2017 IJR Candidate Questionnaire - Quinn Porter

I J R CA N D IDAT E Q U EST I O N N A I R E 20 1 7

Q U I NN P O RT E R Q u i n n Po r te r q p o r te rc i sv @ g m a i l .co m quinn.p1

Hi everyone!

My name is Quinn Porter from CISV USA, and I am running to be the International Junior Representative for 2017-2019.

I am 22 years old, and I currently live in Chicago, IL USA. I just graduated from Dominican University with a B.A. in Political Science focusing on International Relations and African Studies.

Professionally, I am working as a Political Fundraising Consultant, and will soon start a new job as a Finance Coordinator for a political campaign in Chicago.

I have been in CISV and Junior Branch since I was 10 years old, and have done a total of 10 CISV programs! In Junior Branch, I have actively been involved in leadership for the past 6 years at the local, national, regional, and international levels. In my spare time, I love to play tennis, go to the beach, explore the city for no reason, and eat!

As you read this questionnaire, I hope you get a better idea of who I am and why I am running for IJR. I am excited for this potential opportunity!

3 main attitudes and skills I possess: I have the willingness and ability to relate to and engage JBers on all levels of the organization with inclusivity and professionalism.

One of my greatest strengths involves my inclusivity and relatability. I believe an area of International Junior Branch that could be stronger is how we include all JBers. It is crucial that we make sure that local JBers who are curious about IJB are just as included as an IJBC participant or NJR. We should constantly be thinking of more innovative ways to engage our members and even those who might not be JBers.

I have the willingness and ability to be an effective representative and advocate for the needs of Junior Branch through my past leadership experiences.

When I was on the Americas’ Junior Branch Team, I had the opportunity to represent AJB in the Americas Regional Cooperation board and annual meeting. At this meeting, I defended the AJB budget, voiced concerns and needs of AJB, participated in ARC working groups, and contributed to the strategic planning for the Region. I also represented IJB when I worked as a IJB Team Representative on the Resources and Infrastructure Committee, advocating for the financial and human resource needs of IJB. As an IJR, it is important to have the ability to represent the needs of IJB to the Governing Board and Members, and I have the attitude and skill to be able to effectively do that. Finally, I have had a holistic view of Junior Branch leadership experience, and I have seen where we were, where we are now, and where we can go, and I would love to use this experience as a benefit in these essential two years to come.

I have the ability to coordinate and manage projects and volunteers to help strengthen and grow JBs. Management is also an important skill to have as an IJR, and I have been able to manage and coordinate throughout my CISV leadership experiences. When I was on the AJB Team, I managed the Social Media efforts with our fantastic Social Media Coordinator for the region. I was a liaison for three different neighborhoods during my time on the Team where I helped to coordinate the efforts of the neighborhood workshops and individual JBs. Finally, I helped to manage the AJB budget in order to ensure that we were supporting projects and initiatives in the Region. Coordination is also going to be a valuable skill for the next IJR to have should the JB Review take effect.to be a valuable skill for the next IJR to have should the JB Review take effect.

2. The Junior Branch purpose put forward in the JB Review draft motion is : "Junior Branch offers opportunities for youth to develop the attitude, skills and knowledge they need to become effective leaders in CISV and to act for a more just and peaceful world. It does this in order to contribute to the mission and vision of CISV. "

How do you personally relate to this purpose?

What could be examples of such opportunities?

I relate to this purpose in a number of ways. Having been involved in JB for 12 years now, I can personally relate to the attitudes, skills, and knowledge I have gained through my experience in JB. Whether it was a local Junior Branch training to explore educational content topics, or going to the International Junior Branch Conference, each opportunity that we are able to give to a member of JB helps them to grow as a leader. Personally, without Junior Branch, I do not believe that I would have had the maturity, confidence, and ability to be the person I am today. Being a leader is more than having some position, role, or responsibility, it is about being passionate to make real change in your community and the world. International Junior Branch is the global movement of CISV International, but we need to move! It is the attitudes, skills, and knowledge that we develop in our programs, and then actually apply for a more just and peaceful world. I believe Junior Branch does just that. We offer many opportunities for JBers to develop there leadership, and each of these opportunities presents a unique experience to grow.

Some of these opportunities include, but are not limited to:

Meetings and Conferences

Online Forums for Activities and Discussions

These are incredible think spaces for JBers to meet, and share best practices that are working for there local and national JBs. The one component that is sometimes missed from these meetings is a clear purpose and takeaway to bring back to there JBs. We can better ensure that the information shared and received at these meetings is brought back and applied to help grow and strengthen our JBs. I have ideas later for this in Question #7!

I firmly believe that we have incredible educational content activities that occur every year in JB, and these activities should be shared with the greater IJB community! If we had an online forum or database where activities could be shared, best practice advice could be given, and discussions could be had to keep the global movement of CISV present throughout the year.

Training We can further develop Trainings for JBers on all levels. Whether it be a local JB Training curriculum, or a Training the Trainers Training that could be specifically focused on training JB Trainers, these are great ways to increase leadership opportunities, and to teach those how to train on CISV content.

3. Junior Branch has gone through a Review in a similar way that CISV International went through an Organisational Review before 2012.

With such a Review, some things could change and it is important to ensure a smooth transition.

What would be, for you, the key aspects of this transition?

This is a question that I have thought about quite a bit as I read the Junior Branch Review proposal, and I believe that many key aspects of the transition will be similar to the 2012 Organization Review. I was on the first Junior Branch Review Team starting in 2013, and that process I know can be an arduous and difficult one. Although, I believe that this Review will be a bit easier to transition into as many of the potential changes focus specifically on structure at the International and Regional levels, but also on how we are providing opportunities that fit the new purpose stated.

The first key aspect would be to make sure that the Transition Team is having much transparency in the work that they are doing. One aspect of the 2012 Organizational Review was that the Transition Team was clearly showing the work being done, and what was to come with the new changes. When you have transparency in your work, it is much easier to gain the trust and support needed, especially in a difficult time of change.

The second key aspect for the transition would be to have clear explanations for reasons why things are changing, and how that will be for the betterment of the organization in the long run. With the current Junior Branch Review being a proposal, this still leaves much to the imagination in terms of what some aspects of JB will look like, such as what the “new” IJBC format will be, etc… It is very easy to look at what the short term effects of change will be, but if we understand how these changes will help JB to continue to grow for the future in the long term, it is also going to be easier to think of a more smooth transition plan.

The final key aspect of the transition I see is making sure that we have an effective and understandable document that outlines the exact changes being made, what the transition will look like, and what this means moving forward for Junior Branch. It is imperative that the Transition Team is able to showcase this next year at the Global Conference as well, as this will be the start of the new transition. Representatives should be able to leave the Global Conference feeling assured and ready to implement a smooth transition that they can then relay to there local and national chapters who may not understand fully. The IJRs, Regional Teams, NJRs, and all leadership should be able to effectively and accurately convey what the transition will look like to the JBs that they represent, and also feel confident to address any comments, questions, or concerns that there JBers may have. Leadership during transition is vital when ensuring a smooth process.

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4. Besides the Junior Branch Review, What do you think should be the priorities of International Junior Branch this coming year in order to further develop the impact we have and contribute toCISV International Strategic Plan?

The priorities of the International Junior Branch will be unique this upcoming year due to the Review, but also have much potential for exciting opportunities! If we look at the Impact as related to the CISV International Strategic Plan, we can start by looking at this Vision from the Plan:

“By 2030 we will be well-known for creating educational experiences that reach at least twice as many people as we do today (2015). We will stand together to lead, act and inspire change in our communities to help build a more just and peaceful world.”

Mosaic and IJB I believe that Junior Branch is one of the only ways that this objective can be achieved. When we send CISVers to programs, we give the a starting point in there journey of growing as active global citizens, but we also want to keep them involved! JB is an essential component of recruitment and retention for CISV, but I think we should continue to think of innovative ways to keep people involved! I would like to see IJB, and specifically the IJB Team and Regional Teams work more closely with Mosaic! I believe that there is much potential in collaboration with IJB and Mosaic, and if we can make real impacts in the communities around us, we can continue to grow CISV and JB through our local communities. I believe that the Educational Content Specialist and Educational Programmes Representatives on the IJB Team along with the IJRs could create a common activity that could be done in all JBs that encompasses core Mosaic content. This is putting our mission and impact into

Strengthening Our Operational Strategy One of the best initiatives I have seen this year was the addition of the Operational Strategy Specialist on the IJB Team! I would like for us to continue to use this position as a way to directly add value to the impact we are making. For example, the Operational Strategy Specialist is looking at ways to continue to have forums and spaces for members of JB to share there experiences, and truly feel that they are a part of the global movement (IJB Thinks is one example). This is where I see the “inspiring change” component at hand.

Junior Branch members provide such innovation, creativity, and leadership to our organization, and I believe we should continue to think of ways to actively inspire our JBers to continue to carry out the mission and vision of CISV!

Growing our Training A few years ago the IJB Team developed the Global Training Strategy, but unfortunately it was not utilized to its full potential as was hoped. I believe that training our JBers on how to train is one of the best tools we can give to our participants. I would like to see how we can further preparing Training curriculum for JBers on all levels of the organization to prepare them to train on the content that CISV has. Whether it is having a Specialist specifically focusing on this content or a working group, I would like to see more attention specifically focused on ensuring we strengthen the trainings we offer. This is what growing in your leadership is all about, and it directly has an effect on the impact that you are able to make.

Our Diversity: Our Strength Our organization is full of diverse and strong leaders who are actively making an impact in our communities, but at times I can see exclusivity in the organization that does not fully showcase this diversity as a strength. I firmly see that diversity is one of CISV’s greatest strengths, and we see that in many of the JB activities that happen all over the world. Diversity also adds value to the impact that we make, and I would like to see IJB focus on ensuring more inclusion to LGBTQ+ members, members with special physical and mental abilities, and those who come from different socio-economic backgrounds.

We have the ability to be better at this, and I think that an IJB initiative could assist in that.

5. You have been involved with Junior Branch for many years now.

What still keeps you excited and motivates you to dedicate a lot of your time and energy to it?

The past 12 years in Junior Branch have truly made me who I am. Junior Branch has given me the confidence and comfortability to just be me, and I have not found that pure vulnerability in any other aspect in my life. I also have made life long friendships that extend past the world of Junior Branch that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

With every new experience, conference, training, workshop, activity, or person I meet, I see myself learning something new. I truly believe that JB and CISV have and always will be the closest thing you can get to magic. Every day we are creating activities and content that is changing and improving the world around us. We don’t just talk about it, but we do something about it! Seeing JBers who you used to train grow up and then become leaders in and out of CISV is truly one of the most powerful things. I am constantly amazed by the work that is done, and the impact that is made by those who are involved in Junior Branch.

The simplest answer is that if you are reading this questionnaire, you have had a huge impact on what continues to motivate and inspire me to dedicate the time and energy this about involvement takes. We have some of the most inspiring and dedicated volunteers, and I completely see that we are creating a global movement. I want to continue to inspire others to take advantage of every opportunity Junior Branch presents you, and I want to see Junior Branch continue to grow stronger and better each year! We create leaders, and therefore we need to be leaders.

That is why I stay involved, and what drives me to continue to educate and inspire others for a more just and peaceful world.

6. All Junior Branches are part of a global movement that is CISV.

How do you see CISV and especially Junior Branch continuing to have this strong global link and reach?

This is exactly what we do! I see Junior Branch continuing to have this strong global reach by ensuring that we are keeping people inspired in what we do! In the new Junior Branch Review, I think one component that will need to be looked at is how we will continue to kxeep the global movement alive without having an International Junior Branch Team structure to carry out this work.

Regional Team Cooperation I believe that we need to ensure stronger and more frequent cooperation throughout the Regional Junior Branch Teams. Whether it is through fun initiatives, shared educational content activities, or common initiatives, we need to make sure that these are being done. If we have a stronger relationship between the Regional Teams, we can better ensure that the global movement is occurring as a whole. I see each region having global movement occurring in there own way, but if we are able to unify this, we can continue to have this strong global reach and link.

Continued Creativity As I said throughout the questionnaire, we add an incredibly creative component to CISV International, and I believe that we can continue to do this through more global initiatives.

I would like to see a format where Junior Branch creativity can be incorporated more into the content of the CISV programs that we do. Often times we keep our creativity within our local and national Junior Branches, but there is much opportunity for us to share this with the rest of the organization as well! This will also help to diversify us as an organization who is known for delivering educational content globally in a fun and creative way. That is what keeps people motivated and involved!

Engaging in Evaluation Improving our evaluation could be included in many of the questions of this questionnaire, but I really believe it is something that directly relates to our global movement. When we evaluate we are able to improve, but to evaluate we need people to engage in the evaluation. Our current JB Set that we use is a great resource, but we also do not always get the quantity of responses that we are hoping for. In order to improve and ensure that global movement is taking place, we need to hear from as many people as possible that are a part of that global movement. Looking at new ways to promote our evaluations, and change the way we evaluate will ensure we are getting the Quality Assurance we are hoping for.

7. If elected, you will be coordinating IJBC 2018 which will take place along with the Global Conference.

List 3 objectives you would set for IJBC 2018 and how, as IJR, you would work to achieve them.

This is going to be an exciting yet challenging IJBC in 2018 as it could feasibly be the last of its kind in the current format it exists. These 3 objectives I see as being imperative for IJBC 2018:

Networking

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IJBC during a Global Conference is a prime opportunity to work with others to help continue to grow JB and CISV as a whole. I would work to achieve this through scheduling times for participants to interactive in a setting with other Conference attendees, and brainstorm how JB could better benefit there local chapters development. This is a great forum and setting for this to occur face to face.

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Leadership Development As leadership development is a key focus of the Junior Branch Review, I would like to see this be a focus point of the conference next year. Looking at how we can give tools and resources to bring back to there chapters to help strengthen the leadership that they have is a direct take away from the Conference which I believe was missing in the past. As IJR, I would ensure we had a take away document from IJBC that showcased what we discussed and learned, and how that can be used in the chapters. This is a way to ensure the information gets brought back.

Motivation This sounds so simple, but it is something that is easy to lose in Junior Branch. I would like to have a space where people can be motivated and inspired to make actual change that is existing in there communities. We want our participants to always be enjoying there experience, and as IJR, I would work to make sure that participants are learning and working hard on the great content of the Conference, but are also getting motivated to continue the work in there countries. It’s not as easy as most people think, but it is something that could be certainly utilized at a Conference with so many great CISV minds.

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8. Take a photo of something or a place in your home that represents you best and tell us why!

This might seem strange at first, but I think this photo fits me perfectly!

I love this chair in front of the window with a view, and we share a lot of thigs in common believe it or not! Like a chair, I am dependable, reliable, adaptable, but also comforting when you need me.

One of my greatest strengths is my ability to be reliable and dependable. If you need me, I am there for you, and if you need something I will be there to assist you. That’s the kind of person that I am, and a quality an IJR should possess.

That chair can also fold down and change shape to be adaptable for different settings. Adaptability is somethings that I have continued to face in my professional life in politics, but also through many a CISV experience where things just did not go according to plan. In this time of change in IJB, it is going to be important to be flexible and adaptable to changes that may occur, but still reliable that you are accurately representing the needs of the JBers you represent.

I would say that comfortability is extremely important in a chair and an IJR! Whether it be a JBer at there first JB event or a member of the Governing Board, I always strive to be approachable and inclusive so you feel comfortable talking to me about anything you may need. If you are a representative, you should be able to relate to those you represent.

I look forward to seeing you again or meeting you soon!

THANK YO U !