Supporting Women Veterans

1

• Supporting Women Veterans

2
Women Veterans in Transition

• BPW Foundations goal is to transform workplaces
  making them better for employers and employees
  and to develop a workforce that works for women
  and families.

3
Women Veterans

• Women veterans are a growing and important part
  of the U.S. Labor Force.
• 1980 1.1 million women veterans
• 2008 1.8 million women veterans
• 150,000 will transition out during next 5 years
• Women veterans are an under-recognized and
  under-utilized group of working women.

4
Veteran Employment

• Veterans have a higher unemployment rate
• 2006 6.5 unemployment rate for veterans
• 2006 4.7 unemployment rate for nonveterans
• Both male and female veterans had a higher
  unemployment rate than their nonveteran
  counterparties.
• The unemployment rate of male and female veterans
  is roughly the same (6.4 male 7.1 female)

5
Research on Women Veterans

• Women veterans often do not self-identify as
  veterans -- unaware of the services available to
  them
• Women leaving the military often experience
  feelings of isolation and uncertainty about
  post-military career plans
• Women veterans are more likely to be
  underemployed than male veterans, and are 3.6
  times more likely than women who are not veterans
  to become homeless.

6
Research Project on Women Veterans

• GOAL Provide an understanding of the resources
  and needs of women veterans returning to
  civilian life relative to jobs and careers
• SCOPE Assess satisfaction and outcomes of
  transition services and process for 1600 women
  veterans
• OUTCOMES
• Research report and recommendations to better
  serve women veterans in transition
• BPW online resources to support successful
  transition to communities and civilian careers
• Broad promotion of research to engage government
  and businesses in supporting women veterans and
  veteran friendly workplaces

7
Use of Research

• Disseminated to military, womens communities,
  government agencies and the corporate world
• A micro site developed as a public resource and
• Additional research with 800 women veteran
  volunteers is scheduled.
• Informing the design and development of
  strategies for women veterans.
• Working with a major retailer to match women
  veterans with top management jobs
• Gathering additional data based interviews with
  current employees who are women veterans

8
Survey Demographics

• Army 46, Navy 24,
• Air Force 22, Marine Corps -10
• 75 percent between ages 30-40
• White/Non-Hispanic (50 percent), Black/NH (30
  percent), Hispanic (10 percent)
• Average time of service 12 years
• 86 percent enlisted and 14 percent officers
• Average age at military separation -- 33 years
• Average time out of service -- 7 years

9
Survey Demographics

• Almost 50 percent reported having a disability
• 80 percent had some college at time of
  separation
• 90 percent had some college at the time of the
  survey
• Over half those surveyed were married and had
  dependents at the time of the survey
• About half reported they were the primary earners
  in their household.

10
What We Learned

• One Size does not fit all
• Programs and services must be tailored
• Transition is multidimensional
• Marital status, dependents and education level,
  play role in determining choices made during the
  transition

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What Do Women Veterans Need?

• To begin their transition prior to separation
  from the military.
• Collaboration between social and business
  organizations to educate them about veteran
  benefits and services.
• Extended timeframe of transition support.
• To network and seek mentors join veterans
  service and professional organizations.

12
What Do Women Veterans Need?

• Employers that understand and appreciate the
  unique leadership qualities and transferable
  skills that women veterans have to offer.
• Women- and veteran-friendly workplaces ensure
  that structure and workplace culture is
  reflective.
• Integration into existing leadership training
  within workplaces and through organizations.

13
What Do Women Veterans Need?

• Public/private partnerships to conduct research
  on the career transition, adjustment experiences
  and needs of all veterans.
• Partners and employers to collect and share
  success stories and lessons learned.
• For employers and policy makers to understand
  that many workplace challenges experienced by
  women veterans are shared by all working women.

14
BPW Foundation Supports Women Veterans

• Women Joining Forces Closing Ranks, Opening
  Doors - provides programming and resources to
  support women veterans and their families as they
  return to their civilian lives, as well as
  military spouses.
• BPW Foundation's work for women veterans is
  supported by the Women Joining Forces (WJF)
  Advisory Council.
• www.womenjoiningforces.org

15
BPW Foundation Supports Women Veterans

• Moving From Red to Green Working Women in a
  Green Economy -- research pilot project funded
  by Walmart Foundation.
• Trains women for jobs in the Green economy
• www.bpwfoundation.org/redtogreen
• One of the first four pilot training sites is the
  Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service Education
  Center.
• This site will be increasing its efforts and
  programs to meet job training needs of women
  veterans.

16
BPW Foundation Supports Women Veterans

• Connect-A-Vet - Helpful resources especially for
  veterans providing information to use during
  transition from the military to civilian life,
  searching for a new career or seeking support for
  families.
• BPW Career Center - The Career Center was
  expressly designed to highlight employers with
  benefits that support both women and veterans.
• Dear Jane campaign - Letter-writing campaign
  connects women who are currently serving in the
  military with women veterans who have already
  transitioned from deployment.

17
Dear Jane Campaign

• Letters will provide real examples and lessons
  learned to ease the transition of women exiting
  the military. Letters will be sent in observance
  of Veterans Day.
• The campaign is made possible in part by support
  of the Disabled American Veterans Charitable
  Service Trust
• www.bpwfoundation.org/dearjane

18
BPW Foundations Commitment

• A successful job is essential for a woman veteran
  to take care of herself and those they love
• BPW Foundation is committed to help women
  veterans find those jobs and to ensure employers
  understand the worth of our women veterans, our
  sheroes.