The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all YWCA Lincoln's mission impact framework is the health and safety of women and girls, social and racial justice, and the economic and advancement of women and girls. Through their Youth Development department, the YWCA offers programs that focus on advancing, teaching and inspiring young girls to explore self-identity and contribute to community through mental wellness, life skills, career exploration and civic engagement. The core values of YWCA Lincoln's Youth Development Department are self-exploration, resiliency, leadership, creativity, and achievement.

YWCA Lincoln served over 200 girls during the 2024-2025 academic school year. Their programs measure outcomes in the areas of improved communication skills, life skills, relationships, positive behaviors, and self-awareness. Their mission is to inspire youth to reach their full potential and dream big. The YWCA incorporate college and career prep and exploration, civic engagement and leadership, health and wellness and educational excellence into each program offered to students.

Youth Development Programs

• CATCH – is a mentorship and leadership program focusing on high school girls.  Learn more and apply at this link.
• SMART Girls Club - is an empowerment program for girls in 4th through 12th grades to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (S.T.E.M.)  Learn more and apply at this link.  YWCA Lincoln is excited will host our annual SMART Girls Unite Family Literacy Night in May of 2025. Please continue to engage on website to stay connected and up to date with this event!
• Take A Break - offers caregiver respite for any parent or guardian of children, 1 – 12 years old, who identify on the spectrum or have other special needs.  Learn more. Take A Break will be “taking a break” through the month of January to give staff the chance to complete training, prepare curriculum for the year, and adjust for the new year.
• Girls Circle - Offered at select LPS schools. The Girls Circle model, is a structured support group for middle school girls that integrates relational theory, resiliency practices, and skills training in a specific format designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competence in girls. Learn more and sign up at this link.  YWCA Lincoln is currently facilitating Girls Circle groups at Mickle and Culler Middle School.

Program Success Story 
CATCH is a mentorship and leadership program catching high school girls during adolescent growth gearing them towards the direction of becoming more confident and aware of life skills leading to success in everyday life as a young adult. This program focuses on empowering and encouraging young girls to become more aware of their capabilities. CATCH thrives to teach skills, create an environment that will support exploration of sense of self, and build meaningful connections to community. The YWCA facilitates the CATCH programs at Lincoln High, Lincoln Northeast and Lincoln Northwest. Below is a testimony form a CATCH participant:

“I felt that CATCH helped me grow in the sense that I was able to express my views more openly. Specifically, talking about topics like religion/culture and societal stereotypes within the US can be a very uncomfortable and disliked conversation by many not only because they don't relate but because internally, they don't care about the world's issues, as long as they don't involve them. I learned through CATCH that speaking my truth isn't a bad thing. The circle of girls in CATCH were kind and supportive, even in situations they didn't completely understand or could even relate to in any way. In this way, CATCH helped me voice more uprising issues and concerns I had not just within the club but outside of it in settings like Student Council and with my local Sunday school. During Ramadan, I brought up having a mini feast for Muslim students to break their fast at the end of the day with my Student Council sponsor. And although it was put on hold, I will continue to push for it because I feel like it would be very uplifting for the LHS Muslim student body.”

Volunteer & Facilitator Opportunities

The YWCA Lincoln is currently looking for college students who are reliable, compassionate, and dedicated to helping serve youth in the Lincoln community. Several part time opportunities are available in these programs:

• SMART Girls Club -  Learn more and apply at this link.
• Take A Break -   Learn more and apply at this link. 
• Girls Circle -  Learn more and apply at this link.