Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
Lead Community Change
Lead Community Change is a dynamic two-cycle journey that harnesses the transformative power of storytelling to drive social impact. Mentees in this initiative will unleash their creativity to develop innovative projects that make a meaningful difference in their local communities, all while being supported by Girls Write Now’s rich storytelling resources. This journey is designed for aspiring young leaders and activists who are eager to create and implement impactful community-based social activism projects. With a personalized approach, we tailor our support to meet the unique needs of each initiative, empowering participants to bring their visions to life and inspire change in their communities.
Girls Write Now Collaboratory
This Journey is Closed, but You Can Pre-Enroll in a Spring 2027 Journey Now!
Journey Lead By
Learning Objectives
Apply Here
Deadline: January 15, 2025
As a participant in the Lead Community Change Journey, you’ll have access to two courses—one in the fall and one in the spring—to support the development of your community-based social activism project. You’ll be paired for two full cycles and will meet with your mentee/mentor for at least two pair sessions each month. Additionally, you’ll attend one journey meeting per month, one community studio (preferably focused on leadership), and any announced journey-related workshops.
- Cycle(s) Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
- Time 4 hours per month
- Areas of Focus Activism, Civics, Environmentalism, Advocacy
- Available Spots Per Cycle 20
Lead Community Change Courses
The Lead Community Change offers two courses designed to support you in developing your community-based social activism project plan.
Lead: Developing a Social Activism Community Project
This course guides you through the process of planning and executing a community-focused social activism project. You’ll learn how to identify community needs, set project goals, and develop an actionable plan.
Lead: Media Implementation & Resources
This course offers practical strategies for integrating media into your social activism efforts. You’ll gain hands-on knowledge of how to effectively use various media platforms and resources to enhance your advocacy, engage your audience, and amplify your message.
Lead Community Change Mentoring
Mentees and mentors in the Lead Community Change Journey will be paired for a minimum of two cycles. Each pair will meet for at least two hour-long sessions per month. Mentees will develop community-based social activism projects, while mentors will provide support and guidance throughout the process. This journey is open to both mentor/mentee pairs and peer-to-peer pairs.
Lead Community Change Community Experiences
Mentees and mentors in the Lead Community Change Journey are required to attend monthly meetings, held on Saturdays from 3:00 to 5:00 PM ET. Additionally, they attend one community studio per month, preferably a leadership-focused community studio.
Lead Community Change Orientation :
October: Wednesday, 10/9/2024, 7 pm
Lead Community Change live virtual meeting dates for Fall and Spring:
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- November: Saturday, 11/16, 3 pm ET
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- December: Saturday, 12/14, 3 pm ET
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- January: Saturday, 1/18, 3 pm ET
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- March: Saturday, 3/15, 3 pm ET
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- April: Saturday, 4/19, 3 pm ET
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- May: Saturday, 5/17, 3 pm ET
Lead 360 Adventure
Lead Community Change is a Journey in the Lead 360 Adventure.
All journeys within this Adventure emphasize leadership, aiming to help mentees and mentors develop their leadership skills and work together to create a better future. Explore the other Adventures offered at Girls Write Now below to learn more.
Find Your Journey
Find Your Journey
Teach GWN (Fall 2026)
In this Journey, members of the GWN community will develop curriculum and facilitate a community studio for one or more cycles within GWN’s Collaboratory structure.
The Career Journey: Inside Book Publishing (Fall 2026)
This Journey is for mentors curious about breaking into publishing, mentors already in the industry who want to pass on what they know, and mentees serious about building a career in books. Together you'll map the roles across publishing houses and literary agencies and get into the nuts and bolts of what each one actually does.
Explore Tour (Spring 2027)
Explore Girls Write Now’s creative and storytelling pathways through a multimedia, multi-genre experience featuring mini courses, exploratory studios, and one-to-one pair sessions. Develop skills across fiction, journalism, publishing, video, podcasting, visual storytelling, and more.
Independent Study (Spring 2027)
Create your own experience with our Independent Study Journey. Mentees and mentors meet as a pair, attend events of interest, and use coursework to support creative projects and personal goals. Along the way, you can connect with others during a mid-cycle mixer designed to spark inspiration, share ideas, and build community. The Journey culminates in a showcase where participants present the work they have developed throughout the cycle and celebrate their accomplishments together. Mentees and mentors will benefit by gaining greater independence in their learning, deepening their creative practice, and building meaningful connections while pursuing self-directed goals.
Teach GWN (Spring 2027)
In this Journey, members of the GWN community will develop curriculum and facilitate a Community Studio for one or more cycles within GWN’s Collaboratory structure. Each cycle involves facilitating three Community Studios, one per month. Mentees and mentors will gain valuable skills in leadership, teaching, and community building. Mentees and mentors can facilitate a Community Studio either independently (if they are 18 or older) or together as a pair.
Screenwriting: Crafting Short Film Stories (Spring 2027)
This two-cycle Journey guides participants from crafting a short film script to bringing it to life on screen. In the first cycle, mentors and mentees focus on developing compelling stories, dynamic characters, and engaging dialogue, learning the essentials of screenwriting for short films. In the second cycle, participants move from script to screen, exploring the practical aspects of video production, including planning, collaboration, and bringing their creative vision to life. By the end of the journey, mentees will have both a polished script and hands-on experience in producing their own short film.
Life Lines: Crafting Memoir (Part 1) (Spring 2027)
In this three-cycle Journey, writers will get the support and expert industry insight they need to write their memoir. In the first three-month cycle, participants will outline, structure their book, and begin their first drafts; in the second three-month cycle, participants will write and workshop their drafts; and in the third cycle, participants will finish their drafts and write their book proposals.
Lead Community Change (Part 2) (Spring 2027)
Lead Community Change is a dynamic two-cycle Journey that harnesses the transformative power of storytelling to drive social impact. Aspiring young leaders and activists will unleash their creativity to develop and implement innovative community-based social activism projects, supported by GWN’s rich storytelling resources.
Indigenous Poetry (Spring 2027)
Explore the rich traditions and contemporary voices of Indigenous poetry. Mentees and mentors will read and discuss poems by Indigenous poets that reflect identity, culture, land, community, resilience, and storytelling. Alongside close reading, participants will write original poems inspired by these works, experimenting with imagery, voice, form, and personal expression. Through discussion and creative practice, they will explore how poetry can honor heritage, preserve stories, and illuminate both personal and collective experiences. Mentees and mentors will take away a deeper appreciation of Indigenous poetic traditions, strengthened creative writing skills, and a greater understanding of poetry as a tool for connection and expression.
Journalism: The Art of Profile Writing (Spring 2027)
Every person has a story to tell, and profile writing offers a way to share those stories with the world. In this Journey, mentees and mentors will learn how to build trust with subjects, conduct respectful interviews, and maintain the writer’s role as observer rather than confidante. The Journey emphasizes a holistic approach that considers subject, writer, and reader.
