Agency Forums
Again this year, Agency Forums will be held in conjunction with the NTP. Agencies may host a half-day or a whole-day event on Monday of the NTP week. Some agencies or bureaus will host a half-day meeting in the morning followed by a half-day Departmental Forum in the afternoon that combines multiple agencies. This is a great opportunity for agencies to host a meeting and/or agency-specific training in a centralized location for their employees from nationwide offices.
FEW
invites you to host an agency forum in conjunction with its
exciting National Training Program.
Don't miss this outstanding opportunity to highlight your
Agency to thousands of individuals while at the same time
supporting a high-quality, affordable educational opportunity
through FEW's NTP. To host an agency forum, please contact
Rhonda Smith at (502) 345-0460 or via e-mail at Rhonda.l.smith@insighttbb.com
Confirmed Agency Forums for 2010
Departments and agencies have successfully hosted Agency Forums
in conjunction with FEW’s NTPs for many years. In
this time of budget costs and reduced staffing, the Agency Forum
is a great way to significantly improve the delivery of Equal
Opportunity Program and Civil Rights program updates to assure
that all parts of the department or agency are working toward
the same goal and are sharing their expertise with their counterparts. Don’t
miss the opportunity to attend your agency’s Forum and meet
key members of the headquarters staff. At the time of print,
the following Agency Forums were scheduled. Any last minute changes
or cancellations will be announced in a flyer at the registration
desk.
- Department of Commerce (NOAA)
- Department
of Energy
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Department of Housing & Urban Development
(HUD)
- Department of Interior
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- National Guard Bureau
- U.S. Navy
- U.S. Marshals Service
Purpose of an Agency Forum
Forums provide an opportunity for agencies to update their personnel on agency policies, procedures, and issues to include personnel changes and EEO programs; provide feedback on action items in their Annual EEO Reports identify problems and develop workable solutions in special emphasis programs; introduce new headquarters and field staff; provide a venue for the discussion of concerns; and network with their counterparts from throughout the U.S. and abroad.
Target Audience
An Agency Forum brings together civil rights/equal opportunity
(CR/EO) headquarters and field staff, directors, full-time
and collateral-duty Federal Women’s Program Managers
(FWPMs), and other special emphasis program managers, coordinators
of programs for individuals with disabilities, human resource
staff, agency line managers and supervisors, and other attendees
from respective agencies who have an interest in the subject
areas being addressed at the forum.
Various Formats
Some agencies use the meeting time to update their staff
on internal regulations, policies, and procedures. Others
also contract with trainers to present specific topics related
to equal opportunity, program management, and program-plan
reporting. Many agencies invite their top level management
staff to attend and present information in their support of their federal
CR/EO programs.
Other Benefits
Combining forums with the NTP can result in a savings
in travel expenses for an agency, since many of the individuals
listed above will already be at the meeting site to attend
the NTP. The meeting format offers an opportunity for participants
to meet face-to-face, an invaluable benefit in today’s
work climate of limited travel and heavy dependence on technology
for communication. Many agencies combine participation in
a forum with participation in the NTP Exhibit Hall. By opting
to purchase exhibit space, an agency raises its visibility
with all NTP attendees. This has proven to be an effective
public relations and recruiting tool for many agencies that
exhibit on a recurring basis.
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