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6/25/2024

“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” - Paulo Coelho

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Get a Hole-in-One, Take the FEVS Today!

The Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey is still open, and we are calling all eligible employees to meet us on the FEVS Green to complete your survey. In a good game of golf, good course management can increase the chances of success. Part of our course management strategy in making the FS the best place to work is for all eligible employees to share their voice, leadership to continue listening and building upon current action initiatives, and to increase communication on highlights of actions taking place to improve your work experience. One of our work environment officers, Elisha Hornung, shared in a FEVS Why video that she believes “as employees, we do have a responsibility to make our workplaces awesome and that the FEVS is a great way for us to do that.”

If you still need to complete your survey, we encourage you to take a full swing, aim high, and strive for a hole-in-one by completing the FEVS today. The survey will close this Friday, June 28, but you still have time. Look for your email invitation from EVAG@opm.gov with the subject line, “OPM Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey,” and complete your survey! If you can’t find the email, please request your unique link by emailing EVAG@opm.gov. The survey takes approximately 20-30 minutes and should be completed on work (“01”) time. Resources are available in FEVS Information Hub to help guide you through the questions.

What was your work win?

Here at the Forest Service, we don’t meet our mission by chance; we work to win! Last year, nearly all of our employees shared they value that their work contributes to the common good. Your work is valuable, and we want to celebrate your wins. Let’s continue to do what we do for the greater good of all, and share highlights of your win today in the new Belief in Action Success Story repository.  Your success is our success, and we all look forward to celebrating your win!

Personal stories of imprisonment: An oral history of prison camps

The Asian Pacific American Employees Association invites you to listen guest speaker Sam Mihara, a national lecturer on the topic of mass imprisonment in the United States, as he shares his experiences living with his family in a prison camp.

In 1942, the U.S. government forced 9-year-old Mihara and his family, along with everyone of Japanese ancestry living in the West, out of their homes and into prison camps. Mihara and his family were sent to a prison camp called Heart Mountain in desolate northern Wyoming where he stayed for 3 years.
Mihara has been a sought-after guest speaker across the country. The first Japanese American to receive the national Paul A. Gagnon Prize as the history teacher of the year,

Mihara lectures at UCLA, Harvard, Columbia and in front of Congress about why the World War II camps were created and the forcible removal of people from their homes. He discusses what daily life in camp was like, how they got out of the camp, forest products used to create the camp and what it was like for many people when they returned home.

What: Webinar: Personal stories of imprisonment (virtual, agency-wide)

When: Wednesday, June 26, 11:00-12:00 Pacific

Where: Zoom registration link

This webinar is funded by the Pacific Southwest Region and presented by The Office of Civil Rights Zone III and the Asian Pacific American Employees Association. ASL interpreters are available for this event.

Coming Soon! Application Open Period for External Leadership Development Opportunities

ELDO Programs are leadership development programs offered by institutions outside of the Forest Service.  Each ELDO program has established eligibility criteria (see details below) and are available for employees GS-13 through Senior Executive Service.

What: The ELDO programs are for high-potential employees who already exhibit leadership qualities and wish to further develop their leadership skills for current and future roles in leading change and leading the agency. Selection into an ELDO program is made through a competitive process. Employees that wish to participate in an ELDO must meet grade eligibility requirements and have at least one (1) year of full-time, permanent service with the agency at the time of application.  

The Forest Service sponsored ELDO Programs include:

• Harvard Senior Managers in Government (SMG): SES

• OPM Leadership for a Democratic Society (FEI LDS): GS-15 & SES

• Harvard Senior Executive Fellows (SEF): GS-14 & GS-15

• Legis Congressional Fellowship (LEGIS): S-13 through SES

When: Applications will become available during the External Leadership Development Opportunity Open Season from June 28 - July 30, 2024.  

How: Individuals can express their interest in an ELDO by navigating to the ELDO SharePoint site and selecting the “register interest here” button.  Those that pre-register will automatically receive notification when the application period opens.

Find more information about each External Leadership Development Program on the ELDO SharePoint site. 

Questions? Send an email to Tracey Harris-Woods, ELDO Program Manager.

Apply Now! National Emerging Leader Program  
Intended Audience: Employees GS-4, GS-5, & GS-6 (or wage grade equivalent)

The Training and Employee Development Branch of WEPO is excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for the National Emerging Leader Program.  

The National Emerging Leader Program is a competitive leadership development program for GS-4 to GS-6 or wage grade equivalent permanent employees who have worked for Forest Service for one or more years.  The program will help you expand your personal and organizational influence regardless of your position, level, and/or supervisory status. Learn how to lead from where you are to better serve our public, accomplish our mission, and foster an inclusive positive working environment.

What: The program includes 5-days of leadership training that builds on the foundations of leading self and how to effectively lead others by focusing on emotional intelligence, building interpersonal skills, improving personal resilience, and growing your Forest Service network.

How to apply: The NELP Application includes eligibility criteria and instructions on how to apply.  Application deadlines are listed below. For more information about the program, check out the NELP SharePoint site.

*If you applied for NELP Cohorts 4, 5 and/or 6 and were not selected, you do not need to reapply. Update your cohort interest by sending an email to SM.FS.TEDELProg@usda.gov.

Questions?  Contact the National Emerging Leader Program Manager, Liza Simmons at SM.FS.TEDELProg@usda.gov.

Recorded Webinars

Employee Support & Wellbeing recorded webinars are available for playback here.

Conflict Management and Prevention Center recorded webinars are available for playback here and on the CMPC SharePoint site.  

The Mixing Bowl: Connecting Together via Cultures recorded episodes are available for playback here.