Women Vetrepreneurship Program will help vets become economically independent
BY KIMBERLY ELSHAM For Sun-Times Media October 22, 2012 11:22AM
Women's Veterans Fair
Oct. 27
College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn
The Women's Business Development Center and AllenForce, a nonprofit created to help veterans transition to civilian life through fitness training and recreation, will have booths Oct. 27 at the Illinois Women's Veterans Fair held at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. To learn more, call the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs at (217) 782-3418 or email womenveterans@illinois.gov.
Schedule of events:
noon — 4 p.m.: Resource booths open
1:30 p.m.: Opening ceremony featuring keynote by IDVA Director Erica Borggren
2:30 — 4 p.m.: Workshops on PTSD/MST, Resiliency and Transitioning
4:15 p.m.: Screening in the Veterans Lounge of "The Invisible War," a documentary by Oscar- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Kirby Dick about the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military
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Updated: October 25, 2012 2:34PM
In the Chicago area, several groups serve the growing population of female veterans and their specific needs: to help them navigate the maze of qualification, registration and utilization, and also to feel empowered to succeed.
Since 1986, the Women’s Business Development Center has served more than 66,000 Chicago-area women. The center’s next project, a partnership with the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, will serve female vets to help them be financially independent through entrepreneurship. The Women Vetrepreneurship Program is still in its planning stages, with a goal of launching in January.
In light of sometimes disappointing job-placement statistics for female veterans, said WBDC Chief Development Officer Georgia Marsh, business ownership can be a good alternative. Women in this group have traits well suited to this endeavor such as leadership, perseverance, organization and dealing with uncertainty, she added.
In addition to WBDC’s standard training in entrepreneurship and business mentoring, the program is working on adding a direct-lending component for female vets with entrepreneurial aspirations.
Interested vets and organizations can contact Marsh directly at gmarsh@wbdc.org for program updates.
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