Center For Young Womens Development

OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND/OR THE UNDERGROUND STREET ECONOMY TO CREATE A POSITIVE CHANGE IN LIVES AND COMMUNITIES

THIS YEAR YWFC MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARDS ITS MISSION AND GOALS, DESPITE A WORLD-WIDE PANDEMIC. THIS PROGRESS INCLUDED NEW PROGRAMS AND INNOVATIONS TO FULFILL MISSION DURING A VERY TRYING TIME. YWFC INCREASED OUTREACH AND EFFORTS PROVIDING CRITICAL SERVICES,ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING TO A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER F PEOPLE INCREASING TO OVER 3,500 DURING THE FISCAL YEAR. PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDED EXPANDING OUTREACH EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC NEEDS OF SYSTEM IMPACTED YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN 14-25 THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. ADDITIONAL OUTREACH EFFORTS FOCUSED ON REACHING MOTHERS AND FAMILIES, AND WOMEN BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON AND JAIL AND OR ESCAPING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. SERVICES INCLUDED PROVIDING FOOD AND BASIC SUPPLIES,SUPPORT WITH ACCESS TO

TECHNOLOGY INCLUDING WI-FI, CELL PHONE, AND LAPTOP SUPPORT. OVER THE LAST YEAR, YWFC HAS PROVIDED ALL AROUND SUPPORT TO BUILD THE LEADERSHIP OF SYSTEM-IMPACTED YOUNG MOTHERS IN CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING PROVIDING UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME STIPENDS TO SUPPORT YOUNG MOTHERS AND MOTHERS TRANSITIONING INTO THE WORKFORCE AND TO REIMAGINE CHILDCARE THAT FITS THE VARYING NEEDS OF SYSTEM-IMPACTED MOTHERS IN CALIFORNIA. YWFC CONDUCTED RESEARCH WITH OVER 50 YOUNG MOTHERS TO IDENTIFY NEEDS AND CREATE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COULD SUPPORT YOUNG MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN IN CALIFORNIA. ADDITIONALLY, YWFC CONTINUED ITS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WORK AND ITS ADVOCACY WORK TO CHANGE THE CONDITIONS THAT KEEP YOUNG WOMEN,GIRLS, AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR STUCK IN CYCLES OF POVERTY, INCARCERATION, AND VIOLENCE.

THIS WORK INCLUDED PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING TO 45 YOUNG PEOPLE, ADVOCATING FOR THE RELEASE OF WOMEN AND GIRLS ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING GETTING TO ZERO GIRLS INCARCERATED IN SANTA CLARA FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE MONTHS AND SUPPORTED AN INITIATIVE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY THAT IS RESULTING IN ENDING THE INCARCERATION OF GIRLS AND SUPPORTING REENTRY EFFORTS OF YOUTH. YWFC CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS RESEARCH WORKING DURING THE YEAR INCLUDING THE RELEASE OF A HOUSING REPORT, WHICH SHARED YWFC EXPERIENCE PILOTING A HOUSING PROGRAM TO SUPPORT RE-ENTRY OF YOUNG WOMEN DURING THE PANDEMIC.. THE REPORT WAS WELL RECEIVED NATIONALLY, WITH AN ONLINE LAUNCH WITH OVER 100 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.

(CONTINUED PSA STATEMENT). YOUTH PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AND YOUTH ORGANIZING STAFF CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YWFC'S FREEDOM RESEARCH INSTITUTE TO TO DEVELOP VARIOUS RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE CRIMINALIZATION OF YOUTH AND THE IMPACT ON SYSTEMS IMPACTED YOUTH IN CALIFORNIA. DATA WILL BE USED TO ADVANCE WORK IN SANTA CLARA, LOS ANGELES, ALAMEDA, AND SAN FRANCISCO COUNTIES.