PROGRAMS

The Programs Guy is onto it again...

Delivering the reforms

Earlier this term, the Programs Team embarked on a series of reforms which will be carried out throughout the remainder of this term, and possibly a bit into 2023/24 Our focus is put on the general reform of the Programs structure, increasing the efficacy of promotion and working to make enrollment and reporting an intuitive and unobstructed process to every Activity Coordinator. In order to refresh the structure, Programs IOGs and all the Program Descriptions (sometimes incorrectly called Program Proposals) will have to undergo an overhaul in order to replace impractical evaluation indicators with solutions based on the hindsight of the years that our Programs have existed for. Activity Enrollment and Reporting Forms must be reviewed and adjusted in terms of clarity for the ACs - with this year's toolkits being a prime example of what direction we shall follow. For Programs promotion, I envision an even stronger presence of Activities at Regional Meetings, developing (with VPPRC PCA) a specific brand for IFMSA Programs that will make us recognizable in the IFMSA world, as well as regular and transparent reporting through the Activities & Programs Newsletter.

Equality in Activity Enrollment

Our National Member Organizations still face serious obstacles to enrolling and reporting Activities. The reforms initiated by the incumbent Programs Team are on their way to make significant improvements in this area, and in my term as VPA, I intend to build upon these groundworks in order to ensure that NMOs can enjoy the full scope of benefits of enrollment and that IFMSA can present externally a more wholesome picture of our collective impact. I believe that every NMO and their National Activity Representatives are destined to be able to enroll with confidence. This is why the Programs Development Assistants will be tasked with evaluating and addressing enrollment and reporting inequality in all Regions of IFMSA While there are different areas to develop in Programs, in order to succeed everywhere, we need first to secure this aspect, as IFMSA cannot afford to have a view of the scope of student-led efforts limited to some regions at the cost of others A range of measures will be undertaken to deliver on this promise. Following the success of our internal Program Coordinator Competency Module, the Programs Development Assistants (or equivalents) will be tasked with developing a basic but comprehensive course for Activity Coordinators - the Activity Coordinator Competency Module that can be delivered through IFMSA Moodle or an equivalent platform. This way, we will be able to reach Activity Coordinators irrespective of their ability to travel to in-person events and the internal capacity of their NMOs' Activity/Project Support division.

Impact 202

The Programs Annual Impact Report (PAR), produced each August Meeting by the Programs Team, is a powerful tool in the hands of the External Affairs division of IFMSA As a policy addict and member of our delegations (COP27 and WHO RC72), I have learnt a lot about the challenges of using our internally developed documents in external settings, which makes me reasonably wellequipped to attempt at introducing improvements from the Programs' side. In order to make the PAR structure and content more up to this challenge, I will hold consultations with outgoing and incoming VPEs, LOs and RDs in order to gather their input. Going further, IFMSA Programs deliver a great deal of Activity data useful for the LOs' purposes. The currently nascent Internal and External databases will bring this process to a new, easier and more comprehensive level.

Ensuring continuity and stab

Our Federation is expected to undergo substantial changes in the coming year, including the possibility of welcoming new employee(s) and circumstances concerning IFMSA's financial situation Uncertainty of what the next term might bring about must be met with courage and hard work to ensure safety of the legal status of IFMSA I understand that getting a full understanding of the work of IFMSA Secretary, including taking responsibility for the whole set of operations when the Head of Secretariat is absent, requires getting a historical perspective with the help of my predecessor and hopefully those who served as IFMSA VPAs in the past as well. First, I will make the most of the handover opportunity in this regard, including - hopefully - paying a visit to Copenhagen with my predecessor. During the elect period and after taking office, I will be available to travel there upon request or need - and I mean it in terms of making it an absolute priority in my schedule. I will ensure that trimonthly in-person meetings in Copenhagen become a norm. As per IFMSA Strategy, I will focus on developing the expansion plan for the IFMSA Secretariat, building on the information gathered in Year 1 regarding the mutual expectations of NMOs and IFMSA Staff, with the final report to be presented at August Meeting 2024. Second, the future of sustainable IFMSA finances necessitates a strong working relationship and cooperation with the VPF 23/24. Our budget will primarily be their responsibility, but I want to use the handover period to learn as much as I can about this sphere. It is with them that I will follow up on any new members of IFMSA Staff that might arrive, if such decisions are made this or next term in line with our Strategy 2022-2025. Thirdly, I will always ensure full transparency of the secretarial work with the Executive Board and use the opportunities of e.g. Team of Official Meetings to clear any confusion regarding this issue. Lastly, I will engage in an efficient, but comprehensive handover process with the VPA-elect 2024/25 to make sure that the VPArelated goals and objectives of the IFMSA Strategy will be fulfilled during the last year of its validity.

Accessibility of essential documents for the NMOs

There is little that can warm my heart more than a well-designed Excel sheet. Having taken great care to reorganize the Programs Team's working spaces and having taken inspiration from the excellent NMO Presidents' master sheet of this term, one of the priorities of this term will be the provision of clear, concise and easy-to-retrieve sheets containing past and present documents of great importance in one place. Historical data, including past GA/RM minutes, TO/EBM minutes, reports (including PAR), Standing Committee Regulations, various Internal Operating Guidelines and past IFMSA C&B versions are often difficult to find for nonIT people, yet for many reasons - including getting historical perspective on CCPs/BCPs prior to proposing possible changes or reopening long-dormant discussions on such attemptsthese might be useful to the NMOs The master sheet currently containing dated files needs a general overhaul, and it is going to be one of the tasks of me and my VPA GA for the first half of the term. In order to I will also explore the possibility of archiving old documents that are still missing to preserve them from being irretrievably lost. Similarly, I will use the opportunities of attending meetings with NMO Presidents as a guest to survey their needs in terms of document availability, certification and other pending issues. These actions will constitute the groundwork for the achievement of a strategy indicator concerning the ability of NMO Presidents to access digital archives.