$90,000 grant will help fund the organization’s YWeb Career Academy, which will provide career resources and help employ nearly 270 South Florida women in the technology industry
SOUTH FLORIDA – YWCA South Florida is pleased to announce it has received a $90,000 grant to implement the YWeb Career Academy for the South Florida community as part of Google.org’s $5 million commitment to YWCA USA.
YWCA South Florida is proud to be a member of the inaugural cohort of grantees at 12 local associations in eight states that are using the grant to improve job training programs and increase access to digital skills for women and underserved Americans.
As part of the organization’s ongoing mission to eliminate racism and empower women, the YWeb Career Academy program provides education in digital skills to traditionally underserved or vulnerable populations, such as survivors of domestic violence, returning citizens, and low-wage workers.
YWCA couples this programming with wrap-around and barrier-reduction services such as childcare, stipends, rent assistance, transportation, case management, and job coaching and placement to ensure each participant’s success.
“Providing pathways for women to receive the necessary workforce training and digital skills to access competitive jobs in the digital economy is more important now than ever,” said Jacquelline Fuller, President of Google.org. “We are proud to stand with the YWCA USA’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women.”
“YWCA is thrilled to partner with Google.org as we work to create innovative approaches to workforce development and forge new ways to bring the future of work and skills development to women and communities of color across the country, said Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO of YWCA USA. “The greater goal of the partnership surpasses well beyond the scope of the grant. We are breaking down barriers and creating a path to success for women, veterans, and people of color that may not have been available without these new programs and initiatives.”
“For 100 years, we have been showing up and doing the work of Economic Justice through our programming, services and resources like the YWeb Career Academy to help women, girls and people of color feel powerful and unstoppable,” said Kerry-Ann Royes, CEO of YWCA South Florida. “This grant allows us to further strengthen the South Florida workforce, while helping marginalized working mothers and families impacted by the pandemic find sustainable employment in the fields of technology.”
The new program builds on YWCA South Florida’s work of Economic Justice in the community alongside the organization’s existing partnership with Career Source South Florida, which aims to increase economic security for women and meet the growing demand of technology jobs.
Through the partnership, the organization successfully established the first Women’s Tech Hire Center in South Florida located in Overtown last year.
Created by YWCA Madison in Wisconsin, YWeb Career Academy is a workforce development program that trains women and people of color to become web developers or designers and places them in family-sustaining jobs.
The 14-week program’s curriculum will include training in computer coding and employability skills such as resume writing, interview practice and project management.
Applications for the YWeb program will open on September 7.
For more information, contact Natalie Robinson Bruner, Youth & Program Development Director at [email protected] or (305) 377-9922.
