Ventura County 
Diana Goodrow, CAWA Ventura County Policy Chair, Co-Chair Study on the Status of Women and Girls
Ventura County Report
Status of Women and Girls in Ventura County – 2012
Over the past several months, the Ventura County Commission for Women has successfully
worked with independent researchers, community/business leaders, university colleagues,
parents, and students to gather input about county needs and inequities as they relate to women
and girls. The result is the Status of Women and Girls in Ventura County Report.
While the report does not provide a formal or prioritized “call to action,” it is hoped that the
report will serve as a catalyst for many significant large and small “calls to action” throughout
Ventura County. The Commission encourages government agencies, nonprofit organizations,
schools, clubs, and other groups to review the “snapshot in time” findings in relation to specific
areas of expertise and/or interest. Collectively, and as individuals, interested readers can address
the disparities that are evident in many areas of the county.
The Status of Women and Girls in Ventura County Report provides valuable demographic,
socioeconomic, and other baseline data in four (4) areas that were selected by the Commissioners
as being of particular importance when analyzing the status of women and girls in Ventura
County.
See the PDF for the full report.
News and events: By Diana Goodrow, CAWA County Coordinator, 2010
Ventura County, Implementing the Beijing Platform – a Model for Collaboration
In one of the most populous, diverse, and economically challenged counties in California, a model has been crafted to address women’s issues – a model begging to be replicated. It is a collaborative model with a clearly defined purpose and a tool kit to guide groups in other regions. The Ventura County Women’s Forum Collaborative (VCWFC) is a group of activists and organizations dedicated to understanding and taking action on issues concerning women in Ventura County – check out their website http://www.vcwf.org/ .
Founded following the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/, Diana Goodrow and Cecilia Fargo returned to California riding a wave of enthusiasm in the state with the formation of the California Women’s Agenda (CAWA), and with the conviction to take action, they began to build an action collaborative.
VCWFC participants share a common goal: to study the twelve critical concerns identified at the first Women’s Conference in Beijing, 1995. Today, VCWFC has grown to include nearly sixty organizations ranging from Catholic Charities to Planned Parenthood, tackling issues ranging from domestic violence to job training to senior care. The group also hosts large public Forums on the twelve critical concerns to catalyze activism and cooperation in the community.
The diversity of organizations involved is remarkable, but even more impressive is the clarity of purpose and protocols binding them. From their recent “Economic Insecurity” Forum, these protocols worked so well that VCWFC has created a How We Did It Toolkit for other groups to use. (Soon to be available in a PDF) It includes all the elements needed to organize a diverse collaborative and to mount public forums with guidelines for fundraising, marketing, logistics, etc. This is an excellent model of shared purpose supported by a well designed infrastructure. Women’s Intercultural Network (WIN), ‘Mothership’ to the California Women’s Agenda (CAWA), encourages you to get a copy for use in your organization and state. California is using this model to convene ‘Women’s Economic Security Forums” throughout the state so all women can benefit from the economic recovery.
Ventura County Economic Justice Women’s Forum
Saturday, October 14, 2006
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Grand Vista Hotel 999 Enchanted Way
Simi Valley, CA
This County is a work in progress. Stay tuned for actions, events and updates!