Fort McMurray, Alberta – [27th March, 2024] – Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta is thrilled to announce the receipt of a transformative federal grant, marking a significant milestone as the first federal-level funding of this scale awarded to the organization. This grant, valued at $96,000, is designated for the groundbreaking #GirlsToo project, an anti-bullying alliance against cyberbullying, leveraging the existing support by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB). This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

The #GirlsToo: Action against Cyberbullying project aims to empower 250 girls aged 6-18 residing in Northern Alberta to navigate, prevent, and act on cyberbullying, online disinformation, and hate speech. This initiative is designed to develop and publish tools to address online safety for women, girls, and 2SLBTQQIA+ individuals, alongside other forms of technology-facilitated violence. Additionally, the project will create resources to support children and parents in Northern Alberta to address and prevent cyberbullying effectively.

Nanase Tonda, Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta, expressed her excitement about this new development, stating, “Receiving this level of federal support for our #GirlsToo program is not only a testament to the importance of our work but also a significant step towards creating a safer online environment for girls and young women. With this grant, we will accelerate our efforts to educate, empower, and support our community in the fight against cyberbullying, online harassment and any form of gender based violence. We are deeply grateful for this opportunity to expand our impact and continue to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.”

The project encompasses a series of targeted activities, including the development of interactive educational toolkits for girls and parents, the implementation of revised anti-bullying/cyberbullying programs, and free training opportunities for community partners. These efforts aim to build technical capacity and expertise among civil society organizations addressing mis-/dis-information, hate speech, and cyberbullying.

The project is expected to conclude on March 31, 2025. Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta looks forward to working closely with the federal government, RMWB, and community partners to make a lasting difference in the lives of girls and young women across Northern Alberta.