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) 287-6898 or via e-mail at [email protected]
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. The following federal
agencies conducted agency forums at the FEW 2009 NTP, and FEW
looks forward to again working with these agencies in 2010:
- Department of Agriculture
(USDA)
- Department of Commerce (NOAA)
- Department of Defense (DOD)
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Department of Housing and Human Services (DHHS)
- Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD)
- Department of Interior
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- National Guard Bureau
- Office of Personnel Management
- U.S. Air Force
- 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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