OUR MISSION
Sweet Dreams prepares young women to enter the workforce, as thoughtful leaders by providing hands-on experience in operating a product-based sewing business. Our vision is to develop “makers” and entrepreneurs and as a result, empower young women to define their future.
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In 1999, Turning Heads began a unique program that combined vocational arts instruction and entrepreneurship training at Log Cabin Ranch, a San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department detention facility for male youth. Log Cabin is in San Mateo County. Our vocational programs continued at the Ranch for ten years.
Meanwhile in San Francisco, Turning Heads was busy developing a new program for low income, high-risk, young women of color. In 2005, using our established model, we launched the Sewing and Fashion Design Project. We recruited San Francisco high school students to learn to sew and develop their own small businesses.
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By 2006 some of our students initiated Sweet Dreams, a small product-based sewing business, thus actualizing our model. Students who completed Turning Heads’ Introduction to Sewing have joined Sweet Dreams and become part of our creative community of young women becoming successful at sewing and entrepreneurship.
Young female entrepreneurs design, handcraft and bring to market their line of hand crafted lavender eye pillows, aromatherapy dream pillows, neck pillows, yoga mat bags, re-purposed tote bags and zip cases. Interested students share financial management and production management duties while all members practice cooperative decision-making and profit share.
In 2006, our sewing project was featured in an article titled “The Start-Up as the First Step Up” in the Business Day section of The New York Times. Turning Heads still mentors and incubates Sweet Dreams, providing a production studio, technical and business training, including strategic thinking, moderating business meetings and keeping financial records.
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