The Princess Shop has proudly supported 1,311 women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+, graduates on their graduation day through the Dress Program!
Mission
The Princess Shop creates an enhanced graduation experience for female-identified students in need, and provides them with mentorship, support, and the tools to pursue success after graduation.
Vision
Each young woman in Saskatchewan will have the opportunity to celebrate her accomplishments and reach her full potential, ultimately positively impacting her entire community.
Values
Passion
Community
Perseverance
Mentorship
Impact
Indigenous Impact - The Princess Shop provides the opportunity for applicants to self-identify their ancestry, including their First Nations Community to provide insight into the reach of impact our programs can have on communities across the province. In 2020, 76% of Princess Graduates self-identified as Indigenous, and since 2010 a total of 72% of our Princess Graduates have self-identified as Indigenous. Our graduates also let us know that they represent over 60 of our province's First Nations communities.
Our organization recognizes the importance of reconciliation and is currently responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action; specifically in the areas of improving education attainment levels and success rates and ensuring that Indigenous peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and education opportunities. The Princess Shop will continue to prioritize inclusivity in program planning and implementation.
In 2022, we announced our Ribbon Skirt Program, a partnership between The Princess Shop and The Aboriginal Friendship Centers of Saskatchewan. Our goal is to provide ribbon skirts for graduates through partnerships with Indigenous Peoples in the communities we support.
The impact of The Princess Shop is invaluable, as it grows and evolves to meet the needs of women in our city and surrounding area. When we empower and encourage women, it is felt throughout the community as a whole, and it transcends generations.
Mothers and Single Mothers - The Princess Shop provides the opportunity for applicants to identify their parental status. We have always known that many of our Princess Graduates were mothers or caregivers, because they would let us know on their application forms where we asked the learn about their hobbies, goals, interests, and dreams. It was clear they were passionate about being caregivers, so we decided to formally request that information at the time of their applications to the Dress Program. In 2019, we found that 32% of graduates accessing our Dress Program and 15% of these were single mothers.
This provides us with great information to consider our programming and services. This information has allowed us to make developments with our Next Chapter Program by providing workshops relevant to caregivers. We have also made our Fairy Godmother Program activities more family-friendly, and are exploring other program developments that take into account children and dependents.
History
The Princess Shop Mentorship and Female Youth Development Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by Ainsley Robertson and Chantal Hounjet (nee Moloney). The Princess Shop is based in Saskatoon and serves the entire province of Saskatchewan.
Women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ students graduating from high school and other recognized education graduation programs are provided with a graduation dress, accessories, and services donated by our community. The Princess Shop has expanded to also include a mentorship program - The Fairy Godmother Program, as well as a scholarship and work placement program - The Next Chapter Program.
Our whole community benefits when graduates have more self-esteem, confidence, and drive. Positively affecting these students impacts their families and other dependents - and ultimately, our entire community.
As founders, Ainsley and Chantal wanted to make a positive contribution to our community in an unconventional and innovative way - and this desire is still strong in our volunteer team today. As a team of women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals our team understands what an important milestone high school graduation can, and should, be. This is a very special day for graduates as they move on to the next phase of their lives, and we believe that every graduate should have an opportunity to feel beautiful and motivated. It is our dream to be part of instilling self-confidence, drive and motivation in our province's future leaders.
Click here to meet our team of representatives and our board of directors.
Click here if you are interested in volunteering with The Princess Shop.