YWCA Hamilton

🌟 Our Commitment to Gender Equity is More Important Than Ever. 🌟 Join us for an inspiring evening with acclaimed Canadian journalist and author, Elizabeth Renzetti! 📝 YWCA Hamilton and LEAF Hamilton are thrilled to host a conversation with Renzetti, a two-time Landsberg Award winner, as she discusses her new book, What She Said: Conversations About Equality. 🎤 Elizabeth will dive into the challenges women — especially those from diverse backgrounds — continue to face in the fight for equality and leadership roles and the kind of camaraderie we need to fight for equitable futures. 📅 Date: December 17th, 2024 ⏰ Time: 7:00 PM(doors at 6:30pm) 📍 Location: The Westdale Theatre This will be an unforgettable night of learning and conversation. Don’t miss out! 🎟️ Get your tickets now! Link in bio. You can purchase tickets to the event here, https://lnkd.in/gnvVsUNt #GenderEquity #Leadership #Equality #WhatSheSaid #ElizabethRenzetti

YWCA Hamilton provides emergency reproductive care for women and gender-diverse people experiencing homelessness. In 2023-24, YWCA Hamilton supported 56 birthing parents experiencing homelessness through our Emergency Reproductive Care Program. Several times each week, the ERC mobile worker visited encampments where women lived during their pregnancies, offered emotional and practical support such as nutrition, prenatal vitamins and other basic needs. Learn more by reading YWCA Hamilton’s 2023-2024 Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/gB6MJFSs

Are you ready to take the leap to start or scale up your business? Find out what steps you can take to make this a reality! Join us for an Info Session and make it happen.

This week, YWCA Hamilton CEO Medora Uppal and Mary Vaccaro, faculty member at the McMaster University School of Social Work, attended the Perinatal Mental Health Symposium hosted by Daymark Foundation. Mary spoke on a panel about YWCA Hamilton’s Emergency Reproductive Care Program, where we have supported 93 unhoused pregnant people since we started responding to this crisis in our community in August 2022. YWCA Hamilton’s Emergency Reproductive Care Program provides crucial services such as prenatal and postnatal care, providing support during and after abortion care, adoption, or child welfare intervention, or supporting clients during pregnancy loss for people experiencing homelessness and pregnancy. Learn more about our Emergency Reproductive Program here: https://lnkd.in/gfW3XXFY #PMHCanada

Look what's brewing at YWCA Hamilton! From tiny ghosts, to cartoons, to crafty witches, Childcare and Developmental Services Halloween parade had it all - thank you to all the children, participants, and staff for a spooktacular trick or treating 🎃👻 Wishing everyone a safe and happy Halloween!

Are you ready to supercharge your business and take it to the next level? The PowerUp Ready program is a dynamic 10-week business training designed specifically for women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs looking to launch or expand their ventures! As a participant, you’ll dive into hands-on workshops led by expert business advisors, gaining practical skills and strategies. Plus, you’ll receive personalized one-on-one coaching, tailored to your unique business needs. By the end of the program, you’ll walk away with a viable business plan that you can take to financial institutions and other ecosystem supports! Join us for an upcoming information session to find out more: https://lnkd.in/g29WRqer

Stop by Central Library on Wednesday, November 27 at 1 pm to learn about the services available to support #newcomers in #HamOnt who are victims of #genderbasedviolence, including #community resources and referrals, short-term sessional counselling, and workshops. Open to those who identify as women, are gender-diverse or non-binary persons, and are a Permanent Resident, Protected Person/Convention Refugee, and/or a Ukrainian National or their dependent in Canada. https://lnkd.in/gNCPY7-v Presented by YWCA Hamilton.

This October, in celebration of Small Business Week, we are featuring Shruti Manoharan, the founder of Lexpedia Law Professional Corporation. Her practice is dedicated to helping start-ups and mid-sized businesses set up and manage the legal and compliance aspects of their businesses. This includes working with clients on deal structuring, contract negotiations, purchase and sale of businesses, mandatory corporate compliance etc. By offering top-tier legal guidance through fractional Chief Legal Officer services, her clients are able to save thousands of dollars on in-house counsel costs. She strives to provide preventive strategies, aiming to educate her clients to avoid reactive litigation. Shruti emphasizes the importance of personal connections in business and takes pride on being accessible. By focusing on building a strong foundation of trust and understanding, she fosters long-term client relationships. Starting her own practice has not been without obstacles. Shruti highlights the administrative burdens and compliance requirements imposed by the Law Society of Ontario, advising aspiring solo practitioners to prepare for these challenges as they’re part of the growth of a practice. Her participation in YWCA Hamilton's Power Up program has been a game-changer, expanding her network and providing crucial resources. She likens the program to an MBA, but with a more targeted focus on her own business. “PowerUp program was like going through an MBA program, but it focuses on your own work and business. I was already running my business when I joined Power Up, so I was able to tap into the best resources through Rene and Brigitte. Recently, they even invited me to a networking event,” Shruti shared. Completing the program alongside her cohort also allowed her to learn from the experiences of others. For more information about YWCA Hamilton’s PowerUp program, visit https://lnkd.in/gXfvrABE #SmallBusinessWeek #WomenInBusiness #SupportLocal #SmallBusiness #Networking #WomenInLaw #Entrepreneurship

For Small Business Week, we’re spotlighting an inspiring local entrepreneur – Masha Brar, founder, Barrister & Solicitor, and TEP at Masha Brar Law Professional Corporation, a law firm specializing in wills, estates, real estate, and immigration. Centering her clients and their ease in her work, Masha believes that legal processes should be clear, accessible, and manageable for her clients, especially when they are making decisions about significant life events. For example, to accommodate her clients' needs, she proactively communicates with first-time homebuyers via text to ease concerns during real estate transactions. This client-first approach builds trust and allows clients to focus on what matters most. Launching her firm during the pandemic in 2020, Masha initially faced challenges due to limited networking opportunities and social distancing. However, she quickly adapted by leveraging social media to connect with clients online, which helped her build strong, lasting relationships despite the isolation. As a woman in a male-dominated field, Masha frequently encountered situations where her abilities were questioned or underestimated. But she remained resilient, determined to prove her value and carve out a space for herself in the legal industry. The YWCA Hamilton’s PowerUp program came at a pivotal time for Masha, as she was seeking ways to further expand her business. She realized that without the mindset and training of an entrepreneur, she wasn’t reaching her full potential. "PowerUp gave me the necessary tools, insights, and critical ingredients to grow and sustain my business," she says. Moving forward, Masha plans to continue networking and making personal connections, but now with a more strategic and systematic approach. She intends to use surveys to better understand her clients and audience, spread informative messages through social media, and apply her new understanding of different personality types to connect more effectively and target her outreach efforts more precisely. To any aspiring lawyers and entrepreneurs, she advises, “Think like a businessperson, not just a skilled professional. You’ll need business acumen to succeed. And always keep learning – seek support from programs like YWCA Hamilton’s PowerUp.” Feeling inspired to kickstart your business? Check out YWCA Hamilton’s PowerUp program by visiting https://lnkd.in/gtdn6MVy #SmallBusinessWeek #WomenInBusiness #SupportLocal #SmallBusiness #Networking #WomenInLaw #Entrepreneurship

October 24th is Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day. To all child care workers and early childhood educators - the dedication and care you bring to your work plays a crucial role in supporting families in our communities to thrive. At YWCA Hamilton, we know that the ability to trust your children with skilled child care workers and early childhood educators is critical to successful parenting. We thank all child care workers and early childhood educators who nurture and teach children in our communities – and we encourage you to thank the child care workers and early childhood educators you know today. Check out our new blog post here https://lnkd.in/gY4qqH3d