Description
The YWCA Great Lakes Bay Region has five core programs that focus on the empowerment and advancement of women in the Great Lakes Bay Region:
Women’s Resource Center: In June 2011, the YWCA opened the YWCA Women’s Resource Center. The center includes classrooms, a full technology center, resource library, career mentors and other resources for economic and career services. This center is designed to improve the economic self-sufficiency of women and their families in the GLBR. The YWCA Women’s Resource Center provides personalized assistance for all women wishing to improve their economic status. Some services and programs offered include: resume development, computer literacy, job searching, keyboarding, interviewing skills and more. Since our opening in June we have served over 450 unduplicated participants with over 3,600 contact hours.
Getting Ahead Program: Getting Ahead is a 12 week workshop offered by the YWCA to women struggling financially. This program is a combination of self-examination and economic education to assist women in making their economic goals a reality. The curriculum is based on the work of Dr. Ruby Payne and Phil Devol. The YWCA staff is nationally certified in Bridges Out of Poverty and Getting Ahead curriculum.
Parenting Program: The parenting classes provided by the YWCA are completed through a contract with the Department of Human Services. Our parenting program serves Bay, Tuscola and Midland Counties with parent education in a classroom setting or one-on-one in the home. Topics include: discipline, child development, communication, safety & security, health & wellness, nutrition, etc. Our parenting program has served hundreds of families over the last several years, and with our expansion into Tuscola and Midland, we are prepared to serve hundreds more.
Advocacy: The core advocacy project for the YWCA is our upcoming collaborative publication with Saginaw Valley State University entitled "The Economic Status of Women in the Great Lakes Bay Region." This publication is a comprehensive report of the status of women in Bay, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw Counties using five indicators: employment & income, education, political participation, health & reproductive rights and crime & violence. This report will be presented at SVSU on April 27, 2012 and will be available free to social institutions and the general public.
Education & Professional Development: Our community education program offers classes and workshops that focus on women’s economic empowerment and professional development. A few examples of our workshops recently offered include: Public Speaking, Professional Writing, Grantwriting, and Conflict Resolution.
