IPCSA Gender Committee Minutes from October 18, 2006

The following were present for the meeting at IPCSA in Peoria, Illinois:

Co Chairs: Ava Carpenter (Sangamon County), Tracy Phillabaum (DuPage County) and

Melissa Spooner (Cook County). 

Committee Members: Jessica Evers (Rock Island), Diane Gonzalez (Lake County), Jana Haskins (Rock Island) and Rick Tekip (Cook County).

After introductions, we discussed what the interest is for people to be part of the committee.  We also were curious if other counties were able to send people to conferences due to budget issues.  Some of the reasons for attending were:

·        Enjoyment of working with women/girls

·        Networking with other professionals in the field

·        Resources could be shared and let’s not reinvent the wheel! Lets see how other people are working with this population! 

·        Share the male perspective and how a male PO can be a voice in working with girls

·        Passion for the topic

·        Central place to gather all information in Illinois for both adult and juvenile

One member stated she did not know about the committee, and will certainly spread the word.  For this conference, we tried to notify everyone about the committee and this was accomplished in two ways. At the registration table, we had the brochure available for all participants at the conference.  In addition, flyers were made which announced the meeting and also had information about the craft sale in the spring.  Hopefully adding this information will increase the interest in the committee and the craft sale. 

Currently the co-chairs have fulfilled their two year commitment to the committee.  Each of us gave some insight about the committee and the obligations a co-chair has.  At this time, the three co-chairs are able to continue with the obligations of co-chairing the committee if there was no other interest. Since no one volunteered to be a co-chair, Tracy Phillabaum, Melissa Spooner and Ava Carpenter will remain as the co-chairs until 2008. 

The resource guide is one of the projects the committee has produced in the past.  The idea is to provide a comprehensive guide to programming for women and girls throughout the State.  A resource guide was created in 2004 and it appears the information is extremely outdated and incorrect.  As a result, each member at the meeting agreed to contact circuits and discuss the following information:

·        Contact name, address, phone/fax and email for the person/people who are doing female responsive programming.  We also need the current CMO information.

·        What type of programming is offered? Is it for women or girls? What other resources are available?

·        Gender Committee: What it is and invitation to next meeting:  February 16, 2007 in Bloomington at the Illinois State University Bone Center at 10:30 am.

·        Our 3^rd craft sale will be at the Spring Conference in Bloomington.  We would appreciate any handmade items made from your girls or women to sell at the craft fair. The proceeds made from the crafts will be donated to a community agency in the host site for the spring conference. We are asking for the crafts to be completed by March 1^st. 

Melissa and Rick will contact Cook County adult and juvenile and circuits 1-5 for the resource guide.

Ava will contact circuits 6-9.

Jana and Jessica will contact circuits 10-14.

Tracy will contact circuits 15-18.

Diane will contact circuits 19-21.

Each of us will obtain the above information and will forward the information to any of the co-chairs by February 1, 2007.  This information will be compiled for the meeting on the 16^th of February for all to review.

Thank you to everyone for helping out!

Since Ava was the only co-chair attending the entire conference, she agreed to speak at the breakfast for the committee update. Thanks Ava!

Ava will also locate an agency for the Spring conference in Bloomington.

In terms of the craft fair, the committee agreed to donate at least $150 to the agency in the host county. The committee would keep at least $50 for miscellaneous funds needed throughout the year.  If the craft fair has a larger profit, the committee would decide how much to donate.