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2009 News Articles › WIP Project Supports Disadvantaged Women
WIP Project Supports Disadvantaged Women
Article Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
The Women in the Profession Committee of the North Carolina
Bar Association is launching a pilot program, “Rise and Shine,” designed to
assist disadvantaged women who are searching for employment.
The program debuts in Raleigh on Sept. 21-22 with the hope and expectation
that it will be replicated throughout the state in the future.
But first thing’s first: the committee needs your help in making the initial
installment of Rise and Shine the public service success that it deserves to
be.
“Our greatest need right now is clothing, and specifically business casual
clothing, that these women can wear to their job interviews,” stated Diane
Tindall who chairs the Women in the Profession Committee. “We especially need
larger sizes. Formal business attire such as business suits are not needed as
much as business casual such as skirts, jackets, tops and slacks.”
To facilitate delivery of donated clothing, Tindall and fellow committee
members Jackie Hughes, Mary Nash Rusher and Donna Rutala are accepting donations
at their respective Raleigh law offices. Here is the contact information for all
four:
Diane Tindall
Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton
4101 Lake Boone Trail,
Suite 300
dtindall@wyrick.com, 919-781-4000
Jackie Hughes
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice
150 Fayetteville St.,
Suite 2100
jaterry@wcsr.com, 919-755-2190
Mary Nash Rusher
Hunton Williams
One Bank of America Plaza, Suite
1400
421 Fayetteville St.
mnrusher@hunton.com; 919-899-3066
Donna Rutala
Young Moore and Henderson
3101 Glenwood Ave.
drr@youngmoorelaw.com,
919-782-6860
“Rise and Shine” was formulated in response to then-President Charles
Becton’s charge to NCBA sections and committees to establish injustice
initiatives in 2008-09. Female members of the bar will work with disadvantaged
women in need of employment to help them develop the basic tools and skills they
will need to effectively compete for jobs.
The pilot program has been organized in conjunction with the Helen Wright
Center for Women of the Wake County Urban Ministries.
“Things that most of us would take for granted, such as filling out an online
job application, present a real barrier for many of these women,” Tindall said.
“But in so many instances, the companies where they are applying only accept
online applications.
“So it will be important to us when we are conducting the program that our
volunteers bring their laptop computers if they are able to do so.”
The agenda for the two-night program, which will be held from 5 to 8:30 each
night at the First Baptist Church in Raleigh, includes the following
components:
- Employment Resources in Wake County
- Applications and Background Checks
- Instructional Workshop (Internet use, g-mail accounts, etc.)
- What Job Applicants should know about Employment Law
- What Job Applicants should know about Criminal Law
- Interviewing Tips and Traps
- Interviewing Demonstration: Good and Bad Interviews
- Fashion Show: Do’s and Don’ts for Interviewing
- Mock Interviews
- Clothing Selections