Women's Health Leadership
A program
of the Center for Collaborative Planning, Public Health Institute
Funded in part by a grant from The California Wellness Foundation.
Women's
Health Leadership (WHL) promotes health and social justice by supporting
grassroots women leaders. Since 1994, WHL has addressed health and
other disparities, particularly for communities of color, by enhancing
the talents of emerging community leaders through training, technical
support, peer learning and mentoring in a supportive, cross-cultural
environment.
Some of WHL's unprecedented
successes include:
- Creation of a Diverse, Grassroots Women's Health Movement
There are over 350 WHL Alumni to-date; these leaders represent over 75% of California's 58 counties and 22 specific ethnic
cultures. Seventy-three percent are women of color, 37% speak
a primary language other than English, 24% work with uninsured/underserved
populations, 33% work with immigrants, migrant workers and refugees,
and 15% work with rural communities. See
the Map
- An Unparalleled Statewide Resource of Linkages to Grassroots
Communities
WHL has the ability to locate and nurture emerging community leaders
who then can provide a critical link between grassroots communities
and policy-makers.
- Creation of New Partnerships
WHL has cultivated collaborations among non-traditional partners.
In the ECHO program, a high school, public health department and
community clinic work together to reduce teen pregnancy and increase
education and career opportunities for Latinas. Other examples
include a partnership between a tribal community and local college;
an effort to combine literacy with injury prevention in the Cambodian
community; and using oceanography and a local aquarium as a vehicle
to educate youth in health and wellness topics.
- Diversification of California's workforce
Sixty-seven percent of WHL Alumni have
created their own women's health programs, 75% direct a women's
health program, and many others have been promoted to positions
with increased management and policy responsibilities.
Map: Click
here to view the map
- Women’s
Choices Report Grassroots
Women Leaders Enrich Their Communities Through Quality Health
Care Projects Report
Included: descriptions of projects completed by WHL Alumni and
policy recommendations developed and championed by Women's Choices
participants.
Download a copy of the Women's
Choices Report (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
- Women's Health Leadership: Celebrating Our Beginnings- Visioning Our Future. A report of our first five years.
Included: Overview of the first five years, profiles of eight alumni, and lessons learned.
Download a copy of the WHL Five Year Report (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
Announcing...
Women's
Health Leadership 2009
WHL
is recruiting for the 2009 class of Women's Health Leadership
- Retreats . Please consider applying to commit to a year-long program dedicated to increasing partnerships with other
stakeholders concerned about enhancing the quality of life for Californians.
Women's
Health Leadership (WHL) promotes health and social justice by supporting
grassroots women leaders. Since 1994, over 350 women have graduated
from WHL; these leaders represent 75% of California's 58 counties
in 22 specific ethnic cultures.
These
retreats are designed to build the capacity of women who already
make a difference in their communities and have the desire to strengthen
and build on their current work to achieve greater impact.
Among
many benefits, participants will:
- Participate
in a unique model for women's leadership development.
- Receive training on topics such as collaboration, communication, and community advocacy.
- Take part in
efforts to improve women's health.
- Have access
to statewide network of leaders.
As
members of the WHL Learning Community, the selected women leaders
must be able to:
- Commit to a
year-long program consisting of a diverse set of activities.
- Attend four
two-day retreats in the Greater Sacramento Area (February 26-27, 2009; May 7-8, 2009;
October 22-23, 2009; February 26, 2010 - dates are subject to change).
- Complete a
learning project.
- Make a financial
commitment of $500 for the entire series of retreats.
Participants
are responsible for arranging and funding their own travel and
lodging.
WHL
invites you and/or your colleagues to apply for the 2009 program
year (beginning in February 2009). The deadline for applications is
December 15, 2008. Please call us at 916-498-6960 for more information. Click here to download the WHL Brochure and WHL Application.
Join
us in making a difference. We encourage you to pass this information
on to others.
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