For many years, Black Creek Community Health Centre (BCCHC), in partnership with Jane/Finch Community and Family Centre (JFCFC), provided a support group for teenage mothers between the ages of 13 and 20.  When the teens turned 20 and had to leave the group, they had not had the opportunity to think through their career plans as they had been focused on their children, dealing with relationship issues and trying to get through their teenage years.  Graduates from the group often came back or called and said there were no programs for them and they didn't know where to go for support and direction.  As a result, a conversation between staff of the JFCFC and BCCHC was initiated in 2003. At that time, it was decided that the JFCFC would take the lead while BCCHC focused on the teen moms program

At the same time, one of the new funding priorities for the Geoffrey H. Wood Foundation was young, single mothers.  Given a positive track record with the Foundation, the JFCFC organized a meeting with the President and Executive Director to share their ideas for a new program targeting young moms over the age of 20.  The Foundation responded favourably and began working with the JFCFC to develop a proposal.

As part of this process, the Foundation gave the JFCFC planning funds so that they could organize focus groups with young women and service providers, as well as to conduct a literature review.  These funds went on to support the establishment of a Young Women's Advisory Committee (2004) consisting of young women between the ages of 20 to 29.  Following the focus group of service providers, a Steering Committee was also established, consisting of interested community agencies.  The input from both Committees was essential to the development of WMF in order to ensure the program met the needs of young mothers and was developed using the experience and knowledge of the service providers who worked with them.  It was consciously decided to maintain the two Committees separately in order to really hear the voices of the young women at their meetings.

A literature review was conducted by a professor at York University in order to ensure that a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy for mothers between the ages of 20-29 was developed.  The JFCFC also met with Dr. Gina Browne from McMaster University.  Dr. Browne suggested that the methods or methodologies that enable women to move from welfare to self-sufficiency be studied and clearly identified so that programs and services across Toronto, Ontario and even Canada could be positively affected.

Combining the feedback from the Young Women's Advisory Committee, the Steering Committee and information collected from the literature review, the JFCFC was able to develop a proposal for submission to the Foundation and to Ontario Trillium Foundation in March 2005.  As the program evolved over the first few years, each change was based on feedback from women in the program to ensure their needs were being met.

To date, WMF has worked with over 100 woman.  Upon graduating from the program, each woman has had the opportunity to create an individualized professional development plan, and has gained the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to make her plan a reality.  She also has the reassurance that Women Moving Forward will remain a constant source of support she can call on as she continues on her journey.