Young Women's Initiative

Opened September 25th, 2024, at the House of Teens, YWCA New Britain

Young Women's Initiative

We're building the next generation of leaders.

The Aurora Young Women’s Initiative (YWI) is an exciting collaboration among the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation, YWCA New Britain, and the National Philanthropic Collaborative of Young Women’s Initiatives (The Collaborative), a consortium of 15 Women’s Funds from across the country.

Through the YWI, Black and Latina young women develop skills that can help to ensure their success in school and the workforce. They also learn how to implement strategies to improve their communities. We are excited to introduce this proven national model to Connecticut and to refine, develop, and replicate this program designed by and for young women of color.

Aurora’s partnership with the Collaborative brings national funding to Connecticut’s women and girls via Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures, the Ford Foundation, other national funders, and the Ares Charitable Foundation, a longtime supporter of Aurora.

How It Works

In September 2024, the YWI began to meet at the House of Teens at the YWCA New Britain, an after-school program for female-identifying and non-binary teens that offers activities focused on enhancing healthy lifestyles. Founded in 2007, the House of Teens is a robust, trusted, and popular place with dedicated staff who lead weekly, two-hour sessions, supplemented by trained experts, respected community leaders, and professionals from the business, education, and non-profit communities, all of whom will be women of color.

These sessions focus on four key areas: