Young Women\u0027s Resource Center

All of YWRC programming is designed for and provided to benefit girls and young women ages 10-21 in the Greater Des Moines area. Individual and small groups are provided through three primary programs: Empowerment, Young Moms and Therapy. All evidence based curriculum utilized are designed to target adolescent females. Empowerment, Young Moms and Therapy groups all incorporate lessons around reproductive health, feminism, sexism and gender stereotypes, healthy relationships, body image and the importance of supportive sisterhood. Collectively, the YWRC serves over 1,500 girls and young women annually.\n\nThe YWRC cannot erase the social pressures or history of trauma that impacts participating girls and young women, but it is their ability to cope and bounce back from those experiences that determines their long term health and success. By specifically focusing on four pillars of resiliency the YWRC provides participants with the ability to build healthy relationships, make healthy decisions, develop a firm confidence in who they are as individuals, and overcome whatever ongoing obstacles they face. \n\nAll of YWRC programs specifically support mental, physical and behavioral well-being through curriculum developed and tracked to measure and improve client resiliency. The four pillars of resiliency YWRC focus on include: \nConnections \u0026 Strong Social Network: Having secure attachment to caregivers or supportive adults on a regular basis, as well as positive and healthy relationships with peers and siblings. \nConfidence \u0026 Self-esteem: Maintaining belief in personal abilities, self-acceptance and sense of identity. Additionally, challenging self-critical behaviors and re-framing negative experiences. \nCompetence \u0026 Sense of Purpose: Mastery of skill, self-discovery and pursuit of opportunities to get involved in the community in meaningful ways. \nCoping \u0026 Self-Control: Developing problem solving and decision making skills, setting goals, managing emotions, and managing impulsive reactions to emotions. \n\nPerformance goals for the next year include: \n50% of participants demonstrate improvement in their sense of connections and ability to build a strong network. \n50% of participants demonstrate improvement in confidence and self-esteem. \n50% of participants demonstrate an improved sense of competence and purpose. \n50% of participants report feeling improved ability to cope with difficult situations and practice self-control. \n60% of participants increase their overall score across all four categories.\n85% of participants demonstrate improvement in at least one of the four resiliency components.\n75% of eligible Young Moms participants graduate High School.

The YWRC offers all Empowerment and Young Moms programs for free, with transportation provided to and from on-site programs. All programs are gender specific, culturally responsive and trauma informed. Every effort is made to create a safe, non-judgmental environment where clients can build trust with facilitators and healthy relationships with their peers. \n\nThe Empowerment Program utilizes the research based Girls Circle curriculum which is designed for girls ages 9-18 and is based on relational theory, resiliency practices and skills training in a gender specific format to increase participants\u2019 positive connections, competence and personal and collective strengths. Previous studies have revealed statistically significant improvement for participants in Girls Circle programs, including: an increase in self-efficacy, a decrease in self-harming behavior, a decrease in rates of alcohol use, an increase in attachment to school, increases in positive body image and increases in social support. \n\nPrograms include: \nEmpowerment Groups: six week segments within over 40 local elementary and middle schools \nAfter School Groups: year-round programming available to clients in 5th grade through high school \nConnections: small group for juvenile justice referred clients focused on impulse control and anger management\nLotus Group: art therapy small group focused on serving clients who have experienced assault or abuse\nMariposa: small group developing young Latina women as leaders, celebrating heritage and challenging racism\nBlack Girl Magic: small group developing young Black women as leaders, celebrating heritage and challenging racism\n\nThe Young Moms Program relies on a combination of research-based curricula, including: International Childbirth Education (ICEA) curriculum and Love Notes. The ICEA curriculum contains elements specifically focused on achieving healthy pregnancies, supporting the mental health of the mother and encouraging nurturing parenting skills with an emphasis on attachment and parental resilience. Love Notes is an evidence based approach that integrates relationship skills with repeat pregnancy prevention and workforce readiness. \n\nPrograms include:\nBetter Beginnings Doula Program: individual support with a personal doula that helps young moms advocate for themselves, assists in prenatal visits, attends the birth, and follows up during the post-partum period. \nPregnancy and Childbirth Education and Support Group: small group to help clients understand what to expect during pregnancy, assist in communication with health providers, and address common challenges \nYoung Moms Parenting and Life Skills Group: small group focused on developing positive parenting skills and life skills with peer support\nIndividual Support Program: individual support to address clients\u2019 unique needs and to achieve personal goals

The Young Women\u0027s Resource Center (YWRC) has worked to provide critical programming for girls and young women in the Greater Des Moines area since 1978. Over the past 42 years, the YWRC has developed gender and age specific curriculum that address the most common and pressing challenges facing young women in our community. \n\nOver the years the YWRC has been grateful to develop close community partnerships that allow the organization to effectively reach as many clients as possible. In particular, by partnering with the Des Moines Public School District the YWRC is able to reduce barriers to participation by providing Empowerment programming in 38 schools and Young Moms programming in 7 local schools. \n\nOn site, the YWRC also offers small after school groups and therapy. Empowerment Program works with 4 full time and 1 part time Empowerment Specialists and two Counselors, and the Young Moms Program works with 3 full time and 1 part time Young Moms Specialists. \n\nThe YWRC maintains a budget of over $1 million annually, with 1/3 of funding from United Way of Central Iowa, 1/3 from corporate and foundation grants, and 1/3 from individual donors.

Since 1978, the YWRC has served over 30,000 girls and young women in the Greater Des Moines area. Through Empowerment, Young Moms and Therapy - the YWRC now offers 17 unique programs aims at providing support that tailors to each clients needs. \n\nResults from the Resiliency Survey in 2018 show the following outcomes for clients: \n* Overall improvement in resiliency: 48%\n* Improved in at least one resiliency category: 74%\n* Improved in Connections and Strong Social Networks: 39%\n* Improved in Confidence and Self-Esteem: 35%\n* Improvement in Competence and Sense of Purpose: 40%\n* Improvement in Coping and Self-Control: 44%