The United Way of Story County's Women's Leadership Program started in 2008 to help women gain self-sufficiency and confidence through financial education. Originally called Women with Initiative, it was rebranded to Women United in 2017.
In partnership with Iowa State University Extension, Women United offers financial skills training through our Money Management Series and one-on-one mentoring. These sessions cover topics like budgeting, saving, and understanding credit. The program also provides meals, free childcare, and transportation help for participants.
Women of all ages have benefited, and graduates can attend ongoing workshops on various topics such as cooking healthy on a small budget, budgeting for the holidays, interviewing and job searching tips and hints for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Additionally, past participants can apply for a $1,000 scholarship to continue their education, which is renewable based on academic progress and mentoring.
Click here to hear one woman's story.
HOW TO JOIN
Join Women United and participate in year-round engagement opportunities including educational sessions and volunteer activities.
Requirements:
- $1,000 annually
Money Management Series
Women United offers a workshop series to help women manage their money and reach financial goals. The workshops cover topics like spending habits, savings plans, banking basics, and using credit wisely.
Key Program Details:
- Free to attend
- Open to women of any age and any income living in Story County
- 4 weekly classes focus on financial goal-setting and budgeting, with multiple sessions each year
- Meals, childcare, and transportation assistance are provided to help attendees
- One-on-one mentoring is available for those who want extra support
- Additional booster sessions throughout the year cover topics like job skills and healthy meals on a budget
- Scholarships are available to assist with expenses related to furthering education
Upcoming Classes
Check back, the next series will be announced soon!
How to Register:
To register for the upcoming workshop series, please complete this form.
Para registrarse en español, haga clic aquí.
Email womenunited@uwstory.org or call (515) 268-5142 with questions.
Mentoring Program
The Women United mentoring program helps participants build confidence and self-sufficiency through one-on-one money management support. After completing the workshop series, participants can work with a trained mentor to apply what they learned to their own finances.
Mentors assist with both short-term goals, like creating a spending plan and managing debt, and long-term goals, such as buying a car or saving for education. They also provide guidance on job searching and finding affordable housing. Many strong relationships form through this program.
Mentors typically meet with their mentees every one to two weeks, totaling six or more sessions, each lasting 1 to 1.5 hours, usually in a public place convenient for the mentee.
If you're eager to improve your financial well-being and achieve your goals, working with a mentor can help you apply what you've learned in the money management series. Your mentor will offer support as you set and work toward your financial goals.
In your first meeting, you’ll complete a Financial Mentoring Plan together. Subsequent meetings will focus on setting, reviewing goals, and identifying steps to reach them. Mentees should communicate regularly with their mentor and attend all meetings, taking action toward their goals between sessions.
If you'd like to work with a mentor or receive more information about the mentoring program, please email womenunited@uwstory.org or call (515) 268-5142.
Purpose
Helping women achieve self-sufficiency and confidence through one-on-one money management discussions
Duties/Responsibilities
Mentors work one-on-one with participants to help them apply what they learned in the money management workshops. They assist with setting and reaching short-term goals like budgeting and saving, as well as long-term goals such as buying a car or a home.
Goals can also include job searching, finding affordable housing, and going back to school. Mentors provide support and encouragement but are not counselors and won't handle issues outside of money management.
Expectations
Volunteers do not need to have previous mentoring experience; however, basic money management skills are preferred. Volunteers are required to attend a four-hour training on interpersonal relationship building and how to discuss money management practices with participants.
Volunteers should be comfortable working with individuals from an array of backgrounds and have the ability to accept individuals with different values and lifestyles than their own. Volunteers should respect participants' rights to self-determination and independence. Volunteers should display common sense, intelligence, friendliness, maturity, sensitivity, and responsibility.
Time Commitment
Volunteers can expect to commit an average of ten hours per participant. Mentors typically meet with their mentee every 1-2 weeks, for a total of six meetings. Meetings generally last 1 - 1.5 hours. After each meeting, mentors are required to submit a brief form outlining the progress of the mentee. There are three workshop series (fall, winter, spring), and mentors are expected to be available for one or more series each year. A required, four hour training will be provided for new mentors.
Location
Women United encourages mentors to meet at locations conveniently located near the mentee's residence. This may require mentors to meet with mentees outside of Ames, but within Story County. During the initial training, volunteers will have the opportunity to provide travel preferences. The Women United Coordinator will consider travel preferences when matching mentors and participants.
If you're interested in becoming a mentor, please email womenunited@uwstory.org or call (515) 268-5142.