Building on its mission to eliminate racism and empower women, YWCA Tri-County Area’s Youth Empowerment Programs department (YEP) recently launched YW Empowerment Sundays to encourage young women of different ages and stages of life to come together to be heard, seen and learn from each other.

The program is for three related groups: Girls in Charge (7th and 8th graders), YW Young Women Rising GLI Chapter (9th through 12th-grade students) and YW Women Rising (18- to 25-year-olds). The participants meet monthly on Sundays at Montgomery County Community College. The next event is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 13, at MCCC’s North Hall Gallery, 16 High Street, Pottstown. The program is free and open to all young women in the community, who can register online.  

“We have been working with these students in our separate programs, and YW Empowerment Sundays is an opportunity to bring them together so they can learn from each other,” said Kristie Piacine, director of Youth Empowerment Programs. “The goal of the program is to create a diverse community where they feel seen and heard leaning into self-discovery, civic engagement, advocacy, self-care and emotional intelligence.”

Combining participants of different ages forms a sense of sisterhood and creates mentorship opportunities, Piacine said. The program, like all YW YEP programs, uses a trauma-informed approach, that promotes self-awareness and self-regulation.

“We’ve received great feedback,” Piacine said. Twenty-five participants came to YW’s Empowerment Sunday on Feb. 20, representing Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties and spanning six school districts. Piacine hopes to double participation by next year.

“The middle-school students participate in programs like Art of Yoga and work together to learn about interpersonal communication skills, while exploring what they may like to do for careers,” Piacine said. “This matches well with MCCC’s Upward Bound program. In fact, all YW’s students will gain access to a wealth of knowledge and information from our partnership with Montgomery County Community College. We are so thankful for the collaborative relationship between two organizations that strive to educate our communities.”

Older students in grades 9-12 focus heavily on YW mission work through the lens of anti-racism and inclusion, learning about social justice, advocacy, and communication, finding their voices as they work on leadership skills.

For young women ages 18-25, YWCA has partnered with Truist Bank to work on banking basics, budgeting, financial wellness, and saving for their futures.

Each YW Empowerment Sunday has its own theme. In February, the participants learned about social justice in conjunction with World Day of Social Justice on Feb. 20. Students looked at injustices in their communities and the world and discussed ways they could make a difference. In March, the social justice theme will be female advocacy issues and in April it is YWCA’s Stand Against Racism campaign.

MCCC is pleased to partner with YWCA Tri-County Area to host and participate in YW Empowerment Sundays.

"YWCA’s values, mission and priorities align with MCCC’s programs, such as Upward Bound, dual enrollment, College Connections Experience, Act 101,” said Amy Auwaerter, Director of Pottstown Campus Operations. “We’re looking forward to bringing speakers from different areas of the College to talk to the students at future YW Empowerment Sundays.”

“The valuable knowledge, skills, activities and fellowship shared on YW Empowerment Sundays will greatly benefit our Upward Bound Program female students and alumni,” said Angela Scott Ferencin, MCCC Director, TRIO Upward Bound Program. “This partnership will positively change the lives of our students.”

YW Empowerment Sundays are scheduled for March 13, April 10, and May 15. The program includes lunch, which is provided by YW’s Dignity Kitchen of Norristown. Through Dignity Kitchen's on the job training program, participants learn culinary arts skills, kitchen prep and safe food handling practices.

For more information, visit YWCA Tri-County Area’s website or contact Kristie Piacine at kpiacine@ywcatricountyarea.org.