Just 4 YOUth!
Say What? Youth Speak…
One Youth Group member talks about what it was like to participate in a Turning Point Event >>“I wrote a poem…and I read it out loud to everyone in the room, including extended family members. I read that we too have relationships, feelings and broken hearts…It felt so good to talk about it…For some of the girls, it was such a big deal to let the mothers know what they are talking about and experiencing these real life issues…Some people in the audience were so happy that this came out and we were talking about these issues. It was intense, and really powerful; even the psychiatrist who was there said ‘Wow, these girls are going through a lot’.” ~ Youth Group Member
What’s Happening with the Youth Group?
Calling All Teenage Girls for our new
Youth Video Training Program
Begins May 3, 2008. If interested and a teenage girl, please contact our at Youth Leader Moumita Zaman at 718-883-9400 or moumita.n.zaman@gmail.com and join us!
No experience needed, just come join us!
She Speaks! Voices of Hope, Strength and Compassion: Ramadan Iftar Event, September 2007
Youth group members helped to plan and coordinate our 2nd Annual Ramadan Fundraising Iftar. We shared food, music and spiritual connections while remembering those who are most at need. The event featured Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar, translator of The Sublime Quran, the first English translation of the Quran by an American Woman; and Khalid Latif, a young Muslim Chaplain at NYU, who gave a spiritual reflection on the rights of women, compassion and the importance of giving in Islam.
Watch Video of Dr. Bakhtiar at the Event >>
Visit the Turning Point Gallery to see photos from the event >>
Past Youth Group Events
- Field Trip to the Museum of Natural History
- Annual Mother/Daughter Picnic
- Arts in the Park: Summer Session
- Muslim Day Parade
- Bangladesh Parade
- Pakistan Day Parade
What is Turning Point’s Youth Group About?
The Youth Mentoring Group offers a crucial and safe space for young girls to open up about their life stressors, build their self-confidence and self esteem, gain validation and support and learn to speak about violence against women and girls. The group meets once a week and functions like a peer support group with added support from two social workers as well as a youth member who co-facilitates.
In a group setting the girls have often brainstormed to find answers/solutions to difficult issues and problems. A large barrier facing young Muslim girls born in the U.S. is that many of their immigrant parents are fearful and intimidated by the hostile post-9/11 climate, and in turn, hesitate to seek help from mainstream agencies even when they recognize a problem in the family.
Another important function that the group has served has been to help the teenagers understand the value of education, staying focused and taking charge of their own lives. The group has made an incredible impact on many girls, who have gained self confidence, built leadership skills and have become empowered to talk about critical issues that affect their daily lives such as peer, familial and societal pressure; as well as sexual, ethnic and religious discrimination.
Through the youth group, girls learn about their rights and how they can approach the topic of domestic violence in the larger community. At Turning Point, girls feel a sense of peace, belongingness, wellness, support and empowerment.
How Can I Join the Group?
For more information about the Turning Point Youth Group please contact us at 718-883-9400 or email: info@turningpoint-ny.org.