Program areas at Ywca Hartford Region
Early childhoood education services - Ywca Hartford Region provided high-quality learning experiences, for approximately 318 infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers, in 4 year-round early learning centers. These services are designed to prepare the children for success in kindergarten and beyond, while focusing on the values of diversity and respect for others. In addition, yw kidslink provided before-and-after school programming for 250 students in kindergarten through fifth grade at 9 locations. Programming offered mission-based creative activities to educate and inspire children. Through these programs, Ywca Hartford Region also provided 44,875 meals and snacks. Free camp meals was expandedto 90 children from Hartford for 8 weeks.
Teen services - the young womens leadership corps (ywlc) served 132 girls and teens, ages 13 to 18, in its year-round school-based and summer institute programs. School-based programs served 306 middle and high schools in the greater Hartford area, where Ywca staff, working with school staff liaisons, engaged participants in programming activities that focused deeply on the social and emotional wellbeing of participants, building leadership and advocacy skills, hands-on digital upskilling projects, and college and career readiness skills. Summer institute, back in person, expanded on the themes covered on the year-round curriculum with a particular focus on leasership and advocacy, and participants worked as a group to identify, research, and address issues within the local community.
Housing programs - at soromundi commons, Ywca Hartford Region provided safe, temporary shelter for 71 individual women experiencing homelessness. The program is an 18-bed (15-bed during the covid public health emergency) emergency shelter supported by an array of services offered onsite to assist each woman in obtaining housing, addressing health issues, seeking employment, and strengthening daily living skills. In addition, a 29-apartment, permanent, supportive housing program provided affordable housing and support services to 32 formerly homeless individuals. Participants have access to flexible, individualized services, as needed, in order to achieve and retain permanent housing, increase skills and income, and achieve greater self-determination. All services at soromundi commons are provided using a trauma-informed, person-centered, culturally conscious, voluntary services, housing-first approach, designed to preserve the dignity of each individual.
Other program services - (1) yw career women (ywcw) is an individualized, career pathways program, designed to provide supports for low-income women, most with children who are actively pursuing an associate's degree at capital community college (ccc) or manchester community college (mcc), by removing barriers to college completion and employment. Ywcw helps women bridge education and career gaps through academic counseling, career services, and financial coaching to obtain jobs with family-sustaining wages and become more economically secure. Ywcw programming continued to offer virtual services as a result of the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, including individualized case management, one-to-one coaching, career guidance academic support, workforce skills training, digital upskilling, and financial literacy education. Ywcw served 42 women across community college partners and with post placement supports.