cost of running Rosie's Girls is approximately $35,000 for a 3 week session for 24 girls, but a site's individual costs may vary greatly depending on the pay scale in your area and your ability to secure (or not secure) in-kind contributions for materials, location, transportation, etc.

 

Staffing Your Rosie's Girls Summer Program

Typically a team of administrators works together in the early planning phases of the program. Once the groundwork has been laid, and several months before the program's launch, you might hire a program coordinator to oversee aspects of program design and camper recruitment. Typically, the staff for a three week summer session includes: a head counselor, 3 general counselors, a carpentry instructor, additional trades instructors and instructors for the arts and "girls world" activities.