Twinning is one of the most sensible and successfully implemented ideas: Clubs join beyond their national boundaries and become friends and partners in achieving common goals.

• If you would like to form links with another BPW Club in another country, whether in the same region or a different one, the following guidelines should be of assistance.

• Foster friendship and mutual co-operation through the exchange of experiences and joint activities.
• Promote the BPW Aim of equality and the achievement of common goals
• Increase the effectiveness of international networking between business and professional women
• Support the interchange of developmental opportunities

• Write to the Coordinator of the Twinning Task Force
  

Megan Smith
43 Breeze Street
Umina Beach
NSW.     2257
Australia
Email smitkim@bigpond.net.au

• Give her the following information:
  ¨ The country/countries or towns/cities in which you would like to find a "twin" club
  ¨ information about your club - members' interests/careers/ activities.
  ¨ why you want to twin - what benefits you expect to gain or to give.

• The Coordinator together with the Regional team member will try to match you with a club in ONE of the countries you have nominated, which has also shown interest in twinning. (There is no restriction on the number of partnerships but it is better to concentrate on twinning with one club at a time)
• Both clubs will be given the other club’s contact name and address and asked to contact each other. Please keep the Coordinator informed of all your early contacts so that if they are not successful or are not suitable you can be offered an alternative.
• Once you have established contact and agreed to twin, a Twinning Certificate will be issued. Three copies of the certificate will be signed by the International President and the Presidents of both clubs and possibly may be presented at an event to commemorate the twinning. Each club will have one copy of the certificate, the third is held at BPW International HQ.

• FRIENDSHIP and an exchange of news and ideas to gain an appreciation and understanding of the issues and life style in each other’s country are the immediate benefits. Where logistically possible, single members or parties of members may make exchange visits particularly in the regions where travel is easier (such as Europe) and this contributes enormously to their international understanding. However, the main communication between clubs is through correspondence, which has been made much simpler by the use of email.
• JOINT PROJECTS. Some clubs have found that they have a shared interest in the research and study of certain topics related to our aims and have set up joint projects. EXAMPLES: “Violence in the family and the Girl Child” is the work topic of three clubs, Roma Uno, Verona Est (Italy) and Limmasol /Nicosia (Cyprus). A number of clubs are cooperating with Torino (Italy) as the leader in the study of the different regional problems faced by the girl child. Their findings are communicated to Headquarters and can be used for BPW International representation. At the Vancouver Congress, twinning partners took joint responsibility for workshops.
• ASSISTANCE FOR PROJECTS. This can take many forms from mentoring, career and business advice to more practical forms of assistance such as the provision of books and material resources which the beneficiary club finds difficult to obtain in their country. EXAMPLES: Kadoma, (Zimbabwe) has supported the Kadoma Prosperity project, making garments using the equipment and knitting yarn supplied by their twin club, Needles (California). Needles is also helping their other twin club Kumba (Cameroon) to acquire funding to provide adequate housing for a girl secondary students. A past president of New Zealand organizes trips to Nepal taking with her clothes and toys donated by New Zealand members for use by the Nepalese members. Lausanne (Switzerland) sends finance to Kathmandu for their projects of crèches, secretarial college, literacy and sewing classes.
• FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. There are many countries where a depressed economy, unfavourable international exchange rates and the difficulties of transferring money out of the country make a financial barrier to members’ international participation. Twinning with members from more stable economies who are prepared to pay the international dues is an enormous help. Examples of such cooperation are: Australia pays the dues for Bangladesh and they in turn maintain a hostel for young women in Dhaka with the money they have not been able to send to London. Similarly New Zealand pays dues for Nepal so they in turn can organize programmes to help local women. Needles and North Shore (USA) have helped African clubs in the same manner.
• SPONSORING FOR CONGRESS. We always hope for a full representation of affiliates at congress but for developing countries and others with economic restraints, finding the funds to send even one or two people is a problem. President Pat Harrison has challenged clubs to take on the initiative set by her own club, Woy Woy. This is to “send a sister” to Melbourne in 2002 by raising the funds for one person’s registration and accommodation and to seek a subsidy for the airfare but if that is not forthcoming to pay that as well.
  
  ONCE TWINNING IS IN PROGRESS

• Please let the Task Force know what you are doing - so that ideas can be exchanged, others may benefit from your experience and further assistance given if needed. The activities will be reported each year to the Board of BPW International and broadcast in newsletters.