Participants were asked to write positive affirmations and words of encouragement on the border of each Dream Collage. Photo courtesy of Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova & Gold River

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The vision of the Soroptimist organization is to help provide women and girls with the resources and opportunities they need to reach their full potential and live their dreams. One way the Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova & Gold River club achieves this is by offering domestic violence survivors receiving assistance from the Sacramento Regional Family Justice Center (SFJC), goal setting and career planning workshops. 

The first workshop, held in April, focused on identifying long-term goals by creating a Dream Collage. Participants were asked to write positive affirmations and words of encouragement on the border of each Dream Collage, so each participant could look at their Collage daily and know that there are people who love and support them. 

Participants can look back at their Collage daily and know that there are people who love and support them. Photo courtesy of Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova & Gold River

The next workshop, held in May, focused on identifying short-term goals. Participants were first introduced to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and asked to identify their own unique needs within the framework. Soroptimist workshop leaders then explained the SMARTER goal-setting method (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound, Evaluate, and Revise). Participants selected one of their identified needs and transformed it into a SMARTER goal. To make these goals feel more manageable, workshop leaders helped participants break them down into smaller, achievable “Action” goals.

The final workshop, held in June, was led by Marie Denis of MCDE Elite Services, a career development/advancement expert and valued member of the Rancho Cordova/Gold River Soroptimist club. The June workshop was about growing confidence and defining next steps to obtaining a job or a better job through understanding one’s strengths and interests and identifying life skills that can be translated into skills employers need (e.g. a single mom knows how to multi-task, coordinate, schedule, maintain quality control, manage and be an educator/trainer).

Although there were benefits to attending the previous workshops, as one topic was built on the previous topic, the curriculum was still easy to follow and valuable, even if someone could only attend one or two workshops.

We asked participants to complete a pre- and post-workshop survey so we could quantify the impact our workshops had on them. Across the three workshops, the score totals indicate that the women who attended were 23% more confident that they would achieve their goals. Nearly every participant scored our workshop quality as “Exceeding Expectations” stating that our worksheets and interactive group discussions really helped their thought processes.

The first workshop, held in April, focused on identifying long-term goals by creating a Dream Collage. Photo courtesy of Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova & Gold River

Rancho Cordova/Gold River Soroptimists also recently stuffed 500 Comfort Kits during the May 16 City of Rancho Cordova Spring Service Day for domestic violence and trafficking survivors helped by SFJC, where these workshops were taught and SFJC clients benefitted.

Rancho Cordova/Gold River Soroptimists intend to start up new workshops in August or September at SFJC. Now that our club members have completed these three workshops and identified areas of improvement, we hope to begin working with the newly opened Cordova Community Food Hub in the fall to offer these workshops to their clients to help empower them to a self-reliant life.

Soroptimist is an international 501(c)3 non-profit organization who seeks to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment. The name, Soroptimist, means “best for women,” and that’s what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are people at their best, working to help other women to be their best. Please email [email protected] to receive more information about Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova & Gold River, how to become a member, or just learn how you can volunteer with our club members, or visit http://www.soroptimistranchocordova.org/