At See Her Potential, we believe in the Billie Jean King quote, ‘If you can see it, you can be it’.
Every time we step into a classroom or onto a stage, we bring the untold stories of incredible women from history to young girls who might never have heard them before. By educating young girls on these iconic figures we allow them to see themselves in these roles, and start to believe that they can dream big!
My passion for advocating for young girls began during my years as a drama teacher. I saw firsthand how their confidence diminished as they grew older and recognised the power of Women's History education in providing role models to inspire ambition and self-belief. My spark came from the stories of women before me and I felt compelled to give that gift to young girls too!
Nurturing Ambition and Rethinking Success for Young Girls
See Her Potential is a theatre in education initiative focused on empowering young girls aged 12 - 16 by challenging gendered expectations and fostering self-confidence and ambition. Our mission is to address the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence in the UK, instilling the belief that girls can excel in any field.
Thanks to the incredible support from Big Change, we have been fortunate to tour across the North West and Midlands, delivering inspiring performances and workshops to empower over 4,500 students.
Sparking Curiosity and Purpose
Now here is the fun bit! We teach students about incredible pioneers like Wangari Maathai, the first female African Noble peace prize winner and founder of the Green Belt Movement, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the first female doctor in the UK and Lee Tai Young, South Korea's first female lawyer. All the women we discuss have made remarkable contributions to society, overcoming obstacles and breaking barriers along the way, yet when we ask our audiences if they have heard of any of them before - only 2 or 3 hands go up.
Learning for Lasting Change
As the founder of See Her Potential, I think we are doing a disservice to our young girls by not giving them role models to see themselves in. According to a Girlguiding study, “52% of girls aged 11–21 feel that the contributions of women in history are underrepresented compared to men.” This issue is deeply rooted and has significant long-term impacts, as seen in the underrepresentation of women in positions of power. Currently, only 35% of parliamentarians are women (House of Commons, 2024), just 11% of CEOs in the FTSE 100 are female, and despite women comprising over 75% of NHS staff, they remain the minority in senior roles.
Creating Networks of Support to Help Young Girls Thrive
During our sessions, we take the time to chat one-on-one with students, building relationships that help us understand their dreams, challenges, and ambitions. By making space for these conversations, we help them dissect what they’re passionate about and explore how they can turn those passions into meaningful careers. Whether it’s encouraging a love for STEM, the arts, or leadership roles, we give students the confidence to see that their futures are full of possibilities. Lastly, we teach confidence-boosting techniques like affirmations and practical tips for managing anxiety and stepping out of their comfort zones. These tools are designed to be resources girls can rely on - whether now or in the future.
The feedback we receive from young girls is what really drives our passion and pushes us to continue on our mission. After each session we have groups of girls come up to thank us, explaining that they’ve never had anything like this in their school and how much they appreciated it. Our data further highlights our impact, showing a staggering 93% of girls said we had improved their knowledge on Women's History and 66% of girls said we had boosted their confidence.
