YWCA is on a mission and YWCA Berkeley/Oakland is making it our own!
To empower women and eliminate racism, we must meet our clients where they are most vulnerable and provide the compassion and services that place them on a path to self-sufficiency and empowerment.
Our vision is that all female-identifying members of our community and that BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrant and other traditionally marginalized persons can achieve their full potential in a world without discrimination.
This requires a focus on the future, anticipating the needs of our clients, and creating innovative solutions to the problems they most often face – poverty, unsafe living conditions, lack of financial or technology literacy, and under- or unemployment.
We are evolving our services to meet the changing needs of our clients today and in the future.
We remain rooted in rich history, but our approach to serving our clients is holistic, strategic and innovative.
Nationally, YWCA advocacy issues include lobbying for pay equity and hate crimes legislation, increased funding for Head Start and passing the Violence Against Women Act. Locally, through our programs, we are changing lives and restoring hope for women, their families, and our community!
Workforce Development ↘
Our workforce development programs starts with teens and continues through early adulthood and middle age. We provide the critical support and resources our community needs to gain a job or move up in their career or current employment.
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Tech Lab
Women, BIPOC and other underrepresented identities learn how to program in three languages.
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STRIVE/STRIVE Teen
Career building skills for formerly incarcerated adults, DV survivors, immigrants, and teens.
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Girls Group Mentoring Program
Middle school girls learn about healthy relationships, boundaries, health, and their own rights.
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English in Action
Helping English learners through one-to-one conversational practice with local volunteers.
Workshops ↘
We offer a variety of financial and digital literacy workshops, events and programming to address the needs of teens, young adults, domestic violence survivors and more. Each curriculum is tailored to that audience and include multiple modules to drive self-sufficiency and better understanding of the importance of both financial and digital literacy.
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Moving Ahead
Financial literacy for survivors of domestic violence, including key steps to financial independence.
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Teen Financial Literacy
BIPOC, low-income and first generation teens gain critical, foundational financial skills.
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Digital Literacy
Hands-on instruction helps elders master the digital skills they need to navigate everyday tasks.
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Career Workshops
One-on-one counseling with a certified Career Counseling coach.