Girls Who LEAP: Lead to Empower & Act with Purpose

We are pleased to welcome Girls Who LEAP as the newest member of the SVP community! Girls Who LEAP (GWL) was selected as a recipient of an SVP Vancouver microgrant to support their strategic planning process. With this funding, GWL will develop a comprehensive 3- to 5-year strategic plan, allowing them to establish a clear vision and roadmap for achieving their long-term goals. As an Investee, GWL will also gain access to SVP’s capacity-building resources, including an onboarding session, expert support, and networking opportunities with our community partners.

About Girls Who LEAP

Girls Who LEAP (Lead to Empower & Act with Purpose) is a volunteer-run, registered charity dedicated to providing leadership, mentorship, and wrap-around support for female-identifying and non-binary youth in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) and Grandview-Woodland communities. The organization’s passionate mentors are deeply committed to both the youth and the DTES community. Girls Who LEAP operates year-round, focusing on relationship-based programming that addresses the evolving challenges these youth face. Using a unique tri-mentorship model, the program connects youth with community mentors and elders, emphasizing the development of transferable life skills—a key gap in traditional education. Guided by the Circle of Courage principles—belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity—the organization takes a holistic, youth-led approach that includes family and community involvement, ensuring their support remains relevant and impactful.

You Can’t Be What You Can’t See

At Girls Who LEAP, they believe that you can’t be what you can’t see. GWL shows young people the boundless possibilities that exist beyond their immediate surroundings. Many of the youth served by GWL have limited access to opportunities beyond the eight-block radius they call home. GWL strives to expand these horizons, empowering their participants to dream big and pursue paths they might never have considered.

With the support of an SVP microgrant, GWL is poised to take this mission even further. The microgrant will enable GWL to create a strategic plan that not only defines a clear vision for the future but also maps out concrete steps to broaden the reach and impact of their programs. By investing in strategic planning, SVP Vancouver is excited to help GWL see—and create—the future they envision for their youth, ensuring that more young people can see and achieve what might once have seemed impossible.