Girl Scouts summer day camp offers safe space for Chicagoland girls to learn and explore

CHICAGO (WLS) -- According to a 2023 trends report from the American Psychological Association, mental health is still a crisis for young children. The surgeon general recently declared a mental health crisis for teens in the aftermath of the pandemic and the new stressors associated with it.

This is why the Girl Scouts organization is devoted to helping young girls navigate life's challenges. Girl Scout Summer Camp is a timeless rite of passage that is invaluable in helping young people navigate stress and build resiliency. A recent study by the Girl Scout Research Institute found that girls express discomfort confiding in friends or family about their mental health because they don't know how to ask for help, feel the people in their life aren't educated on the subject, or are worried about their reactions.

The Girl Scouts summer day camps throughout Chicagoland serve as safe spaces for girls to try new things, explore the outdoors, develop a range of skills, take on leadership roles, and just be themselves. A study conducted by the American Camp Association found that:

96% of campers in the study said "camp helped me make new friends"

92% of campers said "camp helped me feel good about myself"

74% of campers said "at camp, I did things I was afraid to do at first"

It's also a place where staff is trained with trauma-informed practices (from the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie) that helps them to anticipate an increase in unpredictable and unusual behaviors emanating from a place of trauma that young girls are exhibiting more and more.

The Girl Scouts summer day camps run all summer through August 4, but it's never too late to sign up. Register today at girlscoutsgcnwi.org.