A reported 57% of school girls experienced 'persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness'

Girls Out Loud was founded in 2010, by Jane Kenyon, a serial entrepreneur. Jane Kenyon set up the Girls Out Loud enterprise to raise the aspirations of teenage girls, between the ages of 12 and 16, in the UK.

Although Jane Kenyon was raised in a wealthy family, she was a victim of a traumatic youth. Growing up, Jane Kenyon experienced abuse and abandonment. The struggles she faced in her teenage years, inherently led to her decision to leave her family home at 16 years of age.

The most recent survey carried out by the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) found that nearly one in three teenage girls considered suicide in 2021. The report also showed that a staggering 13 per cent of teenage girls had attempted suicide one or more times in 2021.

The number of adolescent girls that had contemplated suicide in 2021 had increased by 60 per cent since 2011.

The CDC's report, which was released in 2023, stated that 57 per cent of high school girls reported experiencing "persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the past year".

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there has been a dramatic increase in depression and thoughts of suicide in girls. The Centres for Disease Control studied 240 teenagers in 2021, to investigate the effect of the national lockdown on mental health.

The Centres for Disease Control study found that 70 per cent of girls felt that they "very much" missed meeting up with friends, compared to 28 per cent of boys feeling the same way.

The Centres for Disease Control report noted that to improve the mental well-being of teenagers, additional mental health services in schools are essential.

In addition to the results released by Centres for Disease Control in 2023, several researchers at UCL and the Sutton Trust revealed their results regarding the deterioration of teenage girls' mental health in the UK.

In 2023, UCL and Sutton Trust declared that over 53 per cent of girls aged 16 to 17 reported "elevated psychological distress".

To support vulnerable girls, Jane Kenyon was inspired to navigate girls towards leading roles and opportunities. Girls Out Loud supports teens by introducing them to successful women role models and giving them access to motivational events.

The founder of Girls Out Loud has worked in the personal development field, facilitating personal transformations for both adults and teenagers, for more than 25 years. For 20 years, she has acted as a social leader and serial entrepreneur.

The Girls Out Loud organisation provides adolescent girls with early intervention programmes in schools. The mentoring programme for the girls has been dubbed the 'Big Sister'. There is also an emotional coaching intervention for girls who are struggling with their mental well-being – called 'Stardom'.

Other mentoring programmes for teenage girls include 'Little Sister', for girls younger than 14, and 'Role Model Relay'.

The Senior Manager and Coop Construction & Commercial, Georgina Willis, spoke of her experience working with Girls Out Loud and Jane Kenyon.

Georgia Willis said: "When the training finally came around, I was NOT disappointed. Just wow, Jane was honest, open, genuine and empowering. Her passion for women and young girls was inspirational, to say the least."

Georgia Willis added: "I spent the next 12 months mentoring my Little Sister and came out the other end a different woman. More "Jane" as I like to think!"

In order to gain additional financial support, Girls Out Loud has set up a series of donation schemes. The schemes include one-off donations, subscriptions, fundraising events, merchandise, and calling for corporate sponsors.

Girls Out Loud is hosting a festival, Womanifest, which will host motivational women entrepreneurs and inspiring workshops. Womanifest will take place in Cheshire on the 15th and 16th of July 2023. 10 per cent of the ticket sales will be donated to Girls Out Loud - to support their work with schools and teenage girls across the North West of England.