YWCA - Women leading change

 
For International Day of the Girl Child Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: What Counts for Girls on October 11, we looked at organisations that work with girls and women based in SA. Groups included Girl Guides who offer leadership with an outdoor focus and International Rainbow Girls a group featured in our earlier blog who offer leadership through community service.
 

We also contacted YWCA Adelaide to find out more about this young women’s leadership organisation, learn more about their programs and how to get involved through membership, you can also volunteer and assist with their fundraising efforts.
 
Who is YWCA Adelaide?
 
YWCA Adelaide is a not for profit young women’s leadership organisation which has been providing a voice for young women and girls in South Australia since 1880.  The organisation is well respected for its work in advocating for greater gender equality and efforts to support women and girls leading change.
 
YWCA Adelaide is a member association of YWCA Australia which is the national association of YWCAs in Australia and is part of the World YWCA movement – the world’s largest women-led membership movement with a global outreach of 25 million women and girls. This global network of women leads social and economic change in over 120 countries worldwide.
 
VISION
Women leading change
 
PURPOSE
To build strong and equitable communities through the development of women’s leadership
 
VALUES
Gender Equality
Diversity
Leadership
Women’s Safety and Wellbeing
Strong Communities
Accountability
 
What does YWCA Adelaide do?
YWCA Adelaide engages an early intervention and primary prevention approach to its policy and program priorities of advancing women’s leadership, preventing and eliminating men’s violence against women, and promoting positive self-image.
 
Programs: Some of our flagship programs include:
-       SHE Leads Conference and Program – for adult women who are looking for inspiration, confidence, networks and leadership skills
-       SHE Leads High Conference and Program – a dedicated annual conference and school based program for young women in years 10, 11 and 12 in high schools.
-       Aboriginal Women’s Leadership Program -  a culturally sensitive program which delivers workshops and events in regional South Australia and metropolitan Adelaide to assist Aboriginal women in building their leadership capacity with a focus on women, family, wellbeing, career and culture.
-       Respectful Relationships Education - Respectful Relationships Education is the holistic approach to age-appropriate, school-based primary prevention of gender-based violence. YWCA Adelaide delivers the Respect Communicate Choose program in primary schools, the Relationship Things program in high schools, as well as Teaching Respect Ed training for teachers and educators. These programs enable young people to develop skills and knowledge to develop healthy, safe and respectful relationships.
-       Bystander Intervention Workshops – building on YWCA Adelaide’s Rise Above the Pack campaign to prevent violence against women, these workshops provide men and women in workplaces and community settings with an understanding of violence against women, and equips them with the skills and confidence to be positive bystanders and create safe and respectful communities.
-       Every Girl – a strengths-based leadership and human rights program for girls aged 9-14 which builds girls’ self-esteem, enhances their understanding of human rights as well as their ability to influence community change. 
 
Advocacy:
YWCA Adelaide aims to be the leading voice on gender equality in South Australia. We engage and collaborate with the wider community and various sectors on issues affecting women, whilst providing advocacy and submissions to government on topics that relate to women’s safety, empowerment and wellbeing.
You can read more at: http://ywca.com.au/advocacy/
 
Membership:
YWCA Adelaide offers a range of benefits to Membership, including scholarships to participate in leadership opportunities on a local, national and global level, grants for new initiatives, and discounts to YWCA events. You will also become part of the world’s largest and oldest women-led movements that supports efforts towards gender equality and gives women and girls around the world a voice.
You can learn about the benefits of YWCA Membership and join here: http://ywca.com.au/get-involved/membership/benefits/
 
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