Judy Huber has had a multi-decade career in software engineering including two decades of global executive roles. She made history as the first Canadian woman software development executive at IBM Canada. Her most recent roles were Vice President World Wide Analytics IBM and the Executive Director of the IBM Canada Software Laboratory. Now retired, Judy […]

By Jana Girdauskas Recently, the documentary short Period. End Of Sentence., won an Oscar. The movie highlights the stigma and shame surrounding menstruation in some areas of India. Here in Canada we experience a similar issue: the period is still a source of whispers and embarrassment, particularly for young women. The truth is, approximately 50% of […]

By Toyo Ajibolade “Girls as young as seven are becoming more self-conscious, losing confidence, and giving up sport as a result” – Huffington Post UK I’ve seen and read plenty of similar articles over the past few years and each time, the ages of the girls are getting younger. These articles and reports are written […]

Meet Kulsoom and Renolla. They are bright, dedicated and ready to take on the world. Kulsoom is currently studying Human Biology at the University of Toronto – Scarborough and was a YWCA Toronto Girls’ Centre participant for 11 years. She was co-chair of the Girls’ Council and is now an alumna of the Centre.  This […]

My name is Erum and I am a grade 12 student at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute. My role at the YWCA Toronto Girls’ Centre is Media Relations Specialist on the Girls’ Council, which is an advisory committee made up of girls who are interested in advocating for gender equity. I have visited several tech […]

Growing up as a girl in today’s world can be a struggle. From bullying, harassment, and inequality to balancing family life with the expectations of school, girls and young women face many challenges. Discovering who you are and who you want to become can be a tough process and too many girls confront these struggles […]

Joselyn is a recent high school graduate and volunteer at YWCA Toronto’s Girls’ Centre. Joselyn reflects on her experience as a mentor at the 2016 Digital Girls – Digital Literacy Camp. The Girls’ Centre is such an important part of my life.  When I am there, it feels like home.  I started as a participant […]

I turned 12 earlier this year. Not long before my birthday, my confidence in being a girl plummeted. This wasn’t just an age related blip. It was more of a deep frustration about being a female in a society that fails to recognize us as equals. I felt as though my future was limited by […]

As soon as I announced that I was pregnant, the warnings began: Get on the child care subsidy list. Put your name down on as many child care waiting lists as possible. Do it now. Little did we know that there were 16,802 children ahead of us and that a subsidy was well out of […]

Dorothy said it best, “there is no place like home.”  Home is our refugee, our castle…home sweet home.  But what if you did not know how long you would have a place to stay, perhaps a day, a week or a few months?  What if you were not sure what address to put on your […]