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The Way Forward: a young women's leadership program

Overall the project engaged intensely with 20 young women who are pregnant & parenting and their combined 31 children. Each young woman who participated, facilitated further contacts with at least 150 additional young women who are young mothers, within their local community utilising both formal and informal processes. This network was sustained & resourced by the project worker over the duration of this project.

The project findings consistently found a strong willingness and enthusiasm from young women to participate in the young women’s leadership program and project development. This willingness is significant when evaluating the number of factors that potentially hinder young women who are pregnant and parenting in their capacity to participate in community engagement processes & programs.

This report – ‘The Way Forward’ intends to expand on the themes of community leadership, participation & empowerment, peer support and the intersection with professional interventions that address social isolation, domestic violence and family support. Each leadership activity reciprocally benefits the young woman’s own sense of well-being & fulfilment, and their families’ while also benefiting the broader community.