~ who we are ~

Ophelia’s Place is a drop-in supportive center for girls ages 10-18 that provides prevention and early intervention services that are sensitive and specific to the needs of middle and high school age girls.  Young women face challenges that are unique to girls within a culture of inequality, sexism, overt media messages and stereotypical expectations.  Ophelia’s Place provides a safe environment to help young women find their personal strengths, build self-esteem and develop the skills and resilience to meet a future of challenges and opportunities.

~ our vision ~

Founder Rosaria Haugland’s vision for Ophelia’s Place was to provide services that intervene at an early point in a girl’s life, giving her an opportunity to develop supportive relationships and strengths that will lead to her long-term well-being.  In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia was a young woman whose tragic circumstances and lack of support prevented her from developing healthy relationships and achieving her own potential.  Early interventions can help prevent tragic and costly outcomes such as domestic violence, low educational achievement, early pregnancy, or drug and alcohol use. 

~ why girls? ~

Girls experience dramatic cognitive, physical and social development changes as they enter adolescence.  It is a pivotal and vulnerable time for females who are developing a sense of self strongly influenced by culture, peer relationships and a need for belonging.

Our Goals:

Nurture Healthy Relationships ~ Foster positive, compassionate and supportive relationships with other girls  ~  Challenge girls to resolve conflict without resorting to violence  ~  Help girls establish positive, caring and consistent relationships with their mothers or other adult female role models  ~Educate girls on their rights in relationships, warning signs and personal safety.

Promote Healthy Choices ~ Strengthen girls’ self-belief in efficacy by providing opportunities for them to meet challenges, weigh risks and achieve healthy goals  ~  Foster strong communication and decision-making skills  ~  Help girls choose alternatives, behaviors and tools to build constructive lives  ~  Encourage girls’ access to gender-responsive resources within their community

Encourage a Positive and Healthy Sense of Self ~  Support a girl’s perception of meaningful opportunities in life  ~  Instill a healthy body image in girls that is supportive of a positive female identity  ~  Nurture the uniqueness of each girl and encourage self-expression  ~  Involve girls in settings that are free from negative or coercive behaviors, bias, racism and sexism  ~  Help young women become “media literate” so they may examine negative and stereotypical cultural messages more critically  ~  Increase each girl’s perception of self-worth and self-esteem