YWA is accepting new members in January, our current open enrollment month.
We are currently accepting new members on a semiannual basis during designated open enrollment months. The annual membership fee is $200.
We also offer a discounted membership for women with financial need and genuine barriers to access. See FAQ below for more details.
Scroll down to learn more about Member Benefits, Testimonials, and Frequently Asked Questions.
I can honestly say that 65% of the opportunities/ doors that opened up for me in Austin are because of YWA. The fellowship I’m in, the conversations and initiatives I get to spearhead around D&I and the connections I get to facilitate to help advance others: YWA.Tatyana Mann
I started a side biz doing social media management which I wouldn’t have been able to achieve without being the social media chair for YWA and marketing chair for AU40–which gave me a portfolio to use and the confidence to pitch myself! Thanks to the side gig, I’m buying my first house!Sarah Simmons
I joined YWA to be a part of a community of like-minded women who want to make an impact on the community but also support and uplift each other. As a chair, I feel like I have already gained new skills. Skills that I could take with me when I decide to make a career change. I’ve been able to get out of my comfort zone and try something completely different from my day job.Lynda Ma
I struggle with mental health. I am very open about it – it’s part of my platform. Being isolated for COVID and struggling with that, I rejoined YWA. I needed that connection, I needed that support, and I needed those women in my life. I could not have found a better group! Not only did I meet some of my best friends in this organization but also my amazing mentor, Heather Emerson. She encouraged me to start my business, launch locally in Austin and to get involved with her own connections. I wouldn’t have the platform, connections and friends I have now without YWA. If you are looking for support, friends and growth as well as a place where you not only feel empowered, but where you can empower others – this is it!Heather Stout
I joined YWA because I’ve been craving that next step in my personal development journey, that one life changing group or experience to help catapult me towards my deepest goals and desires. I seek to deepen my experience here and to develop my professional skills, expand my circle of influence, and become an overall more well-rounded individual. I’ve made so many new friends in such a brief timeframe. Even found my new workout buddy!Jasmine Alvey
I was talking to one of our YWA members about speaking for a YWA professional development workshop. Within 10 minutes, she was asking me if I was applying for jobs, because she thought I would be great for a role at her company! Now she is my boss!Molly Alsobrook
I wanted to meet like minded, career-driven women. As a black woman I did not find a lot of like-minded organizations that looked to be very inviting to black women – they didn’t have any or only had the one token and I really didn’t want to be a second one. I went on a whim and joined YWA and was able to meet so many amazing women. I joined the army right after high school so am still struggling with the whole womanhood thing and that has been a focal point of my platform for my pageants. YWA has really helped me to connect with my pageants sisters and has helped me get so many amazing opportunities with so many other organizations across Texas. It was literally just from collaborating with women in this organization.Najah Clay
I joined YWA when I moved back to Austin. I had been living in Washington, DC for years. It’s because of YWA that I was able to meet people and form new friendships and get plugged into community events. I even found a job, thanks to a YWA colleague and friend. I’m grateful for the many personal and professional benefits that the organization offered me over the years.Lesley Guthrie
A: One of the best parts of being a YWA member is that you get to craft your journey and decide on how many events you want to attend based on your schedule and interest. Our event calendar is packed and available online for sign up once you are a member. Below is an example of what a month in YWA could look like.
A: To remove barriers to accessing the career-building opportunities that YWA provides, we offer 40% off of the cost of new membership to women who have financial need and genuine barriers to access. The discounted annual membership cost is $120. Use the code “BELONG” (all caps) when signing up. The discounted membership is supported by the YWA Future Women Leaders Fund.
A: In YWA, we are committed to use our collective voices to empower women of under represented communities and uplift those who might not otherwise have the opportunity. YWA strives for our membership and leadership to be representative of the Austin-Area community that we serve. In 2019, we introduced a DEB pillar to our strategic plan as well as began collecting demographic data on our members to ensure that the goals we put in place were being met. A few of the DEB goals within our strategic plan include:
– Increase diverse representation in YWA membership and leadership roles
– Provide workshops focused on DEB topics such as anti-racism, allyship, and issues affecting the LGBTQIA community
– Elevate diverse voices in our programming, with a goal of 50% of our speakers coming from underrepresented backgrounds
– Include books two times per quarter with diverse representation and/or from diverse authors for Book Club
– Seek out volunteer events that engage communities of color
To further enhance our commitment to DEB, YWA added a new position to the Board of Directors, VP of Diveristy, Equity and Beloning in 2021. Along with her committee, the VP of DEB is responsible for ensuring that YWA continues to be a diverse organization that feels welcoming to all members. YWA also launched, YWA Rise, a program built to ensure the YWA Board of Directors accurately reflects the diversity of the Austin community.
While we recognize this is a work in progress, we are confident that these initial steps will create a more inclusive, diverse and equitable community for our members, and allow us to positively impact the greater Austin community.
Learn more about YWA’s Diversity, Equity, and Belonging initiatives.
A: We are currently accepting new members on a semiannual basis during designated open enrollment months (January and July). If you are interested in joining YWA but not able to join until next open enrollment, sign up for our newsletter to get updates on non-member events, future new member information sessions & open enrollment when available! You can also check out upcoming events open to non-members on our website.
A: The “Young” in Young Women’s Alliance can mean any age! We welcome members of all ages as long as they are over 21. However, our membership average age is 22-45 including everyone from recent graduates to seasoned professionals.
A: The Young Women’s Alliance is industry agnostic and welcomes members from all professional backgrounds!
A: Leadership in YWA is very attainable–members are encouraged to take on roles to develop new skills and gain leadership experience that can transfer to their career. At YWA, we have 10 Committees, 17 Board positions, and 60+ Chair positions including new Senior Chair roles. New members are encouraged to apply for Chair roles or join a commitee as a general member. Chairs and Board members are provided with leadership training through “YWA Rise”, a program to intentionally move genderal members into Chair and Board positions.
