The Power Within

CHANGING THE WORLD
ONE CHILD AT
A TIME

Programs

PROGRAM INITIATIVE

Yes We Can Foundation’s "The Power Within" program is designed to help single mothers understand the very important role they play in their own success, by seeing themselves not as academic or social failures, but as successful learners. The program aims to assess the individual in her entirety and through a holistic approach, seeks to empower and change these women to improve their standard of living and social skills through a series of tailored workshops, including but not limited to educational, occupational, job enhancement, and mentorship support.

At Yes We Can Foundation, our Power Within Program puts the needs of women raising children as paramount. We are committed to giving a voice to young women that have accepted the challenge of single parenthood. The aim of this program is to provide innovative direct counseling and educational services to help these women help themselves. We believe with our mentoring and teaching services, the benefit of independent living and less reliability on assistance programs is within reach.

PROGRAM UNITS

YWCF is proud to be serving Brampton, Mississauga, Malton, Etobicoke, Rexdale, and surrounding communities in the GTA.

1. The Educational Activity Unit: This unit will involve the participants in advocating and negotiating with an educational institution, or accessing alternative educational programs that allow the single mother to continue her studies without major disruption.

2. The Employability Skills Unit: This unit will provide participants with opportunities to discover and develop workplace essential skills, and work habits required to be successfully employed. It will provide the individually-tailored, job readiness training that the single mother needs to prepare for entry into the work-force, especially if she lacks or has no substantive work experience.

3. The Life Skills Unit: The Life skills unit will include the planning, decision-making, stress-management, time-management, communication, and problem-solving skills that can help the single mothers to cope better as individuals, family members, workers, and members of the community. The life-skills component will also include knowledge regarding health, leisure-time skills, activities, and vocational interests.

PROGRAM OUTLINE

"The Power Within" consists of an individual and group-based Educational/Vocational/Life Skills Program that focuses specifically on the educational, employment/career development, and life skill needs of single mothers. A three month group program is offered three days per week at four hours per day, set over an agreed-upon time, to a maximum of twenty single mothers. Child care will be subsidized, and provided on site for the children of the single mothers attending the program. The overall program is divided into three Activity Units, and will be offered concurrently and in conjunction with, and function as complementary and supplementary components to each other. Our objective is to prepare our diverse clientele for the daily challenges they may face. We intend to offer tools to assist in furthering education, and preparing women for today’s workforce. We plan to supply these women with personal advocates for support and guidance.