WiDI

A Blueprint for your consideration in forming…

WiDIWOMEN IN DEFENCE INTERNATIONAL

Promoting and advancing the role of women in the defence profession and industry

developments for a safer worldEst. 2012

MISSION

•Advance the position of women in the defence industry:

– Promote scientific and technical R&D by women;

– Improve professionals standards; and

– Elevate the position of women to the board level.

•Create more opportunities for growth and advancement for women in the defence arena:

– Foster a mentoring programme;

– Develop professional

MISSION

– Develop professional accreditation and education opportunities; and

– Assist women leaving university or armed forces to leverage their abilities & experiences.

IDENTITY & RATIONALE

• The spirit of this organisation is ancient…

• The legendary Bodica was the first woman leader in the „Military-Industrial Complex“ –albeit nearly 2,000 years agoalbeit nearly 2,000 years ago

• Famous for her skill, strength, strategy, stamina and stature –we seek to advance these attributes in our members within the defence & national security industry

• Bodica sought equality and fairness for her people – we seek equity for women in defence

•Often portrayed with her mistreated daughters at her side, guiding them with wisdom,

IDENTITY & RATIONALE

guiding them with wisdom, strength and insights – we pave a new career path and foster growth for younger colleagues

• Bodica embodies and is the spirit and mission of our organisation

CONTENTS• Running Order of Subsequent Slides:

– Membership

– Organisation

– Proposed Structure

• Includes Focus Areas• Includes Focus Areas

– Requirements (Interim)

– Phased Approach

– Activities

– Ways & Means

– Over to You

MEMBERSHIP

• Full Member– Professional working for a company or consultancy directly related to the defence industry

• Student Member– University student – University student interested in a defence-related career

•Associate Member– Exiting military personnel– Retired professionals

MEMBERSHIP

• Patron

– i.e. member of Royalty invovled with the military

– e.g. the British Princess Royal

•Corporate Sponsor•Corporate Sponsor

– Defence & security-focused companies

– Funding source for grants, awards, events, etc.

ORGANISATION

• Phased Approach

– It will take some time to get this operational

– A phased approach makes the most sense

– Suggest an interim leadership – Suggest an interim leadership team to lay the foundation

– Meet via a conference call and emails in late 2012

– Meet ASAP in person in early 2013

• Agenda to be determined

ORGANISATION• Structure – Interim – Based on the permanent proposed tri-cameral body of a:• Secretariat• Board of Directors & Specialist CommitteesSpecialist Committees• Steering Committee of past board members

• But Speacialist committees and Steering Committees are moot until year 1 as a fully-fledged organisation.

ORGANISATION• First Annual Meeting– Host First Meeting

• February 2013• During IDEX-NAVDEX?• Agree foundation leadership team, roles and activities of each member to build the each member to build the organisation• By-Laws will also be drafted by a special group after the meeting for approval viva voce at 1st full meeting or via email

• Communication & Publicity

– Mönch Publishing Group as sole media partner …for now

– Some tools at our disposal

• MILTECH Blog

• Mönch Linked In Groups &

ORGANISATION

• Mönch Linked In Groups & Web Sites

• Other Benefits TBD

• Facebook & Linked in WiDI groups

• Magazine & Web announcements

STRUCTURE

• Leadership

– Secretariat - Annual

• Led by an elected Secretary General – 2 year term

• Execute mandates of • Execute mandates of the Board as approved by membership

• Heads of Focus Areas assign an annual liaison to Sectrariat

•General Secretariat Committees

– Membership & Education

– PR & Marketing

– Professional Ethics & Standards

STRUCTURE

Standards

– Legal & Human Resources

– Defence Liaison

– CSR

– Meetings and Planning

– 1-year term

•Governing Board Heads of Focus Areas plus a Secretary General

– Drafts all major group by-laws & policies for membership approval

– Sets & decides polcies,

STRUCTURE

– Sets & decides polcies, annual schedules, general meeting agendas

– 2-year term

• Steering Committee

– Outgoing Board members

– Provides guidance & inputs to the Board & activities of the Secretariat

STRUCTURE

Secretariat

– 2 year term

• Industry Special Iterest Groups

– Any member can join, self determining structure

– Focus on:• Weapons, Ammo, Turrets

• Vehicles, Aircraft, Drones

STRUCTURE

• Vehicles, Aircraft, Drones

• Communication, Information Systems, C4ISTAR

• Modelling, Training, Simmulation

• Operational Logistics, Support Services, MRO / LCM, Medical

• Clothing, Protection, Resilience, Textiles

• Engineering, Equipments, Energy, Green Technologies

• R&D, Industrial & Technical Support, Testing

STRUCTURE

• Demilitarisation, Terrain Clearing

• MOUT, Borders & Security, Counter-Terror, Peace Keeping,

• Optronics, Sensors, Measurement

• Avionics, Air Frames – rotary & fixed wing, Space

• Cyber Warfare, Computers

• Air Defence, Missiles

• Naval Assets – above & below Surface

STRUCTURE

Surface

REQUIREMENTS• Immediate / Interim– Board• Volunteers for an interim board

• 3-9 month commitment • organise structure

– Secretariat• Appoint interim Secretary General

• 3-9 month commitment • Organise structure• Manage Focus Areas• Web site & comms

– Permanent Structure

• Agreed by interim board

• Volunteers to head Focus Areas

• 3-9 month commitment

REQUIREMENTS

• 3-9 month commitment

• organise structure

– Finalise timings for phased approach

PHASED APPROACHThe following outlines the timing in which these foundation activities should occur starting from the point of the first meeting of volunteer foundation members.

• Invite interested parties as foundation members = months 1-2 months 1-2

• Invite foundation members to respond to questionnaire about interests & commitments required for starting WiDI = month 2

•Assignments made “staffing” the structure = months 2-3

• Interim Governing & Management structure is put into place = month 3

•Conference call / webinar

PHASED APPROACH

•Conference call / webinar held to confirm & begin organising initial committees within the interim structure = month 4

•Agenda decided for first year‘s activities and planning leading up to the first annual meeting = months 5-6

• Fix date for first annual meeting, agenda & invite

PHASED APPROACH

meeting, agenda & invite potential members = month 6

• Begin promotion & exclusive media partnership with Mönch = month 6

• Seek corporate and institutional sponsors (grants?) = months 6 – 8

PHASED APPROACH

= months 6 – 8

• Host first annual meeting = month 9

– Officers elected, new agendas cast, formalise foundation, etc.

Eventually create multi-national regional groups that fall under this one international supra-organisation

PHASED APPROACH

ACTIVITIES

• Include:

– Mentoring programme

• Career pathways, communication skills

– Best Practice CommitteesCommittees

• From marketing to research protocols

– R&D, Studies, & white paper peer reviews & promotion

– Skills workshops / continuing education & training

– Professional Standards

• From human resources to professional

ACTIVITIES

to professional conduct

– CSR – corporate social responsibility

• From “War children” to ethical bidding practices

ACTIVITIES• Best Practices Programme

– Based on professional & focus areas

– Involves presentations of papers, etc.

•Achievement Awards•Achievement Awards

– Standards

– Research

– Best Practice

– & others that track with WiDI activities and focus areas

• Industry Liaison

– Information & perceptions campaign

– Bi-annual meetings & period events

– Government affairs, etc.

ACTIVITIES

– Government affairs, etc. as required

• Funding

– Self-funding, grants, donations, endowments, etc. (see next section)

WAYS & MEANS

Tools for facilitating interaction within this virtual professional group include, but not limited to these obvious communication channels:

Webinars (sponsored?)• Webinars (sponsored?)

• Email updates

• Conference calls – Skype, etc. – to get organised and undertake administrative work

•Meeting at key international events

• Linked-in discussion groups (WiDI Group is established)

• e-Newsletter

WAYS & MEANS

… And so on, to be used as per the wishes of each group within the organisation.

At some point, the interim governing bodies will have to agree how to fund WiDI –agreeing what is an acceptable and manageable membership fee.

WAYS & MEANS

fee.

Then also determine which are the other financial resources available (grants, EU funding, etc.) and how to access them.

OVER TO YOU

This is just a start – it needs work! But the outlined structure / foundation is ready to be built upon. Please let me know your interest by my personal email

womenindefence@gmail.com, or via our Facebook or Linked in via our Facebook or Linked in Groups (WiDI). This is your professional association. From here, it is up to you. Its success depends on your input, time and participation – and inspiration.

HOW ABOUT IT?

This is Your Invitation to create something great for generations to come – R.S.V.P. to womwnindefence@gmail.com at your soonest convenience.