PACE Center for Girls, Collier at Immokalee

Pace Center for Girls (Pace) is a nationally recognized and research-based gender-responsive model for girls and young women of middle and high school age. Girls are at higher risk than boys for sexual abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence, and this elevated risk may explain the strong link between abuse and trauma and girls' delinquency. Pace provides gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and strength-based prevention and early intervention programs and services for girls with multiple risk factors. Risks include juvenile justice involvement as well as sexual exploitation, academic failure, chronic truancy/dropping out of school, running away, aggressive or antisocial behavior, substance abuse, family instability, and association with anti-social peer groups, among others. The girls attend Pace five days a week as an alternative to public education. Their counseling and therapy plays a big part in their growth and change. Pace Collier currently provides services to more than 100* girls annually in the Immokalee community.