Agency Details:

Vermont Works For Women

Our mission is to help women and girls explore, pursue and excel in nontraditional careers that pay a livable wage. A Vermont-based nonprofit educational organization founded in 1987, VWW has an extensive record of accomplishment in working with women, young adults, educators and employers and in developing, implementing, and growing innovative programs.

Description:
VWW works to address the needs of women in Vermont to earn a livable wage and to succeed despite numerous personal, educational and economic barriers to employment. VWW also works to educate women and girls about the wide array of nontraditional career opportunities available to them, many of which may have never occurred to them to pursue. We serve mostly low-income women and girls from all over the state, from a wide variety of races, ethnicities, sexual orientations and physical abilities.

These are just some of our programs:
Rosie’s Girls was conceived and piloted in 2000 in Essex Junction as a unique program for adolescent girls (ages 11-13) focused on building self-esteem, perseverance and leadership through learning and applying basic skills in the skilled trades (e.g. carpentry, welding, electrical wiring, bike repair, and auto repair). Through these nontraditional activities combined with arts activities, games and physical challenges, young girls are challenged to develop a broader sense of themselves and their capabilities, learn independence and self-reliance, question societal expectations of women and girls, expand their math and science skills through concrete applications and consider careers in nontraditional fields.
Step UP To Painting and Construction Careers for Women: Carpentry are job training programs for women interested in careers in painting and carpentry. These programs are now offered on evenings and weekends to be more accessible to working women.

Step Up to Law Enforcement is a nine-week training program that prepares qualified female candidates for careers in law enforcement or corrections. Successful graduates apply for positions with police departments or the Vermont Department of Corrections.

The Modular Home Building Program is offered to incarcerated women at the Windsor prison. It is a multi-disciplinary course in construction with training in life skills, carpentry, and electrical and plumbing skills. We have completed two homes in partnership with area land trusts, who then sell them as affordable housing. The third will be completed in the fall of 2008.
Vermont Works for Women also partners with other organizations such as Mercy Connections, Associated General Contractors of VT, state high school technical education centers, The Coalition for Workforce Solutions, the Vermont Department of Labor and the Vermont Department of Corrections.

Contact people:

Nila Szweda, Office Manager, (802) 655-8900, (email) Kate Dodge, Development Director, (802) 655-8900 ext. 110, (email) Kristen Mullins, Director Of Programs, (802) 655-8900 ext. 108, (email)

Office fax number: (802) 655-8922

Address:

32 Malletts Bay Avenue Winooski, VT 05404 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.vtworksforwomen.org

Directions:

From the North via the highway take exit 16, turn right off the ramp towards Winooski, turn right onto W. Spring St., follow to the end, turn right onto Malletts Bay Ave. and then right into the O'Brien Community Center. From Rte. 7 North, follow the directions above from.....towards Winooski. From the South via the highway take exit 15, turn left off the ramp, follow Rte. 15 to East Spring St., follow East Spring Street, cross over onto West Spring St. and follow to the end, turn left onto Malletts Bay Ave. and turn right into the O'Brien Community Center. From Rte. 15 follow the directions above from....follow Rte. 15.

Miscellaneous Information

1. What target populations does your agency serve?
	women and girls
3. How many paid staff (FTE) do you have?
	12
The organization's main phone number is
	802-655-8900
4. Please indicate your organization type:
	Independent 501 (c)3
How many clients do you serve annually?
	about 600
Volunteers for this agency can serve in these county(s):
	Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties

Last updated on August 17, 2009