Rites for Girls' programme Girls Journeying Together offers a year of in-person monthly meetings for preteen girls, aged ten – 12 years old, as they practice being true to themselves, learn about puberty, share their hopes and fears, and help each other into their teens.

Rites for Girls supports girls to emerge from adolescence stronger than they went in, working to prevent the high rates of anxiety, self-harm and low esteem.

On 15 March, the organisation is inviting girls and their mums to meet its Facilitator, Annamaria Papini, and decide afterwards if they want to join the group.

The taster sessions will run in Papini's home in Kingston from 10am - 12pm.

Thanks to the support from the Community Fund, Papini can offer free spaces for the year long programme.

Papini said: I am passionate about working with girls in a space that we co-create to make everyone feel welcome.

Speaking about being a member of Rites for Girls, one girl said: "It's brilliant, we talk about things, really talk, so you realise that others feel the same way.

"I've made friends for life."

Another said: "I was nervous about growing up but now I'm not.

"You can ask anything.

"We've had loads of fun and learned stuff for growing up, but it hasn't felt like learning."

"It got me thinking about who I want to be — what I want to do with my life," said another.

Find out more information and to book a space on the taster session here.

Rites for Girls mentors girls right through their adolescence and trains women to facilitate girls' groups.

In Girls Journeying Together groups, preteen girls prepare for puberty and learn how to take charge of their emotional, social, and mental well-being.

This guidance continues through their teenage years.

Its Facilitators also support their mothers as the girls journey through this pivotal phase.

Girls' Net provides guidance and camaraderie through times of challenge to small groups of same-age girls (aged 8-18) in weekly online sessions. 

Rites for Girls' Mentors offer tools for coping well and the girls access their inner resources while also realising that they're not alone.