Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2008/Visits, mentoring bids to encourage women to join up
By Lisa Smallacombe
Defence Force Recruiting has adopted a two-pronged approach to correcting misconceptions which might act as a bar to women considering Naval careers.
And the organisation is looking for 300 to 400 female volunteers from within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to help educate potential recruits from the Australian community on the reality of life in the RAN today and the opportunities available.
A research paper commissioned by Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) into recruitment of women into Defence found that family history is significantly impacting on the ADF’s ability to recruit women.
The paper says that women who come from families that have no previous association with the services often face a lack of understanding, resistance, and negativity regarding their decision to join the ADF.
In comparison, women with family members currently serving generally experience the opposite, receiving encouragement and support to pursue a career.
The report indicates that women without a past association with the organisation, and their families and friends, often hold significant misconceptions regarding the realities of becoming a serving member.
People still think that the job categories available to women are very limited and that the most acceptable job options for women are in administration, medical or supply specialisations.
Statistics from Financial Year (FY) 2006/07 indicate that more than 1000 women made enquiries into ADF jobs per month, with totals reaching about 12,500 in that FY.
Just under 1000 enlistments were generated from these enquiries, meaning it currently takes about 12 enquiries to generate one female enlistment.
The two-pronged approach to improve the situation involves establishing an alumni visits program and a mentoring program.
A formal alumni visits program, involving current ADF women, is to provide access to schools and community groups to create awareness of the ADF and encourage more positive perceptions among influencers – with the aim of increasing the number of potential candidates.
The mentoring program is to enable candidates and their families to chat in real time - online - with serving female ADF members to gain insight into the real ADF. DFR hopes this initiative will improve the conversion ratio of female enquiries to enlistments.
Director General of Defence Force Recruiting BRIG Simon Gould said DFR has an important challenge on its hands if it’s going to correct misconceptions and encourage more women to consider the tremendous opportunities that are available within the ADF.
“The findings highlight a need to ensure that the broader community is better educated about the realities of an ADF career,” he said.
“For young women who don’t have a cousin, parents, sibling or close friend in the ADF, it can seem a very mysterious place. They imagine that all of the reference points of normal civilian life are lost: no weekends, no social life, few opportunities to wear civilian clothing, and work that predominantly involves combat training.
“While the opportunity to do something worthwhile and serve the country sounds exciting and challenging, it is simply too different and foreign for most to seriously contemplate and our challenge is to make it less daunting and correct the record where misperceptions exist.
“Re-educating influencers is also a priority, so that parents, partners, friends and teachers do not discourage high quality candidates who show interest in ADF careers to vanish from the recruiting process before they have a chance to enlist and see first hand what that career would entail.”
For the alumni visits and mentor programs to be a success DFR needs between 300 and 400 female serving members to volunteer; the aim is to establish a large database of volunteers so that the burden of signing on does not become too much for individual members to take on.
DFR expects that volunteers will only have to conduct one visit or act as a mentor online for one day a year if the required numbers are reached … unless they desire to have a greater involvement.
Female members of the Navy interested in volunteering for these programs should email adf.recruiting@defence.gov.au with the subject line ‘ADF women - mentor and alumni’ and your name, rank, job category and current posting location.
All members of the Navy and their spouses need to be aware of their entitlements in the event of death or serious injury resulting from their military service.
The Head of Personnel Executive, MAJGEN Mick Slater, has written to the Chief of Navy, VADM Russ Shalders, AO, CSC, RAN, in a bid to promote knowledge of the provisions of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme (MRCS).
A fact sheet attached to his letter says members of all three Services are covered by a comprehensive scheme that provides for a range of treatment, rehabilitation and compensation options should they suffer physical or mental injury or contract an illness as a result of their military service, as well a substantial benefits for death as a result of service.
MRCS provisions are law – the relevant legislation is the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs administers claims – www.dva.gov.au.
Details with examples, correct at December 2007, cover compensation for death, rehabilitation, and superannuation benefits on death and invalidity. DVA will determine individual entitlements at the time of any claim.
