Young Women’s Leadership Program (YWLP)

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About the YWLP

♦ It’s our 5th anniversary year! Check out this brand new publication that highlight’s the YWLP’s accomplishments.

The Young Women’s Leadership Program was established in 2006 as a project of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. The mission of the program is to promote awareness and inspire and empower young women, ages 18-35, to emerge as leaders. It is led by a group of young women representing a wide variety of career fields and areas of expertise. These young women are leaders and catalysts for change and bring their energy, passion, and dedication for their work to the program.

For more frequent updates about the program, check out the YWLP Blog.

Help us spread the word about our program! Hang up this flyer around your campus and/or local community (libraries, coffee shops, community bulletin boards etc.)

Become a Member & Join Us!

We’d love to have you join us as a member of the Young Women’s Leadership Program. Membership is open to all CT women between the ages of 18-35. Please fill out this form. You must include your email address in your request.

What Do You Get From Being an Official YWLP Member?

Access to a unique network of Connecticut women ages 18-35;
The quarterly electronic YWLP newsletter and the opportunity to be selected for the “member spotlight” section;
Information about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, before anybody else; and
The ability to become a YWLP blogger!

Ongoing Programs & Events

Each year the YWLP creates legislative priorities for young women, holds networking events, house parties and even provides YWLP members opportunities to volunteer in local communities. Are you interested in reading about past YWLP accomplishments? If so, click here.

House Parties: The YWLP helps our members throw their own “house parties.” Our house parties are based on the same idea behind the “consciousness raising” groups of the 60′s & 70′s. Here’s a great paragraph that explains what those “consciousness raising” groups were all about: “Early feminists argued that women were isolated from each other, and as a result many problems in women’s lives were misunderstood as “personal,” or as the results of conflicts between the personalities of individual men and women, rather than systematic forms of oppression. Raising consciousness meant helping oneself and helping others to become politically conscious. Consciousness raising groups aimed to get a better understanding of women’s oppression by bringing women together to discuss and analyze their lives, without interference from the presence of men.” We’ve held house parties on topics ranging from women in leadership to body image to stress management. If you’re interested in throwing your own house party contact us for more details: ywlp@cga.ct.gov

Essay Contest: This year students were asked the following: “What is one of the most pressing issues facing young women today and how do you see yourself having an impact on that issue?” Winners were presented awards at PCSW’s Women’s Day on March of 2012. Download the 2012 YWLP Essay Contest Publication.

Speakers Bureau: Members of our steering committee are available to speak at campus or community events about a range of topics including:

Body Image & the Media
Young Women & Leadership
Women’s History
Women Supporting Women

Networking Events: The YWLP holds two networking events each year for our target demographic. The next networking event will be held Nov. 29, 2011 from 6:30 – 8 PM at City Steam in Hartford. Download our event flyer.

Volunteer Opportunities: The YWLP believes that volunteerism is leadership and so the steering committee offers YWLP members various group volunteer activities throughout the year. For details on how to get involved email: Carrie.Chiusano@gmail.com.