The objective of Oasis For Girls' Leadership Development programming cluster is to encourage and provide new opportunities for girls to develop and demonstrate leadership skills. Through this process participating girls build their capacity to address their individual needs for a healthy, empowered life, as well as develop the skills to become an advocate and role model for their communities.

The Leadership Institute is a 10 week paid program offered in the summer for 15 high school young women who have been through Oasis programs or other youth/leadership programs in the City. In the Leadership Institute, young women choose an issue that is impacting their community, educate themselves about this issue through workshops with community agencies, and develop a project to make change around this issue. In Summer 2009's Institute, girls developed a video action project focused on the issue of media exploitation and its effect on relationships. Their video, "Are You In Love with Media or Me?," was showcased at a collaborative final event, “Sisterly Love” to share with family, friends, and community members.

In the Spring of 2008 Oasis, in partnership with Anne Bluethenthal and ABD Productions, offered a special Spring Theatre Leadership Project bringing together 8 young women to create an original theatre piece to perform onstage while explore themes of women leaders, relationships, and identity through theatre games, poetry, movement and educational workshops.

The Youth Staff develop and implement monthly activities for the Membership program to engage Oasis alumni. Youth staff are also currently staffing Girl 2 Girl at International Studies Academy. Finally, youth staff provide crucial youth voice in organizational decision making.

In 2009, a group of six youth staff led the Measure Up project, a 9-month initiative to 1) determine the needs of girls in San Frnacisco, and 2) to evaluate the effectiveness of Oasis' programs. Read the results of their work here. (pdf)

The Membership Program is a youth led forum for monthly activities for Oasis alumni to continue building on what they learned at Oasis, become a girl voice for Oasis, and have fun! Piloted in Fall 2008, Membership activities have included a Focus Group, a Sistah Healing Circle, a field trip to the FlyAway Productions show, a Back to School party. 2009 activities have included a Halloween gathering and a Holiday Party. Stay tuned for more in 2010.

Scholarship Program: The Future Fund Three to four scholarships ranging from $1000-$1500 are awarded to college bound young women who have been through an Oasis program for expenses, including college tuition and school supplies. Recipients are selected in collaboration with Oasis participants or alumni, members of the community and our Organizational Leadership Team. Three girls were awarded $1000 scholarships in 2007. In 2008, thanks to the generosity of Spark, we are able to offer $5,000 in scholarships. In 2009 and 2010, scholarship funds were made possible by the generosity of Dava Guthmiller's Pow.wow Network. See our Scholarships page for more information and to apply.