Women Writing for a Change
Community Partnerships Program
Mission:
Women Writing for a Change connects people to the power of their voices and the truth of their stories through the art of writing and the creation of community.
Community Partnerships
Women Writing for a Change partners with schools, libraries, community centers, arts and community organizations, non-profits, corporations, and businesses to take the unique processes and techniques of Women Writing for a Change into the community. Our goal is to reach those for whom writing can be used as a tool for transformation.
Community Partnership Programs are developed in collaboration with partner organizations. Community partners and group participants will experience:
The mission of the program is to connect individuals to the power of their voices and the truth of their stories using writing as a tool for transformation. The basic curriculum uses the art of writing to help participants practice interpersonal skills including self-reflection, supportive listening, and self-advocacy. Each group will also practice the skill of conscious community building in order to uphold the value of every participant's voice.
General Programs and Services we provide to Partner Organizations
Women Writing for a Change develops writing programs for diverse populations in the Greater Cincinnati area an beyond. Common themes of our programs include community building, writing for personal transformation, self-reflection, memoir or life-writing, healthy body-image, aging, surviving trauma, grief and loss, general life transitions, anti-bullying, building hope, and much more. WWfaC can tailor our processes to the needs of individual partner organizations and groups. In general, we provide the following services:
For more information or to begin planning a workshop or writing group in your community or organization call Women Writing for a Change at 513-272-1171.
Who We Serve
With the Community Partnerships Program, Women Writing for a Change strives to reach traditionally silenced or underserved populations, as well as the general public. Some examples of individuals and groups we serve are:
- Women, young women, girls, and men who wish to write and share their individual stories.
- At-risk youth
- Adults/youth in poverty or experiencing homelessness
- Mentally or physically disabled adults and youth
- Incarcerated women or women living in group homes
- Survivors of domestic or sexual abuse or violence
- The elderly –those in nursing homes and home health care
- Women/young women with eating disorders
- Individuals in Hospice
- Veterans
- Expectant mothers
- Cancer survivors or those currently dealing with cancer or other illnesses
- Those in recovery (from alcohol or drug abuse)
- Women in transition
- Individuals dealing with grief/loss
Organizations we have worked with:
*Project Connect * YWCA – Rosie’s Girls * The Girl Scouts * The Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati * Starfire U * The Women’s Connection * Hyde Park Health Care * Mayerson JCC * The True Body Project * Cincinnati Public Schools
More about our Community Partner Organizations
Project Connect
Women Writing for a Change has partnered with Project Connect through Cincinnati Public Schools to address the needs of children at risk for homelessness. Project Connect is a program of Cincinnati Public Schools, serving over 2,000 homeless children in the greater Cincinnati area. Project Connect’s mission is to keep students connected to their education by providing advocacy, enrollment assistance, transportation, enrichment, and after-school activities.
Both WWfaC and Project Connect are dedicated to giving voice to traditionally silenced individuals. Since 2004 these organizations have collaborated to offer weekly writing programs at homeless shelters and in high schools during the school year.
Our current programs include writing groups in four Cincinnati Public Schools – Western Hills University, Aiken University, Woodward High School, and Withrow High School. Once a week from October through May, WWfaC facilitator Dawn Koch meets with each group for one-hour writing sessions following WWfaC practices of building community, confidentiality, group sharing, and positive feedback. During the last two school years, Women Writing for a Change partnered with Beyond the Trees, LLC to create an anthology of writings by the young women in our groups. These anthologies can be found in our bookstore or by following this link.
Starfire U
Women Writing for a Change has partnered with Starfire U to offer writing groups to individuals with disabilities. “Starfire U is a one of a kind program, designed for young people with disabilities to continue their social and personal development beyond high school. The Starfire U curriculum includes communication, safety, transportation, health, citizenship, technology and volunteering. The knowledge and experience gained in the program helps people to become integral parts of their community.” For six-week sessions, groups of young adults from Starfire U come to WWfaC for weekly writing groups on various themes. Goal-setting, storytelling, development of voice, community building, and creative writing, are just some of the themes touched on in these sessions.
YWCA – Rosie’s Girls
“ROSIE’S GIRLS Summer Program is an exciting summer day camp that helps girls develop and strengthen their capacities and confidence while exposing them to a range of educational and career opportunities they may have never considered.” Women Writing for a Change has partnered with the YWCA and Rosie’s Girls to offer writing programs during the three week Rosie’s Girls summer camp in Cincinnati, OH. Themes include building strong girls, true beauty, raising voices, community building, self-expression, body image, and more.
The Women’s Connection
Women Writing for a Change has partnered with The Women’s Connection to offer writing programs for girls and teens in the Price Hill community. The Women’s Connection focuses on “providing support for change by educating, empowering, and enriching women, children, and families.” Through their Girls Club, Girls Life, and Girls Night In programs, WWfaC has developed programming to facilitate young women in developing writing skills and using writing as a tool for personal transformation, development of voice, goal-setting, community change, and storytelling. Future programs will include work with adult women in the community.