To celebrate the Best Practice winners 2010 – 2011, we will be
running a special series of Best Practice blogs over the coming days.
These articles are written by the clubs themselves, and in many cases
will appear in English and the language of the club. We hope you enjoy
learning about the 2010 – 2011 Best Practice projects and take away
ideas and inspiration for the future!
Programme Focus Objective: Ensure equal access to education and training for women and girls throughout their lifespan.
Over 15 years ago, the Salt Lake Soroptimist club started a
project with the Horizonte Instruction and Training School, which is an
alternative high school with a very diversified enrolment. Soroptimists have
sponsored a group of young women in the Horizonte Parent Programme, ages 15-18,
who are either pregnant or have already
given birth. The class size averages about 40-50 girls each
year. These young women are going to high school to receive a high school
diploma. Most of these women come from extreme poverty situations. Every month
the Salt Lake club brings a speaker to talk to these women. The subjects vary
but include information about life skills, motivation, and personal
improvement. This year we have instructed them in managing their finances,
domestic or dating violence, meth addiction, the effect of domestic violence on
children, disciplining your children, and celebrating their lives.
We bring professional speakers to these young women to help them think about their future and the future of their children. Many of the speakers are
Soroptimists who speak to them from a professional background and personal experience.
One of our own Soroptimists, Karen Mecham, has given them a great talk about
being the “gate keeper” to who they bring into their own lives and the lives of
their children.
For graduation we always bring a wonderful speaker who motivates
and uplifts these young women. Thurl Bailey, a talented singer and former basketball
player for the Utah Jazz, has spoken a number of times to our Young Parents. He
brings a special touch with music and the voice of experience coming from a
poor background and reaching his goals of playing basketball.
After graduation, we continue to help these young women by purchasing their college text books and sometimes tuition. Last year with assistance from a Soroptimist International of the Americas grant the Salt Lake
club paid for books totalling $8,000USD. This year we have already spent
approximately $3,000USD for the first semester in books for our graduates. Many of these young women
could not attend college without our assistance. It is because of this program that the Salt Lake Soroptimists
have enriched the lives of young single mothers. We have received many letters from our Horizonte graduates thanking
Soroptimists for what we have done for them. This is a long term project that has seen a repeated positive effect in
improving the lives of women
and girls!
SI Salt Lake City, USA