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Congrats! You've just been elected Personal Development director JCI UK 2012! What made you stand for the position?
I have got so much out of my membership with JCI, in particular from some of the amazing training that I have had. It is really important for me to try and make sure that other members receive great training. I also want to assist other members that are interested in becoming JCI trainers and support them throughout the process.

What have you got out of your engagement with JCI so far?
I am more confident particularly when it comes to business meetings and training. My public speaking skills have improved tenfold. Most important though is the fantastic people that I have had the opportunity to get to meet and work with If there's one advice you'll give a new member, or someone just getting active, what would that be? Get stuck straight in! Don't wait and think that things aren't aimed at you, particularly when it comes to attending events in different cities or countries. JCI is definitely an organisation which gives more and more the more that you get involved.

What are you most proud of that you have done in the last year?
I have clocked up over 30 hours of training for JCI in the last year which meant that I became a Certified National Trainer. It was my goal to get this done ahead of JCI European Congress in Tarragona so that I could take the JCI Designer and JCI Head Trainer courses whilst I was there. Managing to achieve this and graduating from both courses in June was a real high point for me!

What's your plans for JCI UK in 2012?
I plan to run a minimum of 3 JCI Presenter courses and 3 JCI Trainer courses in the UK next year. I also want to run JCI Achieve at least once and plan to see how much interest there is amongst our members in JCI CSR and JCI Admin. Assisting members that have graduated from these courses already and hope to start training for JCI is key to my plans for next year. I will be contacting all graduates shortly to work on action plans and I am working with the current Personal Development Director Dan Lally to write training sessions that these new trainers can deliver. I will be organising two trainers events for new trainers in 2012 to train and develop and also create a support network. I will be assisting regional group chairs with organising regional Extempore, Public Speaking Competitions and Debating competitions and the organisers of the national convention in organising the national competitions. Also I am working with Deputy National President Solveig Malvik to organise a program of training for presidents and deputies for 2012 starting with the Sunday of National Convention 2011.

What do you personally expect to get out of the position in 2012?
I am really looking forward to working with new people and developing my skills throughout the year. I am always keen to learn new things and I know that I will be inspired by the trainers that I will get to work alongside!

I know that you've been working very closely with Dan Lally, Personal Development Director JCI UK 2011, what's been your favorite bit of 2011?
I have loved training with Past National Personal Development Director Adam Woodhall for two JCI Presenter courses and a JCI Trainer course. I am currently really enjoying working with Dan to develop a Local Leaders weekend. This is aimed at presidents, deputies, council members and those that are thinking of joining a council team and will be run for the first time in Boston on the weekend of the JCI Yorkshire Regional dinner (15th and 16th October). The cost is only £30 for the whole weekend. If anyone would like more information then please contact me at e.eastwood@cityliving.co.uk

I'd also like to get to know Emma as a person, what do you do in ydaily life?
I am an Associate Director for Leeds based City Living specialists Morgans and day to day I manage a team that rent out apartments in Leeds city centre. It is a fantastic fast paced environment and I thoroughly enjoy it. Outside of work I love socialising with friends in Leeds city centre.

Can you tell us one thing we don't know about you?
I'm petrified of dogs! If anyone knows how to cure my phobia then let me know!

If you could go for dinner with anyone in the world, who would that be and why?
Alan Carr. He is soooo funny and laughing is really important to me. I definitely don't think it is good to take life to seriously! Make sure that you have plenty of fun!

Thanks Emma! 

(interview done by Solveig. JCI UK Deputy National President 2011)

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Are you losing out on career development opportunities in 2012?

Do you want...

• Flexibility of commitment?
• A trusted national network of contacts?
• Reasons to contact and build network with people you otherwise would not feel comfortable approaching?
• Opportunity to build European and international level contacts?
• Proven track record on your CV from having run a national voluntary project?

Then consider taking on a project or programme role on JCI UK National level in 2012!

What is a JCI UK National Project?
A national project can be run on a number of levels and with various time commitments. It can even be run on the side of a role on a local board.

TOYP Ten Outstanding Young Person award is a good example on the flexibility of a national project:

-TOYP can be run as we have run it the last two years - we distribute information to local chambers and the press, collect applications, forward applications and check with HQ how it's going. 
-OR-
-TOYP can be run as a full-out national award programme deserving front page press; setting up a jury of high profile judges, gala dinner, national press, awards...

Get in touch with me on solveig.malvik@jciuk.org.uk if you want to get involved!

Yours,

Solveig
JCI UK Deputy National President 2011

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JCI UK National Council and Annual General Meeting in Doncaster, 18th September 2011, update by JCI UK President Elect 2012 Solveig Malvik

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This is a guest post on best practices around social networking from Nicole Williams. She shares some great tips about why you should add your volonteer experiences on your LinkedIn profile.

The more I learn about LinkedIn, the happier I am to be working with them. The latest and greatest in their repertoire of new tools? The addition of a volunteer work experience section on your profile. I've always been a big proponent of committing to a cause not only with the view to helping others, but also as a form of career advancement (yes, that's strategic, not shameful).

According to LinkedIn's latest survey results, 89% of respondents had volunteer experience but only 45% include it on their resume. This is crazy low considering they also found that one out of every five hiring managers agree they have hired a candidate because of their volunteer work experience. Your volunteer experience counts and if you don't include it in your profile, on your resume or when you're negotiating for a promotion you're not getting the credit you deserve.

Here are a couple of other reasons you want to get on the volunteer path:

Millions of professionals donate their time volunteering that impacts the lives of others, but it turns out volunteering is as good for your career as it is to those you help. Here’s how:

Helping Others Matters – All that time you spent raising record amounts of money, the year-end event you planned to perfection all felt like real work and…it was. New research from LinkedIn shows that one out of every five hiring managers in the U.S. agree they have hired a candidate because of their volunteer work experience. Your volunteer experience counts and if you don’t include it in your profile, on your resume or when you’re negotiating for a promotion you’re not getting the credit you deserve.

Test-Drive Your Passion – A truism of career success is that passion correlates with talent and talent translates to reward (both financial and emotional).  One of the safest ways of test-driving your passion as a career is to volunteer your talents.  Not only do you get to try your hand at a repertoire of new skills and experiences in a low-risk forum, but you’ll also be showcasing these talents to a whole host of peers who may just happen to have the connections you need to get hired.

You Never Know Who You’re Going to Meet – The majority of career enhancing opportunities come through relationships and volunteering exposes you to people you wouldn’t encounter otherwise.  And get this: volunteer relationships are particularly beneficial since many of the folks you interact with while volunteering are usually driven, conscientious professionals who can be a great referral. Volunteering offers a whole new world of qualified and valuable connections.

Get Noticed / Motivated - The most successful people in the world dedicate their efforts to a cause that extends beyond themselves and your boss and / or hiring manager are well aware of this. In this hypercompetitive world of work, volunteering not only provides you the opportunity to showcase your talents and experiences, but it also allows you to demonstrate compassion and commitment.

Add the new “Volunteer Experience & Causes” field to your LinkedIn Profile now. In the new “Volunteer Experience & Causes” field, LinkedIn members can add volunteer positions, causes they care about, and organizations they support. Make sure you add JCI UK on your profile.

Published with permission from the author.

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JCI prides itself on developing the leaders of tomorrow so whey not get involved in some of the best leadership training JCI has to offer this autumn!

JCI South Regional Leadership Academy- Reading, 23-25 September

This intensive weekend residential is an ideal opportunity to challenge yourself to take action to develop your personal leadership potential in the workplace and in JCI.

Come and learn the essential ingredients to becoming the leader you want to be:

• Learn why emotional intelligence is needed in leadership
• How to communicate as a leader and how to build support around your ideas and projects,
• What are your strengths as a leader and how can you make the most of them
• Learn how to build and utilise networks and resources and how they can support your development as a leader.

You will you will be given an 'Apprentice style-task' on the Saturday afternoon where you will have to combine everything you have learnt so far about leadership to succeed.

Are you planning to take on an active leadership role in JCI next year? Learn more about JCI leadership Ladder and start planning your way to the top.

To book visit the booking site!

JCI North Regional Discover JCI/Local Leaders Weekend- Boston, 15-16 October

The weekend if designed to be fun, interactive and informative irrespective of your JCI experience.  The emphasis is on improving leadership skills combined with a focus on equipping young local leaders with the basic knowledge of the JCI UK processes and procedures to ensure that we can run the organisation more effectively.

Find out about individual roles and responsibilities within the organisation, how to have a successful JCI year, increasing and retaining membership and much more.

To book visit the events' booking site!

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Dear JCI UK Members, Senators and Friends.

As you know I like to share the distance I have travelled each month on behalf of JCI, so can you imagine my shock when I came to write this to discover the number of miles I have travelled this month was 0. Yes that's right Zero!

Even the National Board meeting was held here in Boston, in fact it was in my house, so I really haven't done any travelling. However, after a quick tap on the trusty calculator, I am pretty proud to say I have done 14,087 miles so far this year on behalf of JCI UK.

Well the weather may not have been great in August, but that didn't stop Chambers in the UK from having a great month.

August is normally a quieter month in the JCI calendar, but not this year. In the last 31 days, we've seen official JCI courses, question and answer sessions, creative thinking workshops, training events, and a new members' evening. Members have attended International events, a JCI Twinning event, and a Dragon Boat race. There have been summer parties, and BBQ's, and even a pub crawl quiz was thrown into the mix.

I have spoken to a number of Local presidents, and members this month, and the energy around the UK is priceless. Every meeting or conversation leaves a smile of my face. JCI UK members, Senators and Friends, you really are Active Citizens. Thank you.

There are three big things coming up in September:

• JCI UK AGM, being hosted by JCI Doncaster on 18 September at The Dome,
• JCI UK South region Leadership Weekend being hosted in Reading over the weekend of 24 - 25 September.
• The whole week from 19 September has been declared as JCI UK Membership week, and I really hope that you take the opportunity to invite a friend or work colleague to join our fantastic organisation.

The membership week is a great opportunity to not only increase membership of our organisation, but also is a chance to learn something new, meet someone new, and hopefully we can gain some media coverage due to the National impact we will make, and I have no doubt that we will have some fun.

JCI UK needs to declare membership numbers to JCI by the end of September, so we really do encourage all chambers to share any new members received during this time as quickly as possible to Julia Goodfellow-Smith, JCI UK Membership Director. We also really want to hear what you are doing for membership week, so that we can add the information to our website. If you have anything that you would like to share with us, please email Sofie Sandell, JCI UK's website manage.

A month could not go past without me mentioning our JCI Nothing But Nets campaign. All Local Chambers have received information from Gemma Fletcher, JCI UK National Community Director,  regarding United Nations Day on 24 October, where we are asking members to invite their business to join us in a 'dress in Orange day', to raise funds for the campaign. I do hope that you will be able to join in. If you would like more information please contact Gemma.

Bookings are now open for the JCI UK National Convention being hosted by JCI Yorkshire, and being held in Sheffield on 25 - 27 November. There is an early bird registration fee of £99.00, which is a bit of a bargain. It would be great if you could come along, as it promises to be a fantastic event, not only for the trainings, National Council meeting, Speaking competitions and parties, but also it would be great to see you cheering your Local Chamber on at the Gala Awards ceremony being held on the Saturday night.

Finally I just wanted to share a person experience with you. Wednesday 24 August, I woke up, had a few cups of tea, pottered around a bit, got ready for work, and thought I'd have another cup of tea before I left the house. I thought I'd have a quick look at face book on my phone, and I saw a notification saying I had 68 posts on my wall. I was a little confused, until I remembered..... it was my birthday. I was so overwhelmed by the number of lovely messages from my family, and friends from literally all around the world. As the day went on more people posted more lovely comments. It made me realise how lucky I am, to have so many amazing friends, and it goes to show the power of this amazing organisation. Thank you to each and every one of you for making it such a special day, and for making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. This is a feeling that I will always remember, and one that would never have happened if it wasn't for JCI.

And on that note, I would like to wish you a great September, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Cheers

Alli

JCI UK National President
Email: allison.cowell@jciuk.org.uk

Senator # 70323

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