Publications - Setting up a Women's Network: A Checklist

Issue	Questions	Ideas, Issues and Strategies
Why establish a women's network?	Is your organisational environment likely to support a women's network? Who wants the network to happen? What events have led to this decision?	Consult with (or survey) women about their needs ideas willingness to be involved Learn about the strengths and possibilities of women's networks Find out how senior staff in the organisation feel about a women's network Find out what resources can be committed to the network
What will it do?	What are your goals/purpose? Will the network make recommendations to senior management about improving the workplace? How?	Set clear and measurable goals, for example: increase women's sense of organisational belonging and purpose (measured by improved retention rates) provide a space for sharing positive and negative experiences (measured by attitude surveys and observational feedback that show increased morale) provide opportunities for women's viewpoints to be passed to senior management to enable positive and inclusive cultural change (measured by take up of recommendations) offer role modelling and informal mentoring to increase younger women's motivation, for example by exposing them to different management styles (measured by satisfaction surveys, increase in numbers of women applying for training/promotion and improved retention rates) provide career development forums - e.g. information sessions, individual advice, funding to attend women in leadership development programs offer personal and professional skills development provide discussion forums to learn about diversity and gender issues (e.g. glass ceiling effects) foster interpersonal connections to build women's status and profile within the organisation (social capital)
Who will champion the network? How can you ensure support?	Who owns/auspices the network? Who will drive it? Where does it sit within/outside the organisation? What opposition (if any) might exist?	Identify important champions Seek senior management endorsement (where appropriate) Establish clear reporting lines and processes to link the network to senior management Link network goals with organisational goals (value for money/allocated resources) Link network to existing diversity initiatives Communicate with all staff to avoid any misunderstandings about the network and its purpose
Who is it for?	Will the network be open to all women in your organisation? Only managers? Restricted to senior managers? Will it include women on leave, or former staff? What are the political and practical implications of these decisions?	Communicate widely to encourage women's participation. Options include direct invitation, organisation-wide newsletters, via performance appraisals, through team and section meetings. If you have a group of women from similar backgrounds (restricted diversity), your network may not benefit from new information and new perspectives. You may want to implement strategies to increase and diversify your network: use existing communication lines to reach women who may not know of the network identify and approach women who would benefit from, or contribute to, the network, but haven't self nominated hold supportive, non-threatening functions to encourage new and junior staff to participate diversify the time/place/mode/style/content of your activities to meet the interests of diverse women ask managers to actively encourage women's participation in the network, either informally or through performance review If you have a diverse group of women - Gen X and baby boomers, Anglo/NESB, able bodied/disabled, senior managers/frontline staff -consider having a range of strategies and activities to address specific needs as well as running events for all women
What shape will the network have?	What activities will you offer? What strategies will you put in place?	Some ideas are: information sessions for women on a range of relevant issues working groups on important issues that require change skilling sessions and coaching to encourage personal and professional development research activities to gather information: small focus groups, interviews, surveys liaison with senior management about new structures or communication lines building an online data base of members profiles developing an intranet site for women Regular feedback and collaboration will ensure ongoing relevance.
Where and how will the networking happen?	Is this in paid time, over lunch or in working hours? Will part-time or shift workers be paid to attend if the meeting times are scheduled outside their working time? What support is there for women with children to access out-of-hours meetings?	Options for delivery include: Online chat rooms/bulletin boards/newsletters Print communications/newsletters Social and professional development events within work time Social and professional development events outside work time (formal, informal)
How will you get feedback and evaluate your success?	What do you want to monitor and evaluate? How will you allow time for collaboration and reflection?	The following changes can be measured: Reactions Learnings Behaviour Participation levels Results System changes Your evaluation tools might include group interviews, individual interviews, data analysis and surveys. Remember to include both participants and senior managements/team leaders in your evaluations.