tailieunhanh - Community Economic Development to Reduce Womenís Poverty and Improve Income

Young women work ñ in their homes, communities, schools, with other youth and in the labour force. Just like generations before them, they are working to improve their lives - and the lives of those around them - through everyday tasks such as helping a friend, caring for children, or finishing a homework assignment. But young women who live in poverty continue to find themselves unable to make our economy or society work for them. Struggling to stay in school, working for low wages, confronting teen pregnancy, and lacking childcare, young women told us that they have many challenges | Community Economic Development to Reduce Women s Poverty and Improve Income By Molly McCracken with Kate Dykman Francine Parent and Ivy Lopez Partners Andrews Street Family Centre Prairie Women s Health Centre of Excellence SEED Winnipeg Inc. Wolseley Family Place Funded by The Manitoba Research Alliance on Community Economic Development in the New Economy the Margaret Laurence Endowment in Women s Studies and through in-kind support from the Partners above. We are pleased to acknowledge the financial support of the initiative on the New Economy of the Social Science and Humanities Research Council via the Manitoba Research Alliance on Community Economic Development in the New Economy. Further information researchal lianceced .ca mollym@ This paper a shortened version of the research study was prepared for submission to the Mondragon University s Cooperative Research Conference June 28th 2005 in Onati Spain. ocs Young Women Work Community Economic Development Reduce Women s Poverty and Improve Income Young women work - in their homes communities schools with other youth and in the labour force. Just like generations before them they are working to improve their lives -and the lives of those around them - through everyday tasks such as helping a friend caring for children or finishing a homework assignment. But young women who live in poverty continue to find themselves unable to make our economy or society work for them. Struggling to stay in school working for low wages confronting teen pregnancy and lacking childcare young women told us that they have many challenges. In the face of a future living in poverty and possibly raising another generation to do the same young women told us they want to work to build a better future for themselves and those around them. We spoke to 50 young women in inner-city Winnipeg Manitoba. Located in the gateway province to Western Canada Winnipeg s