PHASE Celebrates 20 Years Helping Women

Laura, a mother of three children, arrived in Tucson from a Battered Women's shelter where she was given a referral to PHASE, the Project for Homemakers in Arizona Seeking Employment, a program of the College of Agriculture.

Within two weeks she was enrolled in a PHASE workshop and doors began to open for her future. Through PHASE, Laura received a training scholarship.

"The staff believed in me when I didn't believe in myself," says Laura. "I am now employed and off welfare, thanks to PHASE."

PHASE is celebrating its 20^th year helping single parents and displaced homemakers enter education or training programs that lead to employment.

"The award winning program has helped over 6,000 women since its beginning," says Diane Wilson, PHASE Program Director.

Seventy-five percent of participants find jobs within six months and the remaining 25 percent enroll in job-related training or education, which leads to employment.

Over the past five years the PHASE program has grown to include training and scholarship assistance in non-traditional career opportunities for women from electricians, plumbers, machinists, carpentry, to mechanics.

"PHASE is the statewide program for non-traditional employment for women," says Wilson. "It is a big part of what we are doing."

Today, over 20-30 percent of the women in the PHASE program are involved in non-traditional career opportunities.

PHASE is funded by two grants from the Arizona Department of Education and community donations.

Businesses should embrace a new inclusiveness that welcomes immigrants and welfare recipients into the workforce, according to the head of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

"Our economic success in the new economy depends, in large degree, on the benefits of diversity," said Jerry Jasinowski, NAM President.

Jasinowski encourages businesses to make a commitment to put three percent of their earnings toward lifelong learning programs for their employees. He said employee empowerment is not just another faddish phrase, but crucial to success.

Education and empowerment will not stimulate growth without giving employees a good incentive. Incentive-based pay, stock ownership, and other compensation benefits are the model for the new economy, he said.

Reprinted from the BNAC COMMUNICATOR, 9439 Key West Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850-3396

The Changing Face of the United States

• White non-Hispanics will comprise 49% of the net new entrants into the workforce between 1994-2005, minorities 51% and women from all ethnic groups 62%.
• Women account for 46% of the labor force, up from 29% in 1950.
• Persons with physical and mental challenges comprise the single largest "minority" (approximately 45 million individuals).
• 80 languages are currently spoken in California.
• 90% of male executives under 40 are fathers and 35% of female executives under 40 are mothers.
• It is estimated that 1 in 10 Americans is gay/lesbian.
• The two most racially and ethnically diverse states are California and New Mexico. The two least diverse are Maine and Vermont.
• 35-54 year olds will increase from 38% to 51% from 1985-2000.
• Of the 8.7 million immigrants who arrived in the U.S. between 1980 and 1990, 23.7% have college degrees as compared to 20.3% of U.S. natives who have college degrees.

National MultiCultural Institute, 1997

Active Listening: A Diversity Skill

In an increasingly diverse workplace and marketplace active listening is no longer an optional communication skill.

To be a good active listener you should be open to feedback and coaching to improve your listening skills.

Active listening comes from both sides of the conversation being actively involved. Each side needs to coach the other to make sure the message gets through clearly.

A simple framework is to be sensitive to the dimensions of communication: what you intend to communicate versus what you actually say and do (what really matters).

Intent
(What you meant to say)
vs.
Impact
(What you actually said/did)

Not sure of the difference? Ask your colleagues. Am I a good listener? Remember, you might think you are, but others might feel differently. Be open to coaching and constructive feedback.

Managing Diversity, February 1998

Checklist for Active Listeners

___ Do you paraphrase or rephrase what has been said before you respond?
___ Do you seek clarification (I'm not quite sure what you mean)?
___ Do you open all meetings with meeting ground rules (including one person speaks at a time)?
___ Do you encourage everyone to participate?
___ Do you look at and make eye contact with your colleagues when they are talking to you?
___ Do you make every effort to understand the question from the questioner's point of view?
___ Do you seek an immediate response or run quick meetings (some people need more time to process new information)?
___ Are you aware of the numerical imbalance in meetings (men vs. women)?
___ Do you go around the table and address each person by name and give them an opportunity to speak?
___ Do you watch for body language and indicators that certain individuals want to participate but look frustrated because peers keep cutting them off?
___ Do you have meetings where a few voices dominate the meeting?
___ Do you remain neutral until all points of view have been presented?
___ Do you balance participation between different styles?

These questions are meant to provoke thought and discussion.

If you answer no to any of these, the impact your actions have on others may vary from your intentions.

Active listening is a way to bring your impact closer to the intended effect.

Reprinted from Managing Diversity, February 1998

What's New

The Guide to Multicultural Resources features major multicultural Internet websites and over 3,600 updated entries. The guide includes chapters on African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Native American, and Multicultural resources.

Each chapter features an introductory article on current trends, annotated resource lists of current books, videos, magazines, radio stations, and websites, comprehensive descriptive directories to arts and cultural organizations, associations, civil rights groups, colleges and universities, federal agencies, festivals, fraternities and sororities, libraries, museums, religious organizations, social services organizations, academic programs, and women's organizations.

Indexes are included for organization names, executives, geographical locations, videos, electronic and print resources, and subjects.

"If you think you are too small to be effective, you've never been in bed with a mosquito."