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programs
the ywca igniting change
Through innovative programming, the YWCA Greater Cleveland serves girls, women and families in our community.
changing the future for youth
nia – nurturing independence & aspirations
Each year in Cuyahoga County, about 200 youth age out of foster care after their 18th birthday. The obstacles they face are considerable. Studies conducted nationally show that within 4 years of emancipation, 25% of these young people have been homeless; 60% have become unmarried parents; fewer than 20% are able to support themselves; 25% report encounters with the legal system; 56% have not graduated from high school; 64% have earnings below poverty level; and 51% are dependent on income assistance through government programs.
The YWCA has responded to the special needs of these young women through the NIA program. NIA serves young women ages 16 to 24 who are transitioning out of foster care. The primary goals of the NIA program are to encourage and support educational achievement, prevent homelessness and develop life and job readiness skills that lead to eventual living wage employment.
pact – peer awareness communication training
PACT engages adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 living in Cleveland and inner-ring suburban communities. The goal of PACT is to empower youth to make informed decisions to improve their overall health and well-being.
PACT, delivered through a 10-week course taught in schools and community settings, is a preventative program designed to empower at-risk youth to combat the negative influences impacting their lives each and every day. It equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to avoid risky behaviors, make healthy decisions, and understand the importance of education. The program addresses the reality that many youth are unaware of their right or capability to make decisions for their own physical, emotional and intellectual well-being.
early learning center
Studies show that children who participate in early childhood education programs, upon entering kindergarten, demonstrate greater language, literacy and math development than children who go directly from home care to kindergarten.
For more than 100 years, the YWCA has been providing high-quality early childhood education for children while empowering mothers and fathers to pursue their career and educational goals. The Early Learning Center offers a uniquely diverse setting providing child care for families who live and work throughout Greater Cleveland. Experienced educators teach a child-centered curriculum, and children learn from a young age to celebrate differences. The ELC is a Step Up to Quality two-star award winner.
changing the dialogue around race, diversity and inclusion
racial inclusion initiative
Research shows that race relations substantially influence organizational culture. The YWCA Racial Inclusion Initiative works with corporate and business leaders to address race relations in the workplace and examine how individual perceptions and biases contribute to the organizational culture.
Through workshops, corporate consulting and community advocacy, the Racial Inclusion Initiative provides leaders with resources to create positive organizational change. These resources enable corporate leaders to examine the dynamics of power, privilege and prejudice within their organization, build team communication skills, learn to identify bias in the workplace, and heighten the value placed on equitable recruitment, retention and promotion of employees.
changing the face of leadership
women's leadership initiative
Women make up nearly 50% of the workforce, yet rise to the top at an unequal rate. As of July 2009, only 3% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.1 In Northeast Ohio, of the 54 highest-paid CEOs, none are women. And, only 3 out of the 83 highest-paid non-CEOs are women.2
The YWCA Women's Leadership Initiative works with organizations to help them leverage the unique leadership strengths of women. Through workshops, consulting and a one-day leadership conference, the WLI empowers women to become effective leaders by providing them with essential skills and strategies to ensure they move up the corporate leadership ladder.
1Catalyst Research; Women CEOs of the Fortune 1000, July 2009
2Crain's Cleveland 2008 Book of Lists
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