On June 6^th, our Education and Training Coordinator, Crystal Stewart led an introductory meeting to kick off our new program for young women.

Futures, was designed to give young women the opportunity to gain financial literacy skills and real-world work experiences.

With the combination of weekly information sessions and short term internship programs, our goal is to support women and girls in their goals of getting higher paying jobs, expand their resume and increase their access to addition educational opportunities.

To start off the morning, Crystal had each of the young women introduce themselves by giving their name, age and their reasons for wanting to be involved with Futures. Their ages ranged from 19 to 23 and they explained that they wanted to gain experience and develop the skills that would be useful for future job opportunities. “I’m excited to see what I can do,” said Diamond. Many of them had not been employed before, so they were eager unlock their potential. As a reminder, Crystal stressed the importance of continuous growth. “You never stop learning,” she said. It is important for young women to know that that asking questions is an important part of developing oneself in the workplace, and in life.

The young women in the program are highly motivated to begin their jobs and kick start their journey into a new and exciting field. After Crystal’s introduction they were taken to meet with their supervisors and went over their tasks, responsibilities and expectations. In addition to the internship positions, the staff at Futures is also in the process of planning a Dress for Success workshop to teach the young women about appropriate office attire and presentation.

With 56% of our families including single mothers in their 20’s and 30’s, Futures plays a key role in our mission to encourage, support, and give women the necessary tools they need to transform their lives.

For more information and updates about Futures, stay tuned to our blog! You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook at thcdc.