Empowering rural young women: The provision of a social work service for young women in a disadvantaged school

This article outlines the development of an adolescent women's health service at Mt Austin,an high priority needs school in the regional city of Wagga Wagga. The establishment of the service was motivated by alarming adolescent women's health statistics indicating high teen pregnancy rates, violence issues, eating disorders and mental health issues. The service developed an empowerment strategy within a feminist framework as its aim. This article details the service, its programs and goals and the ongoing issues raised by adolescent women's health. The paper is grounded in a theoretical discussion of gender and empowerment.