Girl Talk isÖa weekly program for girls ages 12-17, locked up at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago. Girls may be detained for periods of several days or months and sometimes more than a year, as they wait for trial in juvenile or adult court or placement. Girl Talk provides the girls with the opportunity to:
-feel a sense of community with other girls and women.
-develop their self-awareness, confidence and leadership skills.
-express their concerns and receive information to make better choices.
-question societal norms and values regarding young women and craft positive images of themselves.

Girl Talk providesÖa host of activities on a variety of topics, which are determined by the girls, Girl Talk partners and volunteers. The program creates an environment that engages girls in discussions about their health, well-being and life concerns. Girl talk activities and topics include: video-making, poetry, conflict resolution, teen health, sexuality, mural making, quilting, womenís history, media literacy, body image, decision-making, African dance, parenting, career choices, yoga, stress management, aromatherapy, and moreÖ

Girl Talk is operated byÖ a part-time Girl Talk coordinator and group of volunteers work together as partners to run the program. The partner organizations are: Women in the Directorís Chair, the Northwestern University Children and Family Justice Center, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, Insight Arts, Chicago Womenís Health Center, Chicago Legal Aid to Incarcerated Women (CLAIM), Prison Action Committee, and Southwest Youth Collaborative. There is a Girl Talk Advisory Board and many individuals who volunteer with Girl Talk and assist with weekly programming and resource identification.

Girl talk needs...
-Financial Donations- to keep the program at the detention center running and allow Girl Talk to develop new programs for these girls in the community.
-Volunteers- to donate time and energy to the Girl Talk Program.
-Resources-people who can help with ideas and contacts for programming.