Women’s Opportunity Center: Empowering Women through Workshops

editors notes
The CNY Women's Network in Syracuse proudly highlights the local non-profit organization, The Women's Opportunity Center. The organization's goal is to provide women with the marketable skills and experience to enter the workforce.
"Since the pandemic, the worlds needs have changed and women's needs have changed," says Amy Canavan. She also states that "women are redesigning how they want to live."
The Women's Opportunity Center is about creating a community and creating a network of supportive women, especially in 2022. The organization offers individualized services and goal setting where they teach women to be accountable for themselves.
The newest project for the WOC is starting a cross agency cross business which is an all inclusive task force. They plan to start with the concept of "What does a woman promenade community look like?" Right now the city of Syracuse is about to go into a billion dollar rebuilding project. The cross agency cross business is all bipartisan and nonsecular. A lot of things are being taken over by the new I 81 project, but they are trying to workout a new concentration of being advocates for women. Most importantly, making sure that there are more easier and accessible networks for women that have struggled, especially with domestic violence.
The Women's Opportunity center believes that women have the most obstacles when it comes to finding work. It's not only about skill but there are many things that come into factor such as school, daycare, housing and wondering how they are going to take care of those things.
"We are building a coalition" says Cherise Hunter. The I 81 is going to change all Syracuse residents. There won't be anymore redlining but the question is are the people really ready to work together? She also states "It's not only that but a lot of services are going to be lost. The issue in the city is that they don't work as one. They work as we." The I 81 project is going to change a lot of businesses
which may lead many businesses to close, therefore most likely making it even harder for women to find work.
Along with starting the cross agency cross business, The WOC is working tirelessly to get a financial program together. The goal is to help women so that when it is time to make important financial decisions they can re evaluate and make sure they get what they need.
The ultimate goal for the Women's Opportunity Center is for everyone to come together as a community. But most importantly for every woman to walk away feeling powerful and strong.