Project: Young Women United for Oakland
Grantee: Young Women’s Work Project
Grant Year: 2000

The Three Guineas Fund made a grant of $15,000 to the Young Women's Work Project (YWWP), to become a part of a local funders collaborative supporting YWWP's new venture, Young Women United for Oakland (YWUFO). The vision for this collaborative is to develop, sustain, and document YWUFO's model, which supports leadership development and job training for young women living in poor communities.

YWUFO is an organization run by and for poor young women of color between the ages of 14-20 who live in Oakland, California. YWUFO is one of five planned centers that create alternative career paths for young women who have been supporting themselves in the street economy. At YWUFO, these young women take on the responsibility of running a community based non-profit organization. They are hired and receive many hours of training. With their peers, they create projects to improve the lives of young women like themselves, seek funding for these projects, hire personnel, and evaluate their work. YWUFO staff work with adults and peers as trainers and consultants to learn the skills necessary to take on roles such as community leader, social activist, researcher, web designer or wherever their passions lead them.

As one young woman said, "Before I started working here (at YWUFO), I never thought that I would be a director, creating and shaping an organization such as this. But I have learned so much, been exposed to so many new ideas, and met so many people through this work. Now I know that my options are limitless."

For more information on this project call (510) 452-0185, fax (510) 452-0257, or write to:

Young Women United for Oakland P.O. Box 23802 Oakland, CA 94623