Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FEW

1. Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FEW Presented by DFC Chapter Committee Chairs Lynne Price Programming & Planning Patt Franc Policy & Legislation September 17, 2008

2. PRESENTATION OVERVIEW • FEW’S Purpose • FEW’S History • FEW & FWP • FEW’S Structure • FEW’S Goals • FEW’S Special Emphasis Areas • Compliance, Diversity, Legislation & Training • FEW & Agencies • Sponsors & Partners • Membership Benefits

3. PURPOSE OF FEW FEW is a membership organization committed to work toward ending sex discrimination and advancing career opportunities for women in Federal Government service by: • encouraging diversity and equity in the workplace • enhancing career opportunities for women • establishing and maintaining relationships with organizations to advocate the fair application of EEO and personnel laws, policies, procedures, and practices • improving the quality of life for women by influencing Congressional and Administration actions • committing to achieve and maintain a unified and diverse membership, and • providing opportunities for professional growth through leadership development, education, mentoring, and networking.

4. FEW’S HISTORY • Nucleus group met in Washington, D.C. • Organized in 1968 to ensure FWP implementation • Chapters spread throughout the U.S. & Overseas • Organized into 10 regions • 40years of providing a consistent National Training Program

5. FWP Official Federal Program Cannot Lobby Congress Cannot Raise Funds Manager May Be Full-Time or Collateral Duty FEW Private Non-Profit Non-Partisan Organization Can Lobby on Non-Partisan Issues Can Raise Funds Leadership Elected by the Membership FEW AND FWP DIFFERENCES

6. FEW & FWP SIMILARITIES • Share same goals for the advancement of women in Government • Both seek opportunities for the hiring, training, and advancement of women in federal service • Share same goals for diversity and EEO programs • Partner for special events

7. FEW’S STRUCTURE • Three-Tiered Organization • National Board of Directors (Governing Body) • Regional Executive Committee • Chapter Executive Committee • Nationally contracted services provide administrative, Legislative, conference planning/registration and financial support

8. 10 Regions with over 100 Chapters

9. NATIONAL GOALS • Provide training and career counseling at the National, Regional, and Chapter Levels • Maintain current and develop new relationships with the administration, Federal Departments, independent agencies, Unions, and the private sector • Communicate the purpose & expand the visibility and credibility of FEW

10. NATIONAL GOALS (continued) • Assist Federal Departments and independent agencies in the development and application of EEO laws • Represent Federally Employed Women’s interests before Legislative and Congressional bodies

11. NATIONAL GOALS (continued) • Develop well trained & diverse individuals capable of providing leadership at all levels of the organization – and in Government Careers • Make FEW the organization of choice for leadership, equity and the advancement for women.

12. FEW’S FOUR FOCUS AREASSPECIAL EMPHASIS • Compliance – with EEO laws • Diversity – cultural awareness • Legislative – process and participation • Training – national, regional, chapter

13. COMPLIANCE PROGRAM • Monitor Policies and practices of agencies and activities for conformance with requirements of statutes, executive orders, and regulations. • Take action to assist agencies and activities in correcting identified deficiencies. • Provide guidance on compliance issues to FEW members who request assistance.

14. DIVERSITY PROGRAM FEW recognizes that minority women have historically suffered the double discrimination of sex and racial/national origin. FEW embraced diversity as a way for promoting better understanding and positive change that would make FEW more responsive to the needs of minority members. • FEW is an organization for all women and men in the federal government; • FEW has a structured approach to help us be more responsive to the concerns of minority women as well as a mechanism for implementing the plan, evaluating progress, and recommending change, when appropriate; • FEW’s National Vice President for Diversity promulgates this concern with the issues through appropriate activities; and • FEW policies and practices bring av awareness of the need to work together to use increased diversity cognizance in our organization, our members, our Chapters, and our Regions.

15. LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM • Members actively participate in the Legislative process • Legislative staff conducts Lobby Day activities on Capital Hill in conjunction with National Board meetings and other events • Chapters conduct voter registration projects • FEW Washington Representative and Legislative Network sends out Action Alerts on all issues & bills identified in FEW’s Legislative Agenda

16. LEGISLATIVE AGENDA • Three Tiers I. Issues directly impacting Federally Employed Women II. Issues affecting all Federal Employees, regardless of gender • Issues affecting all women as a class • Published for each new Congressional session to give prioritized focus to our issues

17. TRAINING PROGRAMS • National Training (NTP) held every year in July: • 2009 Orlando, FL • 2010 New Orleans, LA • 2011 Philadelphia, PA • 2012 Detroit, MI • Regional Training Programs • Chapter Training

18. TRAINING OBJECTIVES • To increase employee’s knowledge of federal systems, rules, and regulations under which they work • To help members acquire knowledge of career development and planning techniques (basic and advanced) • To enhance personal effectiveness and awareness of broader issues impacting women in the workplace

19. FEW & AGENCIES • Partnering to Bring Quality Programs • Shared Resources • Networking Opportunities • Professional Development for both Agency Employees and FEW Members

20. PARTNERS and SPONSORS • National Coalition for Equity in Public Service (NCEPS) • Blacks in Government (BIG) • Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) • Image - Hispanic Government Employees • Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE)

21. PARTNERS and SPONSORS • SPONSORS • Blue Cross/Blue Shield • Federal Long Term Care Insurance • GEICO • USDA • American Management Association • AVUE Technologies • First Command Financial Services • SAIC Crane Operations • Grantham University • PARTNERS • DCG Technology Learning Center • ACECAR Network • FEW Foundation for Education and Training • National Women’s History Museum • For info and links http://www.few.org/partners.asp

22. MEMBERSHIP • Open to all who support FEW’s mission and purpose • Types of Membership – Two types of membership: • Chapter Member – A member can join several chapters and pay dues at each, but can only be a primary member of one Chapter • Lifetime Member – offered at the National Level to those who have been members for at least 5 consecutive years. One time national fee, but annual Regional & Chapter dues may apply.

23. BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP Put the power of FEW to work for you! Membership does have its benefits • An opportunity to actively support an organization that represents the interests of over 1 million women in civilian and military federal service • Being a part of a national network of women who support and believe in a women’s role in government leadership • Being a part of an organization working to change government for the better • Two free 30-minute telephone consultations with the law firm of Shaw, Bransford, Veilleux & Roth, PC who provide representation in a wide range of Federal employment law and personnel law issues. • Access to lower member tuition rates for FEW’s National & Regional Training Programs • News & Views FEW’s Electronic National Bi-Monthly Newsletter • Leadership and Mentoring Opportunities through FEW’s member network • The opportunity to build your KSA’s by taking an active part in Chapter operations

24. DENVER FEDERAL CENTERCHAPTER • Chartered in 2006 • Meets monthly, generally on the 3rd Wednesday of each Month during the lunch hour • Moves meetings around to different federal offices on/near the FedCenter • Plans programs and events to respond to both the mission of FEW and member interests • Offers many leadership and volunteer opportunities • Hopes to raise enough income this year to send our officers to Regional and National Training Programs • Would like to double its membership this year and ROCK THE REGION!

25. SUMMARY • FEW Offers • Training • Networking • Progressive Legislative Action • Compliance Assistance • Leadership Development • The Opportunity to Make a Difference FEW – a Membership Organization Working for the Elimination of Sex Discrimination and the Advancement of Women in Government

26. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? JOINUSTODAY!

27. FEDERALLY EMPLOYED WOMEN TOGETHER WE CAN & WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

28. CONTACT INFORMATION • Cheryl Howley, DFC Chapter President • cheryl.howley@fhwa.dot.gov • (720) 963-3485 • Jackie Martinez Wells, Membership Chair • jwells@do.usbr.gov • (303) 445-3683 • FEW National Office (202) 898-0994 • WEB SITE www.few.org • NTP WEBSITE www.fewntp.org