The Dahomey Training Center is a substance abuse prevention and anti-violence program based on the protective factor of workforce development in mitigating the occurrence of substance abuse and criminal activity among at-risk populations. Its programs and services are designed for at-risk women. This includes women from families suffering from generational addiction; women with personal histories of substance abuse; women involved or associated with criminal activity and lifestyles; and formerly incarcerated women facing massive challenges as they transition from correctional facilities to re-entering society.

Empowering Women For Recovery, Stability & Success

The Dahomey Training Center, operated by Sisters in Christ (SIC), is a transformative program based in Kansas City that supports women recovering from substance use and involved in the justice system. Through a unique blend of substance abuse prevention services and hands-on workforce development, the Center offers women a pathway to long-term stability, employment, and self-sufficiency.

Named in honor of the legendary Dahomey women warriors of West Africa—symbols of strength, resilience, and victory—the Center embodies the belief that every woman has the power to overcome even the most daunting life challenges. The program is built on the idea that recovery and economic empowerment go hand in hand, and that equipping women with tools to succeed in the workforce can break cycles of addiction, incarceration, and poverty.

Substance Abuse Prevention Rooted in Healing

At the heart of the Dahomey Training Center is a comprehensive, client-centered substance abuse prevention program. Women begin their journey with a thorough intake assessment and, if needed, drug testing. Prevention education follows, using evidence-based models including:

• Truth About Drugs curriculum, which provides facts and builds awareness;
• Thinking for a Change (T4C), a cognitive-behavioral program addressing criminal thinking patterns;
• Moving On, a gender-responsive course focused on building healthy relationships;
• Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), which supports mental health and recovery management.

These courses are reinforced with anti-violence education, peer support from certified staff, and wraparound services that include re-engagement case management, life skills education, and transportation assistance.

SIC also supports participants with re-entry services for those exiting incarceration, ensuring compliance with criminal justice requirements and building the foundation for a new chapter rooted in accountability, healing, and growth.

Workforce Development As Prevention

Research shows that stable employment is one of the strongest protective factors against relapse, recidivism, and poverty. The Dahomey Training Center integrates workforce development throughout its programming, offering job readiness training, skill-building, and direct employment opportunities.

Women receive instruction in soft skills, customer service, financial literacy, and workplace communication using the “Bring Your A Game” curriculum. Participants also benefit from job search coaching, resume support, and interview preparation—essentials for re-entering the workforce with confidence.

Vocational programs include:

• Quarterly job training with local women- and minority-owned businesses;
• Six-month Automotive Pre-Apprenticeship Program (PAP) in partnership with the Raytown School District and Herndon Career Center, led by ASE-certified instructors;
• Seven-month Security Training Program in collaboration with the Westport Community Improvement District and Chelsey Brown International;
• OSHA and Warehouse Certification through NuStart;
• High School Equivalency (HiSET) and GED preparation, including literacy support tailored to technical fields.

This practical approach ensures that women are not just trained—but job-ready. Since 2018, 231 women have completed training at the Dahomey Training Center, with 70% securing living-wage jobs in fields such as construction, trucking, landscaping, nursing, and security.

Removing Barriers To Employment

Many women served by the Dahomey Training Center face barriers that extend beyond substance use. These include lack of education, poverty, trauma, and a criminal record. SIC confronts these challenges head-on by offering low-barrier access to services and individualized support.

Programs are intentionally designed to include women who are pregnant, parenting, or in active recovery. Instruction is personalized and trauma-informed, led by experienced instructors from skilled trades and business sectors. Courses cover essential life and job skills such as budgeting, parenting, professional boundaries, conflict resolution, and burnout prevention.

Participants receive mentorship from business leaders and employers committed to hiring program graduates, which helps open doors to meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities.

Focused On Equity & Community Healing

The Dahomey Training Center was born out of a critical need: the lack of culturally responsive, Black-led workforce development programs in the Kansas City area that specifically support women of color. Many participants are impacted by generational trauma, structural racism, underfunded schools, and a lack of access to health care or mental health services.

SIC understands that healing and empowerment require more than classroom instruction. Women also need housing, emotional support, safety, and opportunities to rebuild their lives in a community that sees their value. In response, SIC offers faith-based transitional housing, mental health therapy, trauma-informed parenting programs, and youth support services—ensuring that women and their families receive holistic, coordinated care.

Measurable Impact, Meaningful Change

In 2023, the Center expanded both its security and automotive training programs, placing 15 women in paid security jobs—85% of whom exceeded performance expectations. The Automotive Pre-Apprenticeship Program continues to prepare women for enrollment in Registered Apprenticeship Programs, supporting long-term career success in skilled trades. Participants leave the program with key industry competencies, from reading technical manuals to customer service and mechanical troubleshooting.

SIC sets ambitious goals: in the first year, at least 90% of women enrolled in either the Security or Automotive programs are expected to complete training, and 85% of those will enter the workforce in related fields. By the end of each program cycle, outcomes are evaluated to ensure that the training is having a measurable impact on economic mobility and self-sufficiency.

A Vision For A Stronger Future

The ultimate vision of the Dahomey Training Center is to help women—especially formerly incarcerated women, those recovering from addiction, and women of color—achieve financial independence, emotional well-being, and a life free of violence. SIC envisions a community where every woman has access to purpose, education, employment, and a support system that allows her to thrive.

Just like the warriors of Dahomey, the women who walk through these doors are survivors. With the right tools, support, and opportunity, they are empowered to become overcomers—building lives of dignity, purpose, and hope.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.