GenYW

Successfully serving youth since 1996 with TCADA, and later DSHS funding, GenYW has worked to serve youth in Central Texas through strong community ties, collaborations and partnerships.

Programming consists of weekly curriculum-based educational groups during school hours that work toward increasing youth resiliency, expanding knowledge about the personal and cultural consequences, and increasing feelings of empowerment and community connectedness. Currently, in collaboration with Communities In Schools, weekly groups are targeted to Austin Independent School District campuses and work toward improving the youth's relationships to their school and community, as well as building their resiliency skills.

Services Include

At AISD middle and high school sites, staff known as youth specialists consult with school staff, especially counselors, for participant referrals and conduct an introductory meeting with potential participants to provide program information and distribute parental consents. Currently, the Positive Action curriculum is set to be used. Positive Action is incorporated at every level of learning—cognitive, affective, and behavioral—in order to help youth handle challenges, remove barriers and overall become well rounded individuals.

Groups are structured as follows: middle and high school: 10-12 youth per 45-minute group, 2-3 lessons per group, 1 group per week, 11 weeks per cohort, 1 cohort per semester.

Behavioral Health Groups

STEM groups are a 6-week program for girls in grades 3rd - 8th to explore STEM learning, participate in socio-emotional growth activities, build confidence and connection, and innovate. We utilize science and technology tasks while building social-emotional skills and making fun memories and connections. Through this program, we foster a love for science in young women in Texas and share this opportunity with families who are open to enriching their lives and broadening their interest and understanding of STEM within their home.

STEM Programming

All youth participants enrolled in the GenYW youth program will be offered the opportunity to receive an intake called an indicated prevention counseling form (IPC) and all receiving IPCs will undergo indicated prevention screening and will complete an indicated prevention service plan with staff. Within this form, questions will be included which will determine if a participant is eligible for and would benefit from counseling from the YWCA Counseling and Referral Center (YWCRC). For youth who are eligible and have appropriate consent, staff will ensure a warm hand off to the YWCRC program. Staff will also refer families which may include adults and other youth and children in the family each quarter. For more information on the YWCRC (Counseling and Referral Center) visit the programmatic page.

Counseling Service Resource Linking

Programming Questions

For more information on GenYW services or to inquire about getting services into your school please contact Laura Gomez-Horton at laura@ywcaaustin.org or leave a message for Clinical Director, Laura Gomez-Horton, LCSW-S (512)-326-1222 x117.