Agenda
Game of Life
Take turns drawing cards from the
stack that matches your color sticker
On your turn, read the card
aloud and follow the directions
The next person takes her turn
Continue until all
the cards are gone
Reflection
What happened during the game?
What did you notice?
How did it make you feel?
Why was the game easier for some of you
than for others?
What do you think the stickers
represented?
How does this game relate to real life?
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Many women/girls held back by negative body image
Low self-esteem and poor body image  decreased
concentration, decreased performance on mental activities
Takeaway: disrupted mental performance can be an obstacle
to girls’ educational or career success
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
35% of women around the world experience intimate
partner violence or non-partner sexual violence
The effects of this violence can continue in the workplace
Workplace domestic violence programs very rare
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Bullying is an increasingly widespread concern in school
communities
Girl-to-girl bullying just as common as male bullying
Bullying often has serious consequences on its victims
These consequences can inhibit girls’ educational and
career development
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Traditionally, women have been seen as caregivers
These strict gender roles can hinder women’s career
development
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Sexual harassment = “unwelcome sexual advances,
requests for sexual favors, and other verbal/physical
harassment of a sexual nature, including making offensive
comments about women or men in general”
Sexual harassment is underreported
Victims of sexual harassment (men and women)
experience harmful psychological effects
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Sex discrimination = “when a person or group is treated
unfairly solely based on their biological sex”
Most sex discrimination cases related to pay inequality
and promotions
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Do you have any questions about the
information we just covered?
Which obstacle do you think is most
relevant to your life and why?
Does anyone have an example of a time
when you faced one of the obstacles that
were mentioned? What did you do to
overcome this adversity?
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Having a mentor = crucial to leadership development
Provide emotional, social, and personal growth
opportunities for their mentee (and career advice and
feedback)
Important to career advancement
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
A support system = a group of people in your life who
genuinely care about you and who are there through good
times and bad
People with good support networks report better health,
longer lives, and greater well-being
Friends and loved ones help you become more resilient
and more capable of overcoming barriers
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Self-care = “any intentional actions you take to care for your
physical, mental and emotional health”
Often includes personal hygiene, nutrition, and lifestyle
activities (sports, leisure, etc.), including positive self-talk
Combats low self-esteem + improves physical health,
relationships, income, and happiness
Take 20 minutes each day to do what makes you feel good: get
outside, read a book, meditate, dance…
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
Get informed – online research, talk to experts
Engage with your community – host a local conversation,
film screening, etc.
Raise awareness – use your voice on social media for a
good cause
Speak out – sign a petition, set up a lobby meeting, vote
Learning about Obstacles to
Career Success
What other solutions can
you think of to deal with
these obstacles?
Enacting Solutions Skit
Read the scenario your
group has been given
Plan a 1 to 2 minute
skit about the scenario
Present one way to address the situation
Use the resolution included or come
up with your own
Enacting Solutions Skit
Perform your skit for
another group
Teach each other about ways to face various
challenges that may come up for you
Break a leg!
Planning Ahead
Consider some of the obstacles
we discussed today…
Do you think some of them might get in
the way of your career goals?
What other challenges may come up while
you pursue your career goals?
Think about and respond to the 1st question
on the “Planning Ahead” worksheet
Planning Ahead
Move on to the second question
Identify family, friends, coaches, teachers,
counselors, neighbors, community leaders
or others who could help you
Save this worksheet!
Think about…
How will you
respond when
life puts you to
the test?