Sisters for Change
Young women and girls, many homeless or run-away and living on the streets of San Francisco, often become caught up in the cycle of drugs, delinquency and prostitution. Instead of ending up in the revolving door of the juvenile detention system, these young women are now part of an positive program to turn their lives around. Sisters for Change is made up of formerly incarcerated young women who help each other from returning to jail.

Each One, Teach One
Sisters for Change uses the 'each one, teach one' form of advocacy through consciousness raising, leadership development, education and job training. Incarcerated young women become part of their own solution as they learn to develop their own rehabilitation plans even before they are released from juvenile detention. Once out, they continue working together, staying focused on creating healthy alternatives and what they need to move their lives forward. They also continue to help other young women stay out of harm's way.

Changing the system from within
Sisters for Change is currently working with San Francisco officials to develop innovative programs to address the needs of young mothers, as well as discrimination against lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth in detention centers. They believe their first-hand experiences of having survived on the streets and in the jails can be used to promote rehabilitation vs. perpetual incarceration.

Sisters for Change is a peer-run outreach program of the Center for Young Women's Development, which is also staffed by formerly at-risk women in San Francisco. Women under 25 who have survived homelessness, substance abuse, prostitution, and juvenile hall reach out to other young women offering them information, resources, summer job training programs and a 9-month intensive leadership development fellowship. Graduates of the program go on to design and lead projects in neighborhoods with high rates of female incarceration. The Center also operates a 24-hour information and referral hotline: 1-800-Whateva.

Contact info:
Lateefah Simon
Center for Young Women's Development
1426 Fillmore Street, Suite 205
San Francisco, CA 94115
cywd@cywd.org
www.cywd.org

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