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World Malaria Weekend!

What were you doing on World Malaria Weekend?  Were you launching a fashion show, hooking a duck or preparing for a charity quiz?  That’s what JCI members were doing across the UK!

I had the pleasure of spending the day in Boston in the glorious sunshine.  With our Easter eggs and hook a ducks at the ready we were raring to go and get into the market stall spirit.  After an early start for a weekend and a quick lesson in how to be a market trader we organised our ducks and set about promoting our stall to the passersby.

With member’s old and new visiting and 2 current JCI Barnsley members helping out, JCI Boston proved what can be achieved with a little imagination, fun and a little bit of effort. 

We hooked ducks, guessed how many sweets were in the jar and had a thoroughly great day.  I even had a little paddle into the bargain!  Great thanks has to go out to JCI Boston for a great event, but let’s not forget that it is not over yet, with JCI London’s charity quiz next week and the launch of JCI Leeds Fashion Bites Back fashion show!

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Can you tell us about your background? 
I have a rather mixed back ground in that I don't think I can say that I come from one place/country. I grew up in Zimbabwe, so had a very exciting time with some of the most unusual pets imaginable (I'm a mad animal person!). I moved to New Zealand where I studied Business and Computers at Uni and started my own trading business.

I caught a Travel bug while over in London a few years ago and decided to pack up and move to China for a few months, which was amazing! When I ran out of money I then moved to London and have been here 3 years now...there is never a dull/boring moment to be had in this Melting Pot of a city.

Why did you move to London? 
I moved to London to take advantage of the travel opportunities here. Travel around Europe is so much more accessible from London than it was in New Zealand and also I knew the job opportunities would help me gain the experience I need to get higher up the ladder given that there are so many more cultures to work with.

What's the benefits of being active in the JCI London council? 
Being involved in, not only the Local Chamber but also being allow an opinion in the National Board decisions. But for my role as Social Director I would say the biggest benefit is being able to develop other members who want to be involved and learn how to organise and host events. Giving them to the licence to be creative and empowering them which inspire confidence.

What was you biggest learning when you did JCI Presenter and JCI Trainer? 
I thoroughly enjoyed both of these courses! In just those three days I learnt so much about myself and other people. Biggest lesson that has stayed with me is, if your speaking in front of people and you know what you want to say, but it doesn't come out right or you make a mistake - it's not usually noticeable by anyone but yourself so just carry on as if nothing was wrong. Words flow easierly if your talking about something your passionate about and believe in.

What projects are you involved in in JCI London 2011? 
I'm involved in a project where we have invited our five twin cities (JCI in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallin, Paris and Berlin) to London for a weekend of British culture. This is one of the ways we encourage relationship building with our countries as we are international and we all have the same goals in mind for the our lives and saving the world.

Another really exciting project we're doing this year is creating a brand new London Chamber from scratch. This will mean we have two JCI chambers in London, giving the members an opportunity to be involved and double the benefit we can provide to our communities.

Why do you think more people should join JCI? 
It's just such a fantastic opportunity to be active and develop your networks but also to help other people. For me personally, I joined because I wanted to meet new people like me that would make a difference in my life and learn the skills to be confidence as I knew I needed it but, after being in JCI for a few months I have a real passion to help other people make the most of their experiences and their lives. JCI has a really supportive membership base that are always more than willing to help and offer their advice.

What do you think make JCI different from other networking groups in London? 
JCI is different because we have a wider focus which suits every one of our members, from community driven people to business driven people. There is always something out there which will interest everyone. We make a difference and we can see this with our Nothing but Nets Champaign where we have helped saved families in Africa from Malaria.

Who do you admire? 
There are so many people I admire for all different reasons, though the first person that came to mind is a JCI member for her passion, her Just-Do it attitude and her drive to succeed with the same values as myself. She has achieved a lot in her JCI career and there is always a new challenge that she's willing to take on. She's such a supportive and encouraging person. For me, she's one of those people I admire and would strive to have the same qualities, drivers and ambition and I which I am working on. This person was President of JCI London last year and will be President of JCI UK next year - Solveig Malvik.

What you biggest passion in life? 
I have two passions in life and both equally important to me, one is travelling - I love exploring and experiencing different places and cultures, there is always such wonderful learning experiences to be had. The second passion for me is helping people make the most of their lives. The way the world has changed, has left a lot of people struggling for some purpose and direction in life. The reward for me is seeing how much happier people can be once they are doing what they are passionate about and making the most of what they have.

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Malvern business supports nets campaign

3:30pm Wednesday 20th April 2011

A MALVERN consultancy’s sponsorship of a charity calendar has helped to raise $8,500 for the UN Foundation’s Nothing but Nets Campaign.

The campaign provides insecticide-treated bed nets to protect families from contracting malaria.

Quest for Future Solutions director Julia Goodfellow-Smith said there were several reasons her company wanted to support the campaign.

“We knew that supporting the Nothing But Nets campaign would reduce suffering and save lives, which is fantastic. By supporting this calendar, we have spread the word far more widely, supported young people to develop their confidence and skills to create positive change, and provided leverage to fund more nets than our initial donation on its own.”

It costs $10 to provide a net that will protect a family for four to five years. For more information about the campaign visit nothingbutnets.net.

http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/8984241.Malvern_business_supports_nets_campaign/

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http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/business/developing_business_talent_1_3312346

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Community chocolate, now that really is the answer.  JCI Doncaster are supporting charity through chocolate this year, having recently held a charity chocolate tasting evening.

Thornton’s chocolates are one of those childhood memories that we all have; everyone remembers getting an egg with their name on from their parents or grandparents.  JCI Doncaster transported members back to their childhood giving them the opportunity to ice their own egg.

The evening was a great success and lots of money was raised for Thornton’s chosen charity the NSPCC.  Who can say no to an evening of charity and chocolate!

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Jen Little from JCI Cambridge is not only an outstanding leader she is also an expert in how to use LinkedIn. As a recruiter she is always looking for new candidates and LinkedIn has in last couple of years become more and more important in the search for the right person for the job.

How has the way you use LinkedIn changed over the last couple years?
LinkedIn has risen in popularity over the last couple of years which is great as more and more people are using it. This makes it easier to connect to people and from a recruiters point of view it means we have a wider pool of people we can contact. At the bottom of your profile you are able to indicate if you are looking for a new job opportunity again which helps enormously! 

As more people have joined LinkedIn the use of the group function has also grown. We have used this to great effect within JCI Cambridge and gives us some fantastic visibility to non JCI members as well as being a great forum opportunity for discussions for our members. I have found the use of the status update section particularly useful in being able to advertise JCI Cambridge events to all of my contacts. 

You write and edit your own profile on LinkedIn, is it a trustworthy place for information? 
Absolutely! At the end of the day your profile can be viewed by your peers and your boss - in fact anyone! So if it isn't accurate then people will soon tell you!
 
What makes a LinkedIn profile look professional? Can you give us some tips?
Make sure you have a photograph on your profile, a head and shoulders crop is fine. Logos or you at a distance just don't work, especially if you are using the LinkedIn app on your smart phone when the photo is even smaller!

Always make sure you include any professional qualifications as well as it is easy to miss these off. And finally ensure that you mention JCI in your profile or hobbies section!

How important is it to have recommendations from others on your profile?
I would say very! Make sure you ask for recommendations from your clients, ex-bosses or even teachers. Just be weary of asking your current colleagues as this does look a little unprofessional.

Jen Little was one of the trainers at the JCI UK marketing Academy and involved in organising JCI Cambridge Business Skills Day earlier in April. 

You can find Jen Little on LinkedIn 

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JCI Cambridge's first 'Business Skills Day' at the Crown Plaza Hotel was a big success. 

http://www.cambridgefirst.co.uk/news/business_skills_day_takes_off_1_861336

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Ismail Haznedar is JCI Vice President assigned to JCI UK. For many members that doesn't mean much and we tend to use lots of abbreviations in JCI.

Here is a quick lesson how it works: JCI is present in over 115 countries and to keep all countries together and make them work toward our mission there are some "layers" of leadership.

So in short, we have our members, Local Presidents, Regional Group Chairmen, National President, International Vice President (IVP), Executive Vice President (EVP) and JCI World President. Lots of titles and people. In JCI you have one year to lead, one year to make an impact and one year to learn, develop and grow.

Ismail is from JCI Eurasia, one of the chapters based in Istanbul in Turkey (they have eight chapters in total) and JCI Turkey have been growing a lot over the last few years. He was National President 2010 and as IVP he is assigned to JCI UK, JCI Scotland, JCI Ireland, JCI Germany, JCI Switzerland and JCI Austria.

Ismail, how long have you been an active JCI member?
I discovered JCI in 2005 through a training event. After participating in the event I decided to be a member and took responsibility to be a project director.
 
What was it that made you put yourself forward for the role as IVP?
International Vice President position is a great opportunity to continue your development. I also have the chance to share my experience and best practices I learned during my membership and to help support JCI's National Organisations to accomplish their targets. Meanwhile, it also gives a chance to experience the international leadership and to create value within a global network.
 
I happen to know that there are some members of JCI who are aspiring to go for an international position within JCI, do you have any insider tips that they should follow?
Actually, the best advice is always to concentrate on your current responsibility. You can build a career just with a success story. If you can do the best and be open to serve in any position, then opportunity  finds you... Regardless of what it is, in JCI to be active and have a responsibility is a living mission and creates development opportunities.
 
Who is a leader you admire?
I had a great chance to meet, work and participate in academies where JCI World President's shared their experiences. Kentaro Harada, Roland Kwemain, Jun Sup Shin, Graham Hanlon, Scott Greenlee, Lars Hajslund, and other past World Presidents are great leaders, true global networkers and people of inspiration.  
 
How do you describe their values?
They are the ones who live the values of JCI and who realise the chance, first starting with themselves and then being an example for ourselves.
 
You seem to have a lot of energy, do you have any tips you would like to share on how to keep a high energy level?
When you are active and involved with something you love it gives you a positive energy. There's no secret, just keep doing the things you like most. I think that I am lucky to have that.
 
Do you have a favourite quote?
Joel Barker's quote ‘Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world' is one of my favorite quotes.

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So the East African Jumping Spider is attracted to the smell of sweaty socks.  Who would have thought that would help prevent the spread of malaria?

Checkout the Nothing But Nets Blog!

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As well as Immediate Past President of JCI UK, I’m also serving as International Vice President which provides opportunities to experience even more of the JCI world!  

The year kicked off with the JCI Board Meeting at the Headquarters in St Louis.  Seeing the many years of JCI history displayed throughout the building was very interesting and it was a particular honour to visit the gravesite of our founder Henry Giessembier.  Every year, the members of the JCI Board of Directors meet in January to establish strategies and plans to meet the organization’s goals for the upcoming year.

Part of the VP role is to visit my assigned countries to provide support and promote the JCI Plan of Action.   My first visit took place with JCI Catalonia in March. During that time I met with members from 4 Local Chambers and the National Board.  A Parliamentary Procedures workshop took place in JCI Villafranca - most new members take part in the course within the first 6 months of membership!  

I also got to take part in JCI Manresa's 'English Evening' where members meet once a month and hold a debate in English only - as the European Conference is taking place in Tarragona members across Catalonia are keen to improve their english and they are all very much looking forward to welcoming you there!

I have a number of other visits planned in April and May and look forward to sharing more on those!

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