Strength and Support
MEGAN BEVINS LIBERA
Libera WV ' s Impact on Young Women
For many young women in West Virginia , mental health , poverty or other unfortunate circumstances are keeping them from accomplishing the things they want in life . Libera WV stands as a beacon of hope for these women , offering the support that will help them find their voices and overcome these negative barriers .
According to Karen Haring , founder and executive director of Libera WV , Libera ’ s mission is to provide opportunities for mentorship , education and employment to young women by giving them a chance to tell their stories , identify negative barriers and get connected to proper resources . They do this using the LIBERA model , or Listen , Illuminate , Believe , Envision , Reach and Alight .
Libera was founded after two people very close to Haring attempted to take their own lives . This encouraged her to explore how to help her friends and herself with mental health struggles . Through therapy , she uncovered many things holding her back , such as being judgmental , struggling with people-pleasing and having an inability to express who she truly was .
Haring discovered these issues were due to the lies she believed about herself , such as not being good enough . As she spoke with other women about this , she realized many of them were stuck in similar situations . She then gathered a group of women from varied backgrounds who spent several months developing the LIBERA model .
“ Listening , connection and hope are what make our program so unique and effective and are fundamental in everything we do ,” Haring says . “ The relationships we establish with youth built on listening , empathy and trust allow us to build a bridge that connects youth to services and resources based on their individual and specific needs .”
Haring wanted to provide a space for women and girls to discuss the lies they believed about themselves , counter them and replace them with the truth of their potential . That is where Listening Groups originated .
Listening Groups are designed to empower girls to believe in themselves so they can reach their fullest potential . They occur weekly and use the LIBERA model to foster growth within participants . Volunteers play a crucial role in Libera ’ s operations , leading Listening Groups , mentoring young women and assisting with various activities .
“ Trained Libera mentors lead the groups by sharing their lived experiences , offering listening support , creating safe spaces for young people to become empowered and helping them access resources to overcome barriers ,” Haring says . “ These groups have been proven to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression and increase rates of life satisfaction based on research by the West Virginia University School of Public Health over the last four years .”
Libera partners with schools , juvenile detention facilities , youth reporting centers , residential facilities , shelters and group homes to provide them with the opportunity to participate in a listening group .
Libera also hosts numerous other programs for young women from pre-elementary school age to adult . The Lila Bear Explor ( her ) Club helps teach children about STEAM through activity boxes based on the stories of Appalachian women . For middle school girls , a particularly difficult time for many , Libera offers peer groups to help them feel seen and heard . Looking ahead , Libera has plans to expand its reach . “ We recently opened a regional office in Charleston and applied for another ARC Inspire grant that would expand on our mentorship and success planning program with an intensive , 12-month program for girls aged 18 + who are aging out of foster care , released from incarceration or impacted by SUD ,” Haring says . “ We ’ re always looking to partner with more schools for groups and STEAM Exploration .” •
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