You GLOW GIRL Network - A Facilitation Case Study
Pretty Purposed is a nonprofit based in the Tri-Cities area and dedicated to providing support and enrichment programs for young women ages 9-18. Founded by its Executive Director, Bianca Myrik, in 2015, the organization started small with just seven girls and has since grown to support over 200 girls across 18 community-based and school-based sites. In the journey for growth, Pretty Purposed recognized the need for a collaborative coalition to support the wide network of girl-centered organizations operating in the region. After previously partnering with The Spark Mill for a strategic planning session & participating in the Thrive cohort, the idea for the You GLOW GIRL Network (YGGN) came to fruition through a TSM-hosted community brainstorm. In an effort to bring this network of organizations aimed at empowering girls to life, Pretty Purposed wanted to continue their relationship with TSM to help facilitate the initiative.
In February, we chatted with both Bianca of Pretty Purposed, and Catherine Estevez, Executive Director of Girls on the Run Greater Richmond, another girl-centered organization in the You GLOW GIRL Network, to reflect on the experience of retreating with TSM, their takeaways, and what’s on the horizon for the network.
The directors shared how working with TSM provided both invaluable insights and practical support for the organizations involved in the YGGN. Describing it as an anchoring experience that helped broaden their perspective, they highlighted the guidance of setting long-term goals and actionable steps while staying grounded in the understanding that change in this area is long-term work. Through a renewed perspective, the organizations were able to develop a clearer vision for the You GLOW GIRL Network and create a sustainable framework for its success.
The impact of collaboration with TSM was evident in several key areas for them. One of the first major changes was the introduction of an external facilitator, which alleviated the burden from existing leadership within the coalition. This shift allowed internal team members to be active participants without overburdening individuals like Bianca, who had previously worn several hats. TSM Consultant Rachael Randall stepped in to guide the network, balancing the group’s wisdom with strategic frameworks that ensured the work was both grounded in the reality of the participants and informed by best practices.
Additionally, the collaborative sessions helped bring alignment across organizations, establishing that meetings remained productive and inclusive. This structure created a community of shared responsibility, where progress could continue to be made even with staff changes and each member’s own organizational and life commitments in mind.
The facilitations not only helped bring the group closer around its long-term goals but contributed to the development of crucial internal capacities. Through the establishment of a steering committee, which included other key partners such as Voices for Virginia’s Children, Girls for a Change, and R.E.A.L. Girlz, this core group has been instrumental in driving the work forward. With the inclusion of Communities In Schools of Petersburg and Girls2Women in the YGGN, retreats with TSM led to the formation of ad hoc working groups focused on different critical areas within the collective like hiring, engagement, and funding. Efforts were then further supported by securing funding from three major foundations: Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, The Cameron Foundation, and Pretty Purposed itself through an operational grant from the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond.
Amongst these milestones that set a solid foundation for the coalition’s continued growth and development, one of the most significant additions to the YGGN was ultimately hiring a part-time Coordinator to take on the role of a liaison for their wide network of community partners, schools, and businesses across the region.
Throughout the process, the organizations learned the importance of flexibility and adaptability, especially when navigating emergent work. They recalled how facilitated sessions helped them embrace the fact that not everything can be perfectly planned from the start, but that doesn’t mean progress can’t be made. As a result, the network became more comfortable around uncertainty and slowing down, and more committed to building the network as it goes. The long-term vision remains, but the collaboration is learning to focus on each incremental step while staying rooted in their community-driven mission.
The You GLOW GIRL Network has felt the shift in their organizational culture, as a deeper sense of community and connection among the organizations was realized. For instance, the YGGN saw its girl-centered organizations participating in each other’s events, allowing the partnership to expose its organizations and those they serve to a broader range of supportive resources. Members of the network are often brainstorming and problem-solving together, and as the level of trust between organizations has grown, it has blossomed an environment of support where everyone is focused on common goals.
The relationships cultivated through this process are expected to have long-term benefits, not only enhancing the services provided to girls across their region but also strengthening the overall community network as emerging changes arise socially and politically in the world around them. The shared goal of uplifting girls and young women continues to unify these organizations, only building on and sustaining its culture of collaboration, trust, and collective impact.
