A conversation with COURTNEY ADAMS & TINA LIMBIRD, Co-Founders of GIRLS GEARING UP.
[Episode is in English] What kind of world do we want to live in — and who gets to shape it? GIRLS GEARING UP (GGU) is grounded in a clear belief: Girls all over the world deserve equal access to opportunities — so they can grow, thrive, and actively shape the world they want to live in.
When GGU was founded in 2015 by Courtney Adams, Tina Limbird, and Chineme Ugbor, one reality stood out clearly: women's voices were — and still are — far too rarely present at decision-making tables. While many societies recognise that this needs to change, progress remains slow.
What we do know: more diverse voices lead to better decisions. What was still an open question back then was how and when real change begins.
In this episode, I speak with Courtney and Tina about why leadership work with teenage girls matters so deeply — and why many women's programs, although valuable, often come too late to create lasting structural change.
Coming from backgrounds in youth work, peacebuilding and education, the founders sensed that even a short but intensive leadership academy can create profound inner shifts in young people.
Recognising that nothing comparable existed in Europe for teenage girls, they decided to build it themselves. The first GGU Summer Academy took place in 2015.
Your key takeaways from this episode:
Why investing in girls' leadership early is a societal necessity — not a future project
Why many leadership programs for women come too late to create real structural change
What teenage girls across very different backgrounds need most to grow in confidence
How an all-girls environment creates safety, courage and a stronger sense of self
Why community and connection are powerful drivers of resilience
Why empowering girls is not only about changing the world — but about changing how they experience themselves in it
At GGU, teenage girls from multicultural, multilingual, multireligious and diverse identity backgrounds come together. In the all-girls environment, something shifts: confidence grows and many girls leave with a stronger sense of belonging and trust in themselves.
The journey doesn't end after the academy. The girls stay connected across borders, support one another, and encourage each other to remain grounded and confident when returning to their everyday environments. Despite their differences, they discover how much they share — and these connections often become a lasting source of strength.
We also speak openly about the challenges of sustaining an international leadership program for teenage girls — and why GGU relies largely on private donations to continue and grow its work.
If this conversation resonates with you, there are ways to support Girls Gearing Up: through donations, by volunteering, or by opening your company to the girls and offering insights into professional worlds — experiences Tina and Courtney describe as deeply empowering.
This episode is an invitation to rethink leadership, trust the next generation, and discover what becomes possible when girls meet on eye level — and carry these connections back into the world.
GIRLS GEARING UP (GGU)
Website: Girls Gearing Up
Instagram: @girlsgearingup
Youtube: Girls Gearing Up International Leadership Academy
LinkedIn: Girls Gearing Up International Leadership Academy
DR. SYLVIA DOMINIQUE VOLZ
Instagram: @dr.sylviavolz
Facebook: Sylvia Volz
LinkedIn: Dr. Sylvia Dominique Volz
Email:
[email protected] ________________________________________________________________________________
Cover Foto Sylvia Volz: Franziska Krois & Chantal Hofer
Jingle Musik: Epidemic Sound
Deutschland