Futuremakers by Standard Chartered > Goal Unleashing the economic potential of girls
Investing in girls can result in increased prosperity and diversity. Futuremakers' Goal programme uses sport, play and life-skills education to transform the lives of adolescent girls across our markets.
About Goal
Goal is the flagship education programme within Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, our global initiative to tackle inequality and promote economic inclusion.
Goal equips girls with the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to be economic leaders in their families and communities.
Created by Standard Chartered, Goal is designed for girls ages 12-18 who are living in underserved communities and is typically offered on a weekly basis, over the course of ten months.
Since its launch in 2006, Goal has grown into an internationally-recognised global movement operating in more than 20 countries. Implemented by organisations around the world, the programme teaches girls the critical facts about health, communication, rights and managing their personal finances in order to help them transform not just their own lives, but those of their families and friends.
Between 2006 and 2018, the programme reached more than 480,000 girls and young women. Our target is to reach one million girls between 2006 and 2023.
In 2019, we are expanding Goal's work readiness module into more markets and assessing Goal’s impact across our markets.
Why invest in girls?
We know that investing in girls can result in increased prosperity and diversity. Giving girls the tools to shape their own future has an incredible multiplier effect on communities and societies.
Women who are more educated are healthier, as are their children, who are more likely to attend school and study.
Gender equality is also critical for economic growth. If countries around the world could achieve gender parity, global annual GDP could increase by as much as $12 trillion by 2025.
Yet in many countries around the world, girls and young women are vulnerable or marginalised due to factors such as a lack of education, cultural bias, gender-based violence and poverty.
Women face most of these issues in adolescence, which limits their potential to learn, earn and grow as individuals.
Goal is our response to these challenges.
Case studies
Farzana is going places
Farzana did not have an easy childhood in Pakistan, but when she found Goal, she began to believe in herself and plan for her future. Today, she coaches the next generation of Goal girls to be confident and courageous like her. She uses her coaching stipend to pay for English and computer courses, and is honing her entrepreneurial skills through Goal so she can set up her own salon.
Soleha finds her voice
Thanks to Goal, Soleha is more confident speaking-up as a young Muslim woman in her family and at her school in Mumbai. At home, she has shared her financial knowledge with family members and persuaded them to give her and her cousin more freedom to work and play sport. At school, she has led conversations on important issues such as violence, HIV, menstruation and the environment.
The Goal curriculum
The Goal curriculum is available free of charge under a Creative Commons license. It is understood as a guideline and should be adapted to suit local context and need.
The curriculum was designed by Standard Chartered in collaboration with the Population Council.
1. The Goal curriculum (Modules 1 to 4)
This is the original Goal programme. It is divided into four modules focused on one of four key life skills:
- BE YOURSELF: Communication, building self-confidence and valuing what it means to ‘be a girl’
- BE HEALTHY: General health, reproductive health and hygiene
- BE EMPOWERED: Rights, freedom from violence, and how to access resources and institutions in the community
- BE MONEY SAVVY: Saving, spending, making, storing and borrowing money
2. The Be Independent module
Be Independent is a 12-session module of the Goal programme, which builds on Module 4 (Be Money Savvy) and basic financial literacy by introducing adolescent girls and young women to themes, topics and skills related to entrepreneurship and employability.
- BE INDEPENDENT: Entrepreneurship and employability
3. The Goal Events Toolkit
The Goal Events is an events-based version of the Goal programme. Goal Events takes Goal topics and introduces them to adolescent girls through a play-based approach over the course of a one, two or three-day event.
Complete the form below to download the full curriculum