A conversation with COURTNEY ADAMS & TINA
LIMBIRD, Co-Founders of GIRLS GEARING
UP.
[Episode is in English] What kind of world do we want to
live in — and who gets to shape it? GIRLS GEARING UP
(GGU) is grounded in a clear belief: Girls all over the
world deserve equal access to opportunities — so they can grow,
thrive, and actively shape the world they want to live in.
When GGU was founded in 2015 by Courtney Adams, Tina
Limbird, and Chineme Ugbor, one reality stood out
clearly: women's voices were — and still are — far too rarely
present at decision-making tables. While many societies recognise
that this needs to change, progress remains slow.
What we do know: more diverse voices lead to better
decisions. What was still an open question back then
was how and when real change begins.
In this episode, I speak with Courtney and
Tina about why leadership work with teenage
girls matters so deeply — and why many women's programs, although
valuable, often come too late to create lasting structural
change.
Coming from backgrounds in youth work, peacebuilding and
education, the founders sensed that even a short but intensive
leadership academy can create profound inner shifts in young
people.
Recognising that nothing comparable existed in Europe for teenage
girls, they decided to build it themselves. The first GGU
Summer Academy took place in 2015.
Your key takeaways from this episode:
Why investing in girls' leadership early is
a societal necessity — not a future project
Why many leadership programs for women come too
late to create real structural change
What teenage girls across very different backgrounds
need most to grow in confidence
How an all-girls environment creates
safety, courage and a stronger sense of self
Why community and connection are
powerful drivers of resilience
Why empowering girls is not only about changing the world —
but about changing how they experience themselves in
it
At GGU, teenage girls from multicultural, multilingual,
multireligious and diverse identity backgrounds come together. In
the all-girls environment, something shifts: confidence grows and
many girls leave with a stronger sense of belonging and trust in
themselves.
The journey doesn't end after the academy. The girls stay
connected across borders, support one another, and encourage each
other to remain grounded and confident when returning to their
everyday environments. Despite their differences, they discover
how much they share — and these connections often become a
lasting source of strength.
We also speak openly about the challenges of sustaining an
international leadership program for teenage girls — and why GGU
relies largely on private donations to continue and grow its
work.
If this conversation resonates with you, there are ways to
support Girls Gearing Up: through donations, by volunteering, or
by opening your company to the girls and offering insights into
professional worlds — experiences Tina and Courtney describe as
deeply empowering.
This episode is an invitation to rethink leadership, trust the
next generation, and discover what becomes possible when girls
meet on eye level — and carry these connections back into the
world.
GIRLS GEARING UP (GGU)
Website: Girls Gearing Up
Instagram: @girlsgearingup
Youtube: Girls Gearing Up International Leadership
Academy
LinkedIn: Girls Gearing Up International Leadership
Academy
DR. SYLVIA DOMINIQUE VOLZ
Instagram: @dr.sylviavolz
Facebook: Sylvia Volz
LinkedIn: Dr. Sylvia Dominique Volz
Email: hello@dr-sylvia-speaks.com
________________________________________________________________________________
Cover Foto Sylvia Volz: Franziska Krois & Chantal
Hofer
Jingle Musik: Epidemic Sound
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