Inspired by her lived experience of running a group for teenage girls in the small Tasmanian coastal town of St Helens, Tani Langoulant established Free2b Girls. It’s a youth engagement program for females aged between 10 and 16. It provides a safe and respectful space where they can hang out and express their naturally creative selves, through music, dance, crafts and cooking.
The Free2b Girls program helps break down intergenerational and attitudinal barriers. It provides a platform where the interests and motivations of girls are valued as important catalysts for change.
Since its founding in 2017, when a couple of girls came along to the program’s first week, Free2b Girls now attracts up to 20 participants each week.
Tani’s approach to youth engagement is informed by her background as a counsellor and social ecologist. This is blended with research in the areas of youth engagement, neuroscience, psychology, educational philosophy, youth policy, mental health strategies, evolutionary biology, and sustainable development.