YWCA Berkeley/Oakland

Through the English in Action program at the Y, I’ve found a lovely new friend who is a visiting scholar from China. We get together every week to converse in English, but I think we have really developed a bond of friendship. It’s so much fun to get to show a visitor around the bay area, and I’m very excited to meet her husband and young daughter when they come here in January.

This is my second semester working with the YWCA and im so glad I found them! I’ve volunteered with the English In Action program and this has helped me to connect with so many foreign visitors. it’s really rewarding to have them just be thankful to have someone to talk to BC it can really be isolating if you don’t know the language. Im looking forward to the young women and money conference as well! so many useful skills and I definitely want to try financial literacy mentoring next semester! everyone here has been a blessing and they really focus on making the environment feel safe :)

I love the YWCA! I have been volunteering with the Y for two years now and am still having a blast. I am part of the Student Leadership Board and have had a great time connecting with my peers and organizing great events. I love volunteering for Week Without Violence and Shadow Day because you can really see the difference that you make in the community. The Y staff really cares about the volunteers and provide us with so opportunities for self growth and leadership experiences too. Sign up for the next event and check out the community!

I joined the Y as a freshman and it has provided a safe, friendly, and welcoming space for me during my time at UC Berkeley. The staff and members here are wonderful! I’m currently a part of the Student Leadership Board. We plan annual community events and each one has demonstrated the Y’s impact in the Berkeley/​Oakland community. I can’t imagine my experience at UC Berkeley without the Y – it is an amazing space and organization to join!

I learned about the YWCA after going to their Young Women and Money Conference. Entire day was inspiring and filled with information I didn’t know I needed about finances but was afraid to ask.
Was inspired to volunteer for the English in Action program– they pair you up with someone looking to improve their English skills and for just 1 Hour a week you have a chat. It’s easy, it’s fun and it helps someone acquire the needed skills to communicate in a new country. They work around your schedule with the program, so I have someone meet me around my office at lunch time. Not only that, my EIA buddy is fun to hang with!
I highly recommend supporting this organization. They help women empower each other, teach valuable life skills and create community.

I became involved with the YWCA as a sophomore at Cal after joining the Anti-​Human Trafficking program as an intern. My experience here has been exceptional and I absolutely love being a part of this community. From the faculty to my peers, everybody here is very welcoming and it’s always great to be a part of such a positive environment. I always feel positive vibes when I enter the Y.
I initially joined the YWCA as an intern but after having such a great experience I really wanted to find out other ways to stay involved, so I ended up becoming the co-​director/​instructor for the intern I was previously a part of. My supervisor Jana is an excellent instructor and supervisor and I am very fortunate to be a part of such an enriching program.
I have nothing but positive words for the Y and I am grateful to be a part of such a great cohort.

I recently took a beginning Lindy Hop class with Jean and Bromley and it was awesome! They are fantastic instructors – really fun, energetic, encouraging, and patient. Even though the classes can be big, they always had time for individual questions and instruction. They were really helpful and never made you feel awkward if you didn’t catch on right away. I always left each class in a great mood and with a few new moves. ;) Lastly, it’s super affordable. Highly recommended!

I’m giving the YWCA 5 stars for the great services and programs it provides to youth, women, high school students, and more. Honestly the Y makes the world a better place.
I’m currently part of the Youth Mentor Program and if you have ever considered doing some good in your hood, I strongly suggest signing up!
It’s really such a great place!

(Based on the fitness class)
Not only is the Y easy to find it’s perfect little spot in Berkeley across the campus. I recently joined the Hoop Dance class which is so awesome! I loved every moment even though my hula hooping skills are a 2. There was a decent enough of room for the 12 participants and instructor (who is the sweetest) to swing those hips. Tons of fun and definitely a 10 in my book.

This review is for their fitness/​dance classes.
I’ve taken belly dancing (with Nanna), Yoga, and I’m currently taking Pilates. The classes have been relaxed, run at a comfortable pace, and very instrumental. I’ve enjoyed every instructor I’ve had so far– they’ve all been really fun, and obviously love what they do. The environment has been really encouraging and safe (ie it’s OK to look like an idiot while swiveling your hips– «no one’s watching»). Prices are reasonable (about $ 40 to $ 50 on a 6 week session depending if you’re a YWCA member or not).
Only downside is that classes are often crowded, but the instructors seem to manage that all right.

I really love this place for the community, safe space, and the classes that it offeres. No matter what is going on outside or in your daily life I know this is a place where you can go and feel safe and supported.
I have taken:
Womens Self Defense, Bhangra, Jazz Funk, Yoga, Pilates, Bollywood and Bellydance. I have enjoyed all or parts of every class. And even if I didnt feel like going to class, afterwards I always felt ten times better.
The YWCA has quality instructors that love what they do and are there to help you improve and develop your skills, at your own pace.
The have fair prices which can seem pricey if you buy a whole session but really it always comes out to approx $ 10/​class or less. You can be a year long member for $ 15 and you get $ 5 off each class. More discount for students.
The spring time showcase where every class has the opportunity to perform is a lot of fun and a great chance to see what other classes are up to.

When I was a freshman at UC Berkeley, I first joined the YWCA about 7 years ago. The YWCA is where I found my sense of community and experienced a lot of personal growth. UC Berkeley was very chaotic and overwhelming to me, and the YWCA was always welcoming, friendly and passionate about their mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and developing leaders. I became a part of one of their mentoring programs and then started to branch out and join more and more of their programs as the years went on. This organization has so much to offer, it’s hard not to find what you are looking for here.
The YWCA was so easy and friendly to volunteer with, my college experience would NOT have been as amazing without it. For the past 7 years, this place has continued to be a safe space for me to grow as a young working woman after college. Once you become a member, visit, take a dance class, volunteer, or become an employee — it’s truly hard to leave because it is truly an amazing organization to be a part of.

Excellent Brazilian samba on Wednesday evenings with Maria Souza and Iya Silva!!! It is really fun to relax at the end of a hard work day with some good cardio/​dance and cool brazilian moves… Every class starts with a good stretch, followed with simple to medium difficult moves and eventually having a circle and everybody performing their favorite moves! It is super cool and fun.