This year was about responding to the evolving needs of our community. Thanks to our supporters, we introduced impactful program enhancements to help girls navigate today’s challenges and uncertainties with confidence.
Learn more about the program enhancements we introduced this year to support our community.
Updated Teen Curriculum
Our teens were hit hard by political and social challenges. To help combat this, we restructured our teen programming to...
- Emphasize post-high school and career readiness.
- Incorporate mental health activities into every session.
- Engage tailored, diverse mentors in lessons.
- Partner with local community organizations to deliver joint programming.
Highlight: We're implementing these changes by encouraging our board members and company partners to get involved by visiting Step Up high school campuses.
Updated Young Adult Programs
Our young adults needed increased support in navigating the workplace during uncertain times – so, we...
- Created a focused mentorship series tailored to their needs.
- Engaged expert mentors to lead on high-interest, in-demand topics.
- Expanded and updated our topic menu for confidence-building workshops to align with young adult priorities.
Highlight: Our new Skill Up series featured in-demand topics like LinkedIn Optimization, Leveraging AI, and Strategizing Career Plans and Pivots.
Updated Mentor Training
Step Up’s mentor training is designed to equip mentors with insights and best practices to make a meaningful impact in the lives of Step Up girls. We’ve made the following key updates to our training to ensure mentors are even better equipped to foster safe, supportive spaces where confidence can grow and career paths can be explored with clarity and encouragement:
- Articulate Step Up’s mission and goals with clarity and purpose.
- Explain Step Up’s distinctive mentoring model and how it empowers young people.
- Demonstrate confidence and readiness to mentor teens and young adults effectively.
- Recognize the role of mentors as allies and advocates in the lives of young people.
- Identify and describe key Step Up programs and their intended outcomes.
Highlight: We updated our 12 Tips for Mentors to support our mentors as they pour into our girls.
NEW! Resource Hub
Step Up is proud to be a trusted source for mentorship, career exploration, and confidence building. We also recognize that young women face challenges beyond the scope of our core programming – and we want to ensure we continue to support them in the best way we can.
That’s why we created the Resource Hub – a space filled with services and local organizations that go beyond what Step Up directly offers. Step Up fellows and mentors will be trained on how to access, navigate, and share the resource hub effectively, ensuring that no matter the need, Step Up remains a place girls can turn to.
Check out the Step Up Resource Hub!
NEW! Ally Symbol
In recognition of the need for young women to have a safe space to connect and express themselves, we developed the Step Up Ally Symbol.
The Ally Symbol represents continuous growth and learning, community and connection. Ally – a noun – is a person who actively supports the rights of a marginalized group or identity without being a member of it.
Beginning in 2026, we will encourage mentors to wear this sticker to signal to Step Up mentees that they are safe to show up authentically.
Want to support impactful program enhancements like these? Give now to support Step Up and help us reach every girl in 2026.
