YWCA

YWCA is a one of a kind organization dedicated to supporting and uplifting women and girls; particularly the BIPOC members of our community, who have been historically marginalized and excluded. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and thriving community transformed by racial and gender equity, with peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people.

Because of the institutional and structural racism inherent in our system, we know that not everyone has access to the same resources and opportunities. In an effort to empower people and give them the resources they need to transition from surviving to thriving, YWCA offers a variety of programs that help with housing, health and safety, economic advancement, and more. There are many organizations we partner with to further assist our clients, however, we understand that it can be difficult to navigate the steps or forms required to receive services, and this process can be particularly difficult for folks who are elderly, disabled, or don’t have access to the internet and cannot research or contact these programs.

To help people navigate the variety of services that exist to help them, YWCA Life Coaches like Caprice Strange are there to assist our program participants step-by-step through the process.

The Journey of a Life Coach

Caprice started working for YWCA in 2016 as a front desk intern after participating in the Community Jobs Intern program. At the time, Caprice was struggling with homelessness, but with help from YWCA, she was able to get through YWCA’s high school program, attend career classes, and get connected with DSHS, who helped her with bus tickets and food. While working at the front desk, Caprice got to know the residents YWCA served at Opportunity Place. From there, she was able to build a community and learn more about the people YWCA works with. Trina Dickerson, YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish’s Director of Permanent Housing, saw how hard Caprice worked and how much she empathized with our program participants, and in 2019, Caprice became one of YWCA’s Life Coaches.

Caprice sees herself in a lot of the community YWCA serves; BIPOC women and all kinds of people trying to find their way through life and adjusting as an adult. In her 7 years of service, Caprice has seen many clients come and go, and many who are still with YWCA. “[It] has been the greatest thing, ‘cuz a lot of them have been clients since I started here as an intern, so to still work for them and see them flourish has been great.”

The Work of a Life Coach

Being a Life Coach means understanding that every client has different needs and different barriers they’re trying to overcome. It’s the responsibility of our Life Coaches to identify these needs and meet clients where they’re at.

Caprice takes her time getting to know new clients, not only because it helps her learn about their history, where they’re coming from, and how she can accommodate them, but also because she understands that having someone who’s willing to listen can make a world of difference for many of the people who come to YWCA for help. “Each client [is] at different phases in their life. Some are – you know, they’re done working hard, and they just want to be able to survive with what means they do have, and then we have some who just came into the program, and they might need everything.”

Although Caprice wants to make sure clients know what our programs offer, she understands that it can be a little overwhelming sometimes and some folks may need more time to adjust and feel comfortable. She tries to make sure people are aware of the resources that are out there so they can circle back and ask for help in the future when they are ready.

“It’s something where we say ‘We understand where you’re at, we understand that you might not be ready to soar on your own, but we’re here to hear you out, we’re here to understand where you’re coming from, we’re here to not only find a middle-ground, but a way that you can work through those barriers moving forward;' hopefully with some lifelong tools that help them on this journey.” For Life Coaches like Caprice, it’s all about finding what tools work best for each client, what barriers they’re facing, and how they can slowly knock those barriers down.

On average, YWCA Life Coaches have a caseload of 16 - 17 people they see. Of the clients Caprice serves, some have been working with YWCA for 15 years while others she’s seen transition from surviving to thriving and move on into more stable housing. “It’s really been a blessing to not only help them graduate in life, but to see the process of them grow as well.”

Most clients have a monthly check-in with our Life Coaches, but check-ins are also dependent on our clients and each individual client’s needs. “I might get a client who’s seen me yesterday, and we knock down all those barriers, but today’s a new day and a new obstacle so they might need guidance,” says Caprice, who enjoys connecting with her clients even when they don’t have immediate needs or requests. “Sometimes [clients] really wanna come down and talk. That’s why I have the open-door policy.”

Whether clients need support getting a deposit paid off, help with rent, or help applying for other programs, Life Coaches like Caprice are there to support them and help make problems feel a little more manageable. Caprice is particularly empathetic to clients who are facing long-term homelessness and housing instability. “We’re really helping [clients] escape from traumatic situations, life or death situations, and safety situations. I’ve been in homelessness before, and it can be very scary,” she says. “We also help [clients] get back on their feet, apply for Social Security, and really guide them through those barriers that they feel they may need extra guidance on, or a little extra hand to really not only push them forward, but to push organizations forward to say ‘This is what the community needs, and this is what we could really use to push forward in a positive direction.’”

Finding, connecting, and working with other partner programs to help our clients is another regular task for our Life Coaches. Housing is one of the most dire needs, and things have been especially difficult with Covid and the pandemic making many programs close their doors. As these programs are slowly reopening, Caprice and her fellow Life Coaches are working hard to rebuild these brother and sister communities to see what housing properties are available, and what other resources they can offer clients. Our programs, and our partner programs, are all working towards the same goal; or as Caprice phrases it: “I help you and you help me, but most of all, we’re helping the client.”

Inspired by Caprice's story? Learn how you can help YWCA and the people we serve by volunteering your time.