MVOC Spotlight

Warren YWCA puts a new vision in action

Warren’s YWCA has been a staple of the city’s downtown for years. Since its formation, it has been available to all as a place of peace, but has always given special attention to the needs of women. Recently, the mission of empowering women has expanded to reflect contemporary realities. For example, the gender wage gap increased in 2009 to 22.9% from 22.2% with women still earning about $.77 for every $1 earned by men, but even more striking, the median earnings for women of color are 28% less than that of white women.

“An organization dedicated to empowering women that does not consider the reality of race issues isn’t addressing the problem fully,” says Shari Harrell, Executive Director of the YWCA. “Our mission is clear – eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all – and each of our programs embody it.” She points to the T.E.A.M mentoring program, which engages high school mentors, most of which are girls, to become an academic and community role model to an elementary mentee.

“The program takes into consideration that education is the path for all, but especially women and women of color to find opportunity and advance from poverty,” says Harrell. The T.E.A.M Mentoring Program also reflects a deliberate emphasis on collaboration since the YWCA board was reformed in 2007. Their dedication to collaboration is apparent in their new programs and partnerships. Recently, the YWCA Warren has partnered with Hard Hatted Women, thanks to a grant by the Raymond John Wean Foundation. The program aims to break gender stereotypes by employing women in non-traditional careers like carpentry, ironwork, landscaping, and other high-wage fields. Perhaps most indicative of the YWCA’s genuine attitude of collaboration is the Warren Community Collaborative Against Violence. The initiative has facilitated two workshops and a full day of training, with the ultimate goal of educating adults and youth on how to improve the quality of life, safety and build relationships within the City of Warren.

The programs’ goals include implementing study circles within neighborhood groups, student groups and other community organizations, but has already seen success, as Harrell notes: “the program has already been successful in bringing people to the table that have not had a clear avenue to speak. It’s enlightening for everyone, whether they’re from a faith-based institution or neighborhood association, to hear a Warren teenager discuss neighborhood safety with a WPD Lieutenant.”

The full potential of the YWCA’s new direction, with its clear intent on collaboration and its dedication to truly representing its central mission in all of its programs, is perhaps yet to be realized. Perhaps its real power is in linking its traditional programs, like the Before and After School Program, with the diversity and depth of its new programming, for example its partnership with Hard Hatted Women. It would seem that the possibilities are limitless for a young student engaged in the broad and numerous opportunities provided by the Warren YWCA. The new direction is clearly a winning one for the organization and the city, especially considering its location in the center of the city: “this is where we are needed most, and we are committed to promoting our vision throughout the city,” Harrell said.

If interested in any of the Warren YWCA’s programs, you can contact them at 330-373-1010 or find them at www.ywcaofwarren.org.

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