How to Organize a DA Women's Caucus for your Country or Chapter

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE GWC STARTER KIT including Introductory slides, Comms tips and how-tos!

First Steps

1. Talk your country committee leadership and let them know you want to form a GWC group.
2. Please make sure you have joined the GWC by going to https://www.democratsabroad.org/wc and clicking the join button.
3. Country Committee chairs can request an email alias from Global IT for a Country-level  Women’s Caucus Chair.
4. Fill out our registration form:  https://forms.gle/izUmsM1GLaGSaJvw7
5. Sign a confidentiality agreement Blank DA Confidentiality Agreement form and upload the form here: Confidentiality Agreement Uploads
6. Once it is submitted email womenscaucus@democratsabroad.org  and let us know you have completed step one and two.

As soon as we receive your email, we will register you as an official Women’s  Caucus group and contact you with further information.

Before your first meeting

• Discuss a good launch date/event with your  local Chapter/Country leaders.
• GWC can also assist in choosing a good launch date.
  • It might be fun to choose a date when other countries/cities are also having launch parties, or on a significant day in feminist history. Click here for suggestions
• Announcements could be made in a country-wide "newsletter blast" asking for organizing volunteers for each interested city.
• GWC maintains a list of global volunteers that we can steer your way. Just ask us!
• The GWC Comms team can publicize your upcoming first meeting(s) on our website and Facebook page in addition to your country pages.
  (RSVPs will remain on your own country page)
• Let us know how many chapters in your country are participating.
• A WebEx connection between chapter cities is useful and fun during your events.   You can check in on each other at various points and even plan a joint activity.
• Encourage everyone to join the caucus ahead of time on the DA website so they are on our mailing list.
  • And remember, it's not just for women!
• Encourage organizing volunteers to explore our Wiki to learn more about the caucus and DA. We strive to continually add to and update our materials.
  • You can also find DA logos, graphics and templates on the Wiki that you might like to use.
  • Our team can help with materials such as Logo cloth bags, Letterhead, Buttons, Banners etc. 

At your first meeting

• The following activities are just a few examples of what a new group might consider doing, and each chapter should naturally feel free to create its own unique event.
• All caucus launch parties should however have these same four main goals in mind.
• It is also nice to make some real-time connections with other caucus parties if possible, by WebEx or Skype.

The four main goals at your first meeting should be:

1. •  getting to know each other
   •  learning about the GWC and its goals
   • defining roles within your group
   • Choosing one first project

1. Getting to know each other

• Have everyone introduce themselves and say a word or two about what motivated them to join the caucus.
• Follow-up questions could be:
  • What worries you most right now?
  • What gives you the most hope?
  • What other advocacy groups do members belong to?
    • Could any of these groups partner with your women's caucus?
• Consider showing a very short motivational film clip such as Alice Walker's poem "Democratic Womanism," or one of the many clips of Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey etc.
• You could also kick off with our own short GWC motivational video clip

2. Learning about the GWC

• Hold a group reading of our statement of purpose.
  Splitting up the text among members and reading aloud can be very motivating!
• Show one of our short PowerPoint presentations on "who we are and what we do"
• Check out our website to find out more about our Issues and Action Teams, Events and the latest GWC news

• Discuss ways in which your group might work toward our global goals on a local level.

3. Defining Roles

• Designate at least one contact person in each chapter who can interface with your country chair and/or GWC chair  
• A Country-level Women's Caucus Chair can be either appointed or elected by the Country Executive Committee
• Try to make sure at least one of your members can attend  Global WebEx meetings.
• If the group is large, you might need to assign other roles covering areas such as event planning, communication, secretary etc.

4. Choosing a first project.

• Refer to our ever-expanding document "Activities and Projects for your Caucus" on our wiki for ideas on what other groups are doing.
  Some general categories for activities include:
  • Educating yourselves and others on the issues
  • Monitoring and engaging your legislators in the U.S.
  • Familiarizing yourselves with our women legislators, party leaders and candidates.
  • Sponsoring events
  • Participating in events sponsored by other DA caucuses.
  • Participating in Global women's caucus on-line events
  • Joining DA “Calls to Action,” updated regularly on our website and Facebook page.
• Contact GWC leadership at womenscaucus@democratsabroad.org for ideas on how your group can connect with one of our GWC Issue Action Teams including ERA, Reproductive Rights, Candidate Research and Communications Special Themed Projects

After your first meeting

• Share pictures of your events with us, preferably with a short text, so that we can post them on our Women’s Facebook page and our monthly newsletter.
  They could also go up on your own local DA chapter page. 
• We would also love to post the "news" story about your event when you're done. Send us a story and some photos!
• Unless you have a very large and busy group, we would prefer that you do not start an additional Facebook page or website for your caucus.  It is best to bundle our strength.
  Share your posts to our Global Women's Caucus page and we will spread the news.
• Keep the communications going with the global group through social media, newsletters and participation in our  WebEx meetings.
• Keep the communications going within your own group.
  • Send them articles you think are interesting, important, etc. even if they don’t have to be sent to the global group.
  • Ask specific people in your own group to be on the look out for interesting articles they come across in their areas, for interesting people who might speak to your group.
• Let your country and global chairs know if you are planning an event to which all members may be invited.
  We can help you get the word out.
• If members of your group have special skills (graphic artists, IT specialists, expertise in communication, political organizing, event planning etc.), we would love to hear from them.
• Be careful about participating in any kind of protest under the DA women’s caucus banner.  Please consult your chapter chair or the Global Women’s Caucus Chair. Guidelines for protests and vigils as well as guidelines for social media can be found on our Wiki.
• Never hesitate to reach out to the GWC chair with questions, problems, suggestions, or just to share a short chat!