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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the YWLP? The Young Women Leaders Program is a mentoring program sponsored by the UCF Women’s Studies Program. YWLP originated at the University of Virginia, and UCF has launched the program in the Orlando community. YWLP promotes middle school girls’ leadership abilities, pairing collegiate women with middle school girls. In mentoring pairs and small groups of Big and Little Sisters, participants focus on learning competence and autonomy, independent thinking, empowerment, self-esteem, and encouraging girls to think about their futures. What is the commitment? The facilitating middle school is required to secure a venue for the mentoring sessions, which occur bi-weekly on Wednesday afternoons for an hour and a half. Based on the YWLP mission, criteria, and teacher evaluations, the school refers up to ten seventh-grade girls for the program. What will students do in a typical YWLP session? The sessions meets for an hour and a half after school every other Wednesday. Each meeting is divided into several components: 1) an introduction to the day’s special topic by the group facilitator; 2) time for each Big/Little Sister pair to discuss the topic one-on-one; and 3) group time to talk about and participate in creative and fun activities. This structure enables the mentors to talk with “Little Sisters” about important issues, to build relationships in each pair and among the group as a whole, and, mostly, to have fun! An in-depth copy of the curriculum will be provided with the packet created for your school. Topics include: Leadership, Friendship, Autonomy, Body Awareness, Tough Decisions, Connection, and Looking Ahead. Who are the Big Sisters? The Big Sisters of the YWLP are enthusiastic and hardworking UCF undergraduate and graduate women. All Big Sisters have gone through an interview and selection process and are committed to building relationships with middle school girls in their community. These collegiate women have been trained and verified by the Seminole County School Board in order to work as mentors to your students. They have also completed our training program, which is specifically designed to prepare them for the curriculum and program needs. Beyond the regular mentoring sessions, Big Sisters attend bi-weekly lesson planning sessions with the UCF Women’s Studies Program. Each Big Sister is accountable to a confidentiality agreement and the standards set by the Seminole County School Board. Who are the Little Sisters? The Little Sisters of the YWLP are seventh grade girls in the middle. These students are average students, who are managing to get by but are not fulfilling their potential academically, socially, or behaviorally. The mentoring program is designed to help these students negotiate the tough choices they are beginning to make. The YWLP environment, which promotes friendship and self-awareness, provides room to grow into the leading women they can be. How long is the program and when does it start? The fall program starts in late August and runs through the end of November. The spring program begins in late January and ends in mid April. Curriculum Summary Curriculum Samples Lesson Plan: Leadership Lesson Plan: Real Beauty Contact the YWLP Program Coordinator to inquire about starting a YWLP chapter at your middle school or to have more information sent to you. Click Here to send us an e-mail. Schools_files/Curriculum%20Summary.pdfSchools_files/website%20example-%20Leadership%20lesson.pdfSchools_files/website%20example%20YWLP%20Lesson%20Plan--Real%20Beauty.pdfmailto:ywlp@mail.ucf.edu?subject=Middle%20School%20Inquiryhttp://livepage.apple.com/shapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1shapeimage_1_link_2shapeimage_1_link_3