NEW OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL FOR WOMEN INC.

Of women served from 2022-2024:
• 90% will recognize the interconnectedness of physical, mental, emotional health.
• 60% will report behavior changes that prioritize health.
• 50% will benefit from financial literacy.
• 50% of graduates report feeling better financially prepared for their future.
• 55% of graduates explore opportunities to further their education through pursuing a degree, certificate, GED, or other certification.
• 75% report more confidence in their preparedness for workforce readiness.
• 60% of graduates and participants report being engaged in their local communities.
• 50% of graduates from 2022-2024 will continue to engage with NOSW programming and the NOSW community.

Our Overarching Program Strategies
1. Present a comprehensive approach to health that elevates awareness of the myriad aspects of wellbeing.

2. Develop skills that bolster financial literacy: budgeting/financial management classes, sessions on buying a house, debt management, building a savings account

3. Provide education and training in the interpersonal/intrapersonal skills needed for career development.

4. Empower women to be leaders, advocates & mentors: strengths-based leadership development; how to speak to elected leaders; work with partners

5. NOSW is a conduit for networking among graduates and service organizations: orgs that support women; graduates supporting one another; staff connection to women

Our Programs:
• Two-Week Residential Program: Classes and internships that promote self-esteem, culture, leadership, workforce skills, and health and wellness.
• Three-Day Outreach Program: Classes that promote self-esteem, self-efficacy, health and wellness, and motivation for change.
• Online Workshops: Presentations in areas of focus that are drawn from our core curriculum.
• Graduate Group Meetings: Monthly ongoing outreach and support meetings for program participants and graduates.
• Follow-Up Communication and Mentoring: One-on-one coaching for women in addressing life’s challenges and meeting their goals.
• Graduate Leadership Retreat: Refinement of skills , at a graduate leadership level.
• Graduate Scholarships: Funds to cover education-related expenses, including tuition, books, transportation, and child care.
• Graduate Dental Fund: Assistance to offset the cost of dental procedures.
• Foundation Scholarships: Funds to cover education-related expenses, including tuition, books, transportation, and child care.

We have a 30-year history of working with Appalachian women, with demonstrated success. We are the only organization doing this work for this population in this region. We understand the culture that influences women’s choices, their development and how they navigate change. We ground our work in these values: honor diversity, promote self-discovery, recognize choice, display mutual respect, practice kindness, and celebrate each woman’s beauty. Unlike other programs that meet a specific need in a particular moment, NOSW seeks to foster an ongoing relationship with women throughout their development and lifespan. We emphasize peer-to-peer learning and mentorship so that as women become stronger, more confident and skilled, they help other women grow. Many of our graduates volunteer with the program and become mentors in their own communities. They go on to achieve career goals, and some attend college and earn degrees. These benefits extend beyond the women to their children — increasing interest and success in college — and to their communities.

This year our program will celebrate 35 years of serving women. We have a full-time staff of five, our largest staff ever, and this year we expect to serve women in approximately 250 instances:

-24 women in two residential sessions
-36 women in six community-based sessions
-an average of eight women in each monthly graduate support group for a total of 96
-an average six in each of six standalone workshops for a total of 36
-six in our graduate retreat
-20 at our graduate reunion
-25 through our dental and scholarship funds