Guide: How to Build a Fearless Village
As we dive into our Social Wellbeing theme this summer, we’re reflecting on one of the key pillars of our TOC: community, and how we built ours
Guide: How to build a Fearless Village
Back in 2020, when we found ourselves stuck at home baking sourdough and being held hostage by a mega-virus, isolation helped keep us safe. For many of us, that way of living never quite faded, reshaping the way we work, connect and move through the world.
Over the last few decades, the wellness industry has made billions offering us the tools, tinctures and teachers of self-care, while pop psychology has increasingly embraced an “I alone can fix it” mindset — the idea that healing, growth and resilience are things we should achieve entirely on our own.
But can we self-care ourselves into the systems and circles that support us? Can we really get by without a little help from our friends?
At Project Fearless, we’ve been thinking a lot about connection lately. As our courses open for summer, our kids and Coaches will be diving into our theme for the season: Social Wellbeing. To us, social wellbeing is deeply connected to community, which is the beating heart of our Theory of Change. From day one, our goal was to create a space where girls and kids can learn from each other and feel inspired to be their most Fearless selves. A place where everyone feels seen, heard and hyped, where they can exhale at the end of the day and truly belong.
Because at its core, social wellbeing is about feeling connected: to ourselves, to the people around us, and to something bigger than ourselves. And that can look different for everyone. To some of us, it means having a safe, stable relationship with our family. To others, it’s more about chosen family — having a few close friends they can confide in about anything under the sun. To others still, giving back to their community has a feel-good factor that beats out their closest friendships.
No matter the form our connections take, whether we’re gaming with a friend who’s halfway across the world, or breaking a sweat together at Run Club, what’s important is that we feel fulfilled by them.
At Project Fearless, these connections are underlined by teamwork, solidarity and mutual respect, and nurtured through intentional moments. Here’s how we bring that sense of community to life everyday:
For her, by her
For her, by her
At PF, every voice matters. It’s important to us that our kids develop the confidence to express their own unique points of view and that we provide an environment where their ideas and opinions are received and valued.
Growth mindset
When kids believe they can learn and improve, they’re open to learning with and from others, too. We see our teammates as collaborators, not competitors, are open to feedback, and understand that everyone is learning at their own pace.
Hype-girl energy
We’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders, helping and hyping one another through all our wins and losses. Our hope is that this eventually becomes the inner monologue our kids speak to themselves with, too.
““I will never be able to express how much my daughter and I have valued Project Fearless over the years. It gave her a safe space to be herself and blossom into the girl she is today. She always felt she could express herself without judgement. As a mum, that is priceless!”
A safe space
Fear is a natural part of learning and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, but we want our kids to know they can always ask for help, on and off the mat.
Come as you are
Our programs focus on progress, not pressure. What’s most important to us is that you can be yourself, and we’ll meet you where you’re at.
You can sit with us
We celebrate each other’s strengths and differences, and welcome all levels, abilities and backgrounds into our courses.
Learn it, live it, pass it on
Learn it, live it, pass it on
There’s no hierarchy here — we’re all learning from each other. Our coaches learn from our kids, our kids become role models for each other, and ongoing feedback from our Fearlessers and parents keeps us growing and evolving, too.
Real-life heroes
Our role models aren’t lofty figures on pedestals, they’re right beside us. To us, it’s important for girls to have authentic, accessible role models who they can relate to and see themselves in.
Pay it forward
We’re always thinking of ways to give back to our neighbourhoods and community in little and large ways. We want to encourage our kids to think about their impact on others and the world at large, and grow into the changemakers we believe they can be.
B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bestie)
We’ve built our village, and we want our kids to build their own too, by inviting old friends, making new ones and creating a network of supporters who they can lean on and learn from.
All kinds, one crew
Diverse communities enrich our lives, offering new perspectives and challenging our views on the world — that’s how we keep growing. At PF, our differences make us stronger.
Mutual respect + kindness
In a world that can feel increasingly divided, we want to nurture compassion and tolerance, and give everyone the space to express their opinions, whether we agree with them or not.
Community doesn’t happen by accident. It’s something we practise, protect and build together. And while inner growth, independence and resilience are central to our programs, we also want our kids to know that connection flows both ways, and the communities we pour into have a way of pouring back into us, too.
That’s the kind of village we’re trying to build, and we hope you’ll be part of it.
To read more about our Theory of Change, click here.
Written by Project Fearless copywriter, Brionie Pereira.
