Leap To Success Inc

Programs: Leap to success provides enrichment education that includes empowerment and personal leadership programs for women who are recovering from domestic violence, homelessness, addiction and other challenges, in multiple locations in san diego county. During 2017, 551 women were served directly by leap to success programs. All programs were offered at no cost to women who were referred by over 40 social service agencies including center for community solutions, ywca of san diego county, father joes villages, north county serenity house, womens resource center, san diego housing commission and south bay community services. Our programs, accomplishments and activities included:1. Leap to confidence, a seven-week classroom based personal leadership program, served 200 women. Many program attendees came from homeless and domestic violence shelters. The women gained confidence and improved their sense of self-worth, self-esteem and communication skills to ultimately help them re-enter the workforce to become self-sufficient. A. Post program results showed that almost 50% of the women who applied for jobs were hired within 60 days of graduating. Graduates reported the largest areas of growth in self esteem, confidence in abilities, changing negative thoughts to positive actions, managing stress and optimism towards the future. B. Local employers shared their expertise in every leap to confidence program. Hiring managers gave students the opportunity to hear about employment needs and how to be a candidate who gets hired. We had a diverse representation of both public and private sector organizations on every panel. Employers that participated included ace parking, county of san diego, federal heath sign company, hunter industries, pridestaff and nv5. Representatives from san diego continuing education, miracosta college and vista adult school gave information about low cost and free programs and classes to update knowledge and skills to be employable in new fields. 2. Over 400 people including potential program participants and staff at community partner agencies, attended an introductory program called developing new habits and learned stress management techniques. 3. Continuing to build their leadership skills, more than a dozen graduates volunteered as classroom assistants and public speakers. This involved assisting new participants and sharing their personal stories of overcoming adversity to inspire hope to the new classes. They also spoke at community partner agencies to help recruit program participants. 4. 460 case managers, therapists and other service providers were educated on the leap to confidence program by attending an orientation presentation. 5. Through a rigorous selection process, 10 women were selected to attend the nine-month long transformation leadership program designed to hone their leadership and public speaking skills. 6. Leap to success program staff and graduates inspired more than 1,000 people towards personal empowerment and domestic violence prevention by speaking to live audiences in the community. This included rotary and soroptimists international service clubs, and the wine, women & wealth expo. 7. A one day retreat featured meditation and art was attended by 20 graduates.