What should a Women’s Center offer?
Discussion centered on sharing ideas about what a women’s center should offer. From the opening information about other initiatives to start women’s centers, participants shared that a safe space, interconnectedness, networking and collaboration were ideas that caught their attention. The participants envision a place that is warm and inviting and draws women of all ages, from all walks of life. The center should offer a place to collaborate, exchange information, share stories, access referrals to local resources to meet their needs and the opportunity to organize for action on issues affecting women. There was consensus that such a center should be highly visible and well marketed.
Participants shared that women need a place where they feel welcomed, valued, respected and connected. Other needs included knowledge of finance, skill-building and educational opportunities, economic independence, equal opportunity (work and fair pay), and access to health care and services.
When asked how the community currently meets the needs of women, responses included non-profit organizations, women’s foundations, and local expertise. Women also get their needs met by political involvement (it was noted that more women are being elected to public office). It was mentioned that there is a lack of awareness of existing resources for women and that often, the services were selective and narrowly focused.
Needs that remain unmet for many women include information on available services and resources for women, help for homeless women, services for women in a variety of areas, including substance abuse and recovery, financial counseling and business development. Needs among certain groups were noted, including women on welfare, immigrant women and women experiencing domestic violence. It was also shared that women lacked meeting space to come together (with their formal organizations and informal networks). There was consensus that an effort should be made to reach women in diverse communities, both in planning and participating in the center.
The group agreed that a women’s center should provide information and referrals for women in all areas (housing, employment, health, economic development, financial literacy, education, nurturing and growing women entrepreneurs, etc.) and should be a highly visible building in an accessible area that would offer a safe, pleasant, quiet place to meet, access computers, and a place for children to play.
Participants were willing to donate the following: time, talents (grant writing, fund raising, organizational planning, training, temporary space and supplies for meeting, facilitation and strategic planning services, networking, accounting services, letter writing, visiting with decision-makers, research and help with special projects).
Participants reflected on what works well in group work and what doesn’t work well. When the interactions work well, there is mutual respect, trust, commitment, and humor. When it doesn’t work well, there is resentment, lack of communication, unfulfilled expectations/agreement, lack of focus, misunderstanding of purpose, and hurt feelings.
What will it take to establish a women’s center?
Participants individually listed 8-10 ideas to address this question.
The main ideas captured included-
*Strategic partnerships;
*A well defined mission and vision;
*Publicity and outreach in the community both in efforts to create the center and later promote it;
*A willingness to work over a sustained period of time;
*A strong group of leaders that come from a wide variety of perspectives.
There was consensus that volunteers with expertise in areas such as finance and real estate should be recruited. Other needs included a strong communications plan and access to media, money and a building or space. The group felt it was important to have a coordinated, collaborative plan with many community members and a method to assess needs and evaluate services for the center. It was shared by many that the leadership recruited for this effort should work to identify and bring together stakeholders (including skilled and well-connected women). This group should be able to organize and plan over short and long periods of time, generate excitement and enthusiasm among volunteers, and effectively guide the collaboration so the work can move forward. It was also mentioned that leaders needed to be committed and patient throughout the potentially lengthy process of establishing such a center.
5 committees were formed during the consensus workshop, including:
Referral Service Committee, Leadership Development Committee, Fundraising Committee, Outreach Committee, and Planning Committee.
