On a Mission

For participants, the YW Stride program is much more than just a roof over their head. With the support of a two-year, $300,000 grant from the Pohlad Family Foundation’s Homelessness Prevention Program, we launched YW Stride, a youth housing program targeted at preventing homelessness among young women as they transition out of foster care. In addition to providing rental assistance for up to 18 months, the program offers support services including weekly coaching to assist with education and career goals, assistance with building support systems and relationships, and guidance navigating community resources.

Building skills that prepare young people to enter the workforce is the focus of the Youth Employment Services. Using ‘best practice’ empowerment models, the program builds confidence and fosters development of the skills, attitudes and behaviors needed to thrive. Last year, the program utilized the “At Your Service” curriculum from the University of Minnesota to offer participants a certificate in customer service best practices. Paid work experience is a program highlight, giving young participants exposure to diverse employers, including Cerenity Care, ComMUSICation, the Salvation Army, St. Paul Parks & Recreation, and YWCA’s own Communications Department, IT and Building Operations. Participants leave with the skills needed to obtain entry level positions, and they network and explore careers that are the stepping-stones to success. Because of its impact, this program was awarded a WIOA contract through Workforce Solutions, a department of Ramsey County.

Twice a month, young leaders from across the state come together to share experiences and discuss ways to tackle disparities at home. They are members of the Young Women’s Initiative Cabinet, part of the Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota (YWIMN)—launched by the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota in partnership with the MN Governor’s Office.

YWCA St. Paul hosts the Cabinet, bringing together 32 dynamic young women and youth leaders (ages 16–24) to ensure that the work of YWIMN stays grounded in the lived experiences of its members and reflects the community-specific challenges and solutions they identified in their Blueprint for Action.

Members bring those learnings to life—crafting policy initiatives with their newly developed leadership and advocacy skills. This year, the voices of 21 new members joined this important work.

In response to the growing homelessness crisis, the City of St. Paul launched the Families First initiative, designed to keep kids in school by promoting stable housing through rent subsidies. YWCA St. Paul was selected by the City to support families at two schools. Keeping students in their homes and schools is vital for their success and for the health of our community.

As a contractor of Workforce Solutions, a department of Ramsey County, YWCA St. Paul delivers culturally specific employment services to African Americans through our YW Works (YWW) program. 2019 was a year of significant investment in the professional development of our counselors, helping them build best practice skill sets to ensure that both parents’ and children’s needs are considered and addressed as part of the overall support services offered. For example, our counselors refined their skills in motivational interviewing by helping participants explore and resolve insecurities and ambivalent feelings. Empowerment workshops and culturally-specific financial literacy are also hallmarks of this program.

As a participant in a Community of Practice, YWCA is empowering people to think beyond meeting basic day-to-day needs – giving them the skills and support to make dreams like homeownership a reality. This initiative takes participants beyond just budgeting and explores relationships with money and how values impact financial decisions. Sponsored by Northwest Area Foundation, the program focuses on building wealth and financial literacy in the African American community.

Training for ‘in-demand’ jobs is one way to economic health, but we take it a step further. Health disparities for truck drivers are stark. In response, participants in our Commercial Drivers’ License (CDL) program were the focus when Career Pathways piloted the Allina Health-funded Driven to Succeed: Healthy Living Project. Designed to promote fitness and healthy eating habits, participants learned exercises from Health & Fitness Center instructors. This was paired with classes in nutrition and making healthy meals with a licensed nutritionist. A cornerstone was the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) from the U of M’s Extension Service, which focuses on creating behavior changes through smart eating habits and increased activity.

Often, falls have a ripple effect on all aspects of an older adult’s quality of life. Targeting the health of seniors was core to a partnership between our Health & Fitness Center and the University of St. Thomas’ Department of Health & Exercise Sciences. Building off a foundation of ‘mindfulness,’ we hosted a cohort of seniors piloting fall prevention through exercise and enhanced strength.

Launching a community-wide conversation around domestic violence was the centerpiece of YWCA St. Paul’s ‘Break the Silence of Domestic Violence’ event. Using dramatic performances paired with facilitated sessions, participants had challenging conversations, learned how to recognize domestic violence behavior and gathered tips for supporting victims and survivors.