PROGRAMS

Virginia Allan Young Careerist    Individual Development    More Programs

As important as raising funds for the Foundation’s many programs may be, our focus this coming year will be on the many programs offered through BPW/USA Foundation. There is no better tool to our BPW local organizations and our members that the materials provided by the BPW/USA Foundation for planning programs and projects. These programs are very important to the working women of our communities.

Over the past several years, the BPW Foundation has received over 1100 applications from qualified women with about 225 scholarships being awarded each year. The success of the program is measured in the success of these women – 99% of the scholarship recipients complete their degrees and double their annual income. What success stories these are.

In 1956, the BPW Foundation was established to provide information, encouragement, and assistance to women who were striving to get a good education, a better job and fair pay. The generous contributions of our own BPW members throughout the country fund effective programs addressing economic, civil rights, and health care issues that face working women of all ages has made the Foundation able to give theses scholarships.

The BPW Foundation is strengthening the lives of women you know, and women’s you’ll never meet who need BPW Foundation’s programs to help them BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS which stand in their path to success.

BPW Foundation Programs

• Making Workplaces Work
• Understanding Menopause
• Dispelling the Myths
• Power Over Tomorrow
• Working Family Values

Virginia Allan Young Careerist

Are you between the ages of 21 and 35? If so, you may qualify to participate in a special BPW Program.  Participation in the BPW/PA Virginia Allan Young Careerist Program allows you to reach your fullest potential and can empower you to unlock your future!  The program celebrates the accomplishments of individuals in the beginning stages of their career paths.

The BPW/USA Young Careerist Program began in 1964 by BPW/USA National President, Virginia Allan.  Thereafter in Pennsylvania, the Young Careerist Program began in 1965 when a Young Career woman was selected from 11 candidates from across Pennsylvania to represent Pennsylvania at the BPW/USA Conference in Washington, DC.  In 2000, the name of the program was officially changed from Young Careerist to Virginia Allan Young Careerist Program.  Pennsylvania’s 2008 Virginia Allan Young Careerist will be selected from candidates who participate from all 12 Districts of BPW/PA at the 2008 BPW/PA Convention in Fernwood Hotel and Resort, Bushkill, Pennsylvania.

Further information regarding the Virginia Allan Young Careerist Program can be obtained using the www.bpwusa.org website, clicking on the Business and Career drop-down box.  As a YC Candidate, you benefit from the friendships that are formed, personal growth that takes place and the opportunity for networking.  If you meet the criteria, your District will help you compete on a state level.
Although you do not have to be a BPW member to participate in the Young Careerist Program at the Local or District level, only BPW members can compete at the 2008 BPW/USA Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

All 2008 Virginia Allan Young Careerists who participate in the program will be required to give a four minute prepared speech from one of the following topics:

1. What other words could you find for the acronym “BPW” and how does it match or complement “Business and Professional Women”?
2. Is the United States ready for a female President – why or why not?
3. What can BPW offer women leaving military service and/or what can women leaving military service offer BPW?
4. How will you use your experience in the YC program to enhance/change your life or influence others?
5. How can men and children help women achieve equality and what responsibilities do women have to educate men and children on the inequalities that exist today for women?
6. Would the new e-member BPW membership be advantageous for a young career professional? Why or why not?
7. How might Young Careerists encourage their colleagues/peers/friends to participate or personally market the program to increase participation and to continue their BPW involvement?

 
The BPW/USA Mission Statement and the BPW/USA National Legislative Platform are available on the BPW/USA Web site at www.bpwusa.org.  Each YC Candidate must sign onto the legislative platform.  Speeches are to be four minutes in length. No props will be permitted at the State Convention when YC Candidates speak.  BPW/PA will us the “No Prop Guideline” at every competition level – Local, District and at State Convention.  All Young Careerist Representatives will be required to remain at the podium when speaking. For additional information, please see the BPW/USA Young Careerist Program National Competition Guidelines as posted on the BPW/USA website.

In addition, each contestant will be interviewed for approximately 10 – 15 minutes.  BPW candidates who compete will be required to provide a biographical sketch and picture so that the Judges and other BPW members present at the speak-off will recognize the candidates.  Forms can be downloaded from this website.

SUMMATION OF CRITERIA TO PARTICIPATE

Criteria

All Young Careerist Representatives must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the BPW/PA and BPW/USA National Competition:

• Be a member of  BPW/USA (e-members and members not affiliated at a local level are eligible);
• Be between the ages of 21 and 35, inclusive, by July 31st following the first competition in which she/he participates;
• Be or have been employed in business or professions, with a minimum of one (1) year of full-time work experience;
• Understand and support the BPW/USA mission, vision and legislative platform.  A Young Careerist Representative must be familiar with the National Legislative Platform and must pledge that she/he will not speak against the platform issues in her/his capacity as a Young Careerist Representative.  (All Young Careerist Representatives are required to submit a signed copy of the National Legislative Platform confirming that requirement prior to competition).

If you meet the criteria for participation or you know someone who does, please contact your District YC Chair or the BPW/PA Virginia Allan Young Careerist Chair at http://www.bpwpa.org/Leaders.htm (note: you must login to access this information on the member login page) for additional information.

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Individual Development Program

The Individual Development Program, begun in the late 1960’s, was developed to provide our officers and future leaders with public speaking and presentation skills. The program was an intensive course of study and practice sessions. It has evolved today into a two part program. Part I which contains 14 modules and will take approximately 15-16 hours of training and presentation time.

Part II of the program involves the selection of an ID representative to represent the state federation at National Conference.

The Individual Development Program (IDP) provides training and practice opportunities in public speaking, general communication and job performance skills for women. It also introduces participants to the mission and vision of the Business and Professional Women/USA (BPW/USA).

Mandatory criteria for the Individual Development Program Competition

A. To be eligible, a person must:

• Be living, working, training or continuing their education I the area served by the sponsoring local organization conducting the program: and
• Be a member, in current standing, of a local organization; and
• Have completed the Individual Development Program within the
  Preceding 3 years; and
• Have completed at least Modules 4-9 of the Individual Development Program, updated July 2004; and
• If applicable, they have met all State Award guidelines; and
• Be the State Winner, Runner-up, or the officially designated representative of the state federation; and
• Support the BPW/USA mission and vision. Individual Development representatives must review the national legislative platform and pledge that they will not speak against platform items in their capacities as State Individual Development representatives, if selected.

B. The State Individual Development representative

• Must have participated in the state federation’s selection program and
• Must be a member of BPW/USA to be recognized as the Individual Development representative
  of that state at National conference.

C. The selection process must include two (2) types of speeches delivered by the participant.

• A 5-minute prepared speech selected from topics from BPW/USA and
• A 2-minute impromptu speech.

A competition will be held at the National level at the BPW/USA Conference in Dallas, Texas in July, 2006.

For additional information contact the Individual Development Program Chair.

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More Programs

Making Workplaces Work

Together with a group of business leaders, small business owners and researchers, the BPR Foundation looked for ways to education women and the workplace about how to do better by implementing quality work policies.

The result is a resource guide entitled “Quality Work Policies for Small Businesses.” It explores various ways to implement flexible schedules, dependent care assistance, parental and medical leaves, etc., by giving employers options to meet their employees’ need and to make a profit at the same time. Subsequent programs in the series include “Making Workplaces Work” (1997) and “Small Business Financing” (1997-1998).

Understanding Menopause

The program, funded by a grant from Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, consists of a 60-90 minute program, including a video, slide presentation and discussion led by an American medical Women’s Association affiliate physician.

Dispelling the Myths

This program is made possible through a partnership with the National Mental Health Association and utilizes member contributions and a grant from Eli Lilly and Company. It is part of a national campaign to raise both women’s awareness and the workplace awareness of clinical depression’s symptoms and treatment.

Power Over Tomorrow

This educational turnkey program is made available through a partnership with Equitable and is designed to change the way working women think about their lifetime need for money. It empowers women to increase their financial resources through financial goal setting, planning and investing.

Working Family Values

The newest program of the BPW Foundation continues BPW/USA’s tradition of public education on work-life issues. The goal of the program are to bring employers, employees and families together to discuss the challenges of balancing the competing demands of work and home, generate ideas for practical work and family policies that can be implemented in your community and to share practical work and family policies that can be implemented in your community and to share innovative ideas that have worked the other offices, communities and families.

To find out more information on these BPW/USA Foundation programs, contact the Foundation at (202) 293-1200 or visit the website at http://www.bpwusa.org.

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