Musings: Writing to Empower

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So I call this my 'Musings' section--I try writing one once a month. Basically, it's just my reflections on anything that has to do with writing in the broader scheme of things. Today, it's about empowerment, specifically, female empowerment.

Recently, I got a part-time position as an Outreach Program Supervisor at a local women's shelter. My new job has me developing, facilitating and evaluating a curriculum targetted toward young women ages 16-21 who may have issues with self-esteem, self-confidence, body image and so on. In addition, the program teaches leadership skills to empower these women to have a voice in their community.

I'm excited about the position, though thinking at times that I'm a little crazy because I'm still a full time mom, have editing jobs on the side, and oh ... there's that little interest of mine called 'writing,' but I think this is a great opportunity to contribute something positive to my community.

So how does this relate to writing? I'm thinking about how I would like to go about developing a curriculum for the program. Since the program is all about self-expression and voice, I'm thinking of incorporating some type of writing component in it, but I'm just not sure how to go about doing it. I certainly don't want to intimidate these women--get them to write a speech about themselves and present to the class.

So how do I assist in improving their self-esteem and self-worth while using writing as a tool without making it seem like a big, scary classroom?

Any suggestions?