womeninthewoods

Women in the Woods: 

Women in the Woods Women in the woods

The Vision: 

The Vision

Enable women to feel ownership in the beautiful gift of nature: 

Enable women to feel ownership in the beautiful gift of nature This is a program to help women go a step beyond their perceived limit and strive for personal potential. Connect women with the wilderness and enforce the concept that the outdoors is a play ground and classroom for both men and women and that finding a niche in nature should not be intimidating.

Transfer skills acquired from outdoor experience into one’s own life: 

Transfer skills acquired from outdoor experience into one’s own life Confidence Thoroughness Attitude Teamwork Organization Balance Readiness Empowerment Maintenance Simplicity

Learn new skills in a comfortable, safe and fun environment: 

Learn new skills in a comfortable, safe and fun environment Give women the confidence, competence and familiarity to initiate trips into the wilderness on their own This is an event where women can gain valuable knowledge in a non-intimidating setting Create a strong community of women that enjoy the outdoors and provide a network for further adventure.

Heighten Awareness of important issues: 

Heighten Awareness of important issues Environmental issues: Stewardship and preservation, Leave No Trace, natural history, flora and fauna, etc. Women’s issues: social and health related (breast cancer awareness, sexual discrimination, abuse, social constructs)

Give Back the Gift!: 

Give Back the Gift! Profits of Women in the Woods would go to benefit a women’s cause (breast cancer, women’s shelter, etc.) Women will have the opportunity to be involved with programs where they can give back their developed guiding skills (Girl’s Rock, Passage Northwest, WIW, etc.)

Who, What, When, and Where: 

Who, What, When, and Where

Who?: 

Who? ALL Women! Ages ranging from children to grandmothers Single, Married, Rich, or Poor Experienced outdoor women and women new to outdoor activities. Anybody who wants to further the vision of WIW can help make it a reality

What?: 

What? Multi-day event taking place on a weekend Approximately 20-40 activities/clinics for the purpose of learning fun and useful skills for enjoying the outdoors All clinics will be for women and taught by women Clinics will be arranged in accordance with experience and interest level Closing celebration at end of weekend

Possible clinics and trips: 

Possible clinics and trips Whitewater rafting Climbing: both rock climbing and ice climbing Backpacking Hiking Caving Mountaineering Orienteering Challenge courses Biking Kayaking Windsurfing Surfing Skiing Fly fishing Environmental Stewardship Outdoor survival skills

When: 

When Annually occurring event Late spring or late summer “Women in the Woods Weekend” could become a well recognized celebration like Earthday. Outdoor excursions will continue throughout the year as interest grows

Where: 

Where First Women in the woods will take place in the Pacific Northwest (Bellingham, WA) Possible playgrounds: North Cascade National Forest, San Juan Islands, British Columbia . . . As well as further possibilities

Women in the woods will be made possible through:: 

Women in the woods will be made possible through: Women guides volunteering their time and knowledge to teach clinics Grants and Underwrites Sponsors Women taking part in the clinics and trips to learn about the wonders of the outdoors Volunteers dedicated to the vision of Women in the woods

Dates: 

Dates WWU Women in the woods test pilot: Spring 2003 First Official Women in the Woods: Spring 2004 Eventually Women in the woods could feasibly become both a national and international annual event

Balance: 

Balance

Where do you fit in?: 

Where do you fit in?

Progress-Crews : 

Progress-Crews GON! (Get Out Now) Publicity/Promotion/Market Research Video & Website Guide Recruitment Event Programming & Logistics Gear & Equipment Expansion & Contacts Funding

G.O.N. (Get Out Now): 

G.O.N. (Get Out Now) “Fuel for the Engine” Keep the momentum going by providing an active network of current excursions

Publicity/Promotion/Market Research: 

Publicity/Promotion/Market Research Create Publication materials: Brochures, posters, fliers Design t-shirts to sell Determine the best ideas according to tested input Create a strategic way to reach future participants Deal with press releases/radio spots, etc.

Website & Video: 

Website & Video Responsible for: Designing a promotional video that explains the vision in a dynamic way Designing & maintaining a website on Western’s server Working with Wilderness Technology Alliance to develop a long-term interactive site

Funding: 

Funding Grant Writing Search for Sponsors, Grants and other sources of funding. Write proposals and applications Fundraising: T-shirt sales, donation, specific trips, CPR/First aid courses, etc Accounting of money, and budgeting

Guide Recruitment: 

Guide Recruitment Make contact with guiding agencies: NOLS, Outward Bound, RMI, AAI, etc Determine how to keep quality control of guides high as to maximize safety (create application and selection process, requirements, etc) Implement a program that would train future guides (GIT- Guide In Training)

Event Programming and Logistics: 

Event Programming and Logistics Arrange Times/Places of Celebration Event Determine costs of each trip and other logistics Link together all aspects of the weekend: --clinics and excursions -coordinate registration - organize slideshow, guest speaker, celebration ideas, recognition -lots of very necessary details for a successful event!

Gear and Equipment: 

Gear and Equipment Develop a gear swap/borrow board on-line Determine ways to get gear Utilize the existing gear rental through the Outdoor Center (try and make a deal!) Design an inventory for all accumulated community gear Determine the needs of each event and then report to Logistics

Expansion and Contacts: 

Expansion and Contacts Build the metaphorical “tracks” to guide the direction of WIW Keep an eye on long-term goals as well as develop an ongoing strategy and plan for Women in the Woods Develop/nurture contacts and arrange recruitment trips to start Women in the Woods in new locations, (Missoula, Eugene, Norway) Work on the CD ROM project which will be the interactive manual to start up WIW anywhere.

Slide29: 

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams” –Eleanor Roosevelt