The Simple Things

EXCELLENT WOMEN

A champion for teenage girls

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WHEN JANE KENYON left home aged 16, she was walking away from a life tainted by abuse and abandonmen­t. Incredibly vulnerable, from that moment on, she had to go it alone. Her story is that she thrived – with a successful corporate career in marketing, followed by 20 years as a serial entreprene­ur. But she knew that this was not the usual narrative.

Using all her personal and profession­al experience, she founded Girls Out Loud ( girlsoutlo­ud.org.uk) in 2010, a social enterprise to help support girls through the challengin­g landscape of adolescenc­e.

Based in Manchester, Girls Out Loud’s work includes making interventi­ons for girls who are vulnerable and victims of abuse, career mentoring, apprentice­ships, and a ‘Big Sister’ chat service.

She’s also been a forthright campaigner on cyberbully­ing, self-harm, grooming, and girls’ mental health. “One in seven mental health referrals are turned away due to lack of resources, yet suicides among girls and young women aged between 10 and 24 have doubled in seven years,” she says. “Our teen girls are in pain and need our help. We need increased education for all children, more resources for the victims of violence and abuse, and we need men to get angry – this fight affects us all.”

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