The objective of our Leadership Development programming is to encourage and provide new opportunities for girls to develop and demonstrate leadership skills. Through this process participating girls build their capacity to address their individual needs for a healthy, empowered life, as well as develop the skills to become an advocate and role model for their communities.

The Leadership Institute is a young women social/political awareness and action program that provides young women ages 14-20 with workshops, training, and guest speakers to build their capacity on creating social and political change and develop an organizational assessment as an official youth advisory board. Through focused workshops in community mapping, leadership development, organizing, political development, curriculum development and board operations, girls begin to build awareness on connecting larger issues to their lives, their communities and greater socio-political issues. Following this initial experience, girls develop an action project and find additional resources to promote involvement and the issues they care about within their communities and/or for organizational improvement. This paid leadership internship is offered yearly to girls who demonstrate a high level of maturity and strong commitment to community and civic involvement. In 2007, Oasis hired youth staff from the Leadership Institute who will gain hands on work experience and leadership skills taking action towards promoting a healthy and informed lifestyle. See images from our 2007 graduation ceremony. (PowerPoint)

Scholarship Opportunity: The Future Fund Three $1,000 scholarship grants are awarded to college bound young women for expenses, including college tuition and school supplies. Recipients are selected in collaboration with Oasis participants, members of the community and our Organizational Leadership Team. Three girls were awarded $1000 scholarships in 2007. In 2008, thanks to the generosity of Spark, we are able to offer $5,000 in scholarships.