Executive Board 2013-2014 Application Form
AIESEC is like going in a park in spring time, and looking through a kaleidoscope. Everything seems more colourful, shapes multiply, suddenly you have more options. You could fit in any corner of the picture, and you are always in touch with the other shapes that surround you, regardless of their colour, form, or distance between. All these shapes I'm talking about together form a perfect image that could generate other similar images and endlessly multiply until it's infinite.
A. General Information PERSONAL DETAILS Desired Position
VP Non Corporate Development
Name
Bianca
Surname
Paul
Date and Place of Birth
6.04.1991, Timisoara
Permanent Address
Dumbravita, str. Ferventia, nr. 37-39
Temporary Address
Dumbravita, str. Ferventia, nr. 37-39
Mobile
0726445338
bianca.paul.91@gmail.com
B. About You 1. Write and attach to this AF a motivational letter about why you are applying for this position. (1 page max). Attached 2. What is the value that you identify with the most and why? This value definitely is Striving for Excellence, because the way I see things, excellence is a journey, not a checkpoint on the map, and the way I relate to excellence is that I always challenge my courage and determination to make my way to the most beautiful and breathtaking things I see around me, furthermore because they are the hardest ones to achieve. 3. What current eb member do you identify with most and why? The key point which makes us alike: unless you come closer, you don't really get us. What I see when I look at us in a mirror is more than the match in height, jacket, boots, hairdo, sugarloadcoffee+cigarette and smile on our face. I see a watershed of energy, a positive belief that things can be done, a courage to take the risk and then smile, the integrity to admit when wrong, the guts to say stop and regroup, and the power to pick up and carry on with even more determination. I know Eli from my first year of University, after that, from my first year of AIESEC, but I only got to actually KNOW her this year. I'm glad I did it. 4. How have you decided to apply as VP? By having slightly drunk random conversations with people at ROCK ME that made me express my thoughts and feelings and by that making me understand what do I really want next from me and from AIESEC and by constantly telling myself that I can do great things, especially in AIESEC, where I have the people I need together with to achieve those great things. If you want it to happen, you first have to talk about it. Also, by looking at the new members, and fantasizing about what the next year could bring for AIESEC Timisoara with a motivation like that and a VP like this (me).
C. Connection to opportunity 1. What is the contribution that you will bring to the EB team and to AIESEC Timisoara? I will be the spark in the team, the one who will steer everybody's imagination and. I will be the symbol of our organizations BHAG and the person who will constantly remind us about what our GOLD as an organization. The one that will constantly push for things to move forward, think grandious to have where to cut from and settle only for excellence. Moreover, I will not only try to make them dream, but I will also BE there and work, be an example of initiative and steadiness until the end, with a strong character and determination to see that those dreams do come true and become reality: for AIESEC Timisoara and for my EB team. I will fight, because I know I fight for the next generations' future. 2. How will this EB experience help you grow both professionally and personally? Professionally it will help me become a more strategic thinker, it will help me develop my planning and delegating skills, and I will also get out of my comfort zone a lot, especially when going in raising. It will make me challenge myself in crisis situations and always think solution focused. I will grow my network of contacts and I will have a much more realistic image of the reality of the market in Timisoara. I will learn both how to motivate and guide a department and how to commit to a team (EB team) for a whole year. I will become a more patient and emphatic person, and I will understand myself better. It will help me define better my personal motivation in life and my values. It will help me prepare for an exchange experience and it will certainly add to my leadership skills. 3. How do you see yourself at the end of the term 2013-2014 if you are going to be selected EB? I see a fulfilled version of me for I have done a great job as a VP in @TM, I see myself having a strong personal connection with a lot of people from the LC, but especially from the EB. I see a motivated person, ready to take on another challenging experience, ready professionally and psychically to go bigger and to pay forward everything I learned throughout the term. I see myself having figured out another piece of myself and adding one more outline to my current shape.
D. Past experiences 1. Non AIESEC Work experience Dates
Employer/Volunteering President of Students Council
AT4T - coordinator of the Marketing Department
Description Representing the students in the administrative board of the highschool and ; Planning and coodinating all the extracurricular projects that the members of the Students Council had the initiative to organize such as CNB Fest (the school's annual festival), learning conferences, social actions and proms. Planning all the departments' activities for the ongoing year, coordinating the team that created the visual materials for the two festivals (T4T - theatre in English festival for teenagers and ManyFest visual arts festival photography, short-films and painting), the recruitment and the camps that the NGO was organizing
Responsibilities/Experience and knowledge gained Project management, event management, public speaking
VP experience, hard skills on design, recruitment and selection skills, public speaking
2. AIESEC experience Conference Type Role Local/Regional
Delegate
RTS Autumn 2011 LCC 2011 LMS spring 2012 RTS spring 2012 RTS autumn 2012
National RYLF 2011 MCC 2011 ROCK ME 2012 RYLF 2012
International
Dec 2011 - May 2012
Opportunities taken Entrepreneurship School @University
Feb - Mar 2012
AIESEC 19
Jul 2012 - prezent
NST NCD
Sep - Dec 2012
Autumn Recruitment
Programs TMP TMP
Period
TMP
TLP
Key points you’ve learned from each opportunity taken PR materials, team-work, empathy, interviewing skills, planning skills communication skills, planning skills, visual materials CAB, product sheet, area knowlledge, project development, planning team mgmt, interviewing skills, communication skills, time mgmt, crysis mgmt
3. Name 2 areas where you have accumulated the most relevant professional XP. Describe briefly your experience and results I've been involved in branding several projects, creating PR campaigns, customer care strategies I am brand manager and I was supposed to create visual materials for promoting our country and projects, at conferences. I am also international partnerships manager and I establish LC to LC connections and promote our projects to OGX VPs from other countries (Brazil, Egypt for now)
Area Market Development
Non Corporate Development
How will the XP gained benefit the position you stand for Positioning on the platform, increasing our market reach, offering consultancy to the TLers on PBoXs on their promo campaigns
It will help me to establish easier partnerships and to think more strategic, have a national mindset
4. Language level. Note: N – Native; Language Romanian English
A – Excellent;
B – Good;
Speaking
C – Fair
Writing
Listening
Written understanding
N
N
N
N
A
A
A
A
French Spanish
C
B
C
B
-
-
B
-
5. What have you’ve discovered about yourself during your AIESEC XP? I discovered that I am a beautiful person, and I can bring impact around me. I discovered that I change with every interaction I have and that I also inspire a lot of people with my energy. I figured I'm a judgy person and that I have to stop making my mind about people before I have the chance to talk to them. I discovered that I am capable of climbing mountains for my cause or for the people that I take my inspiration from. I stopped looking for the right/perfect experience and started letting myself grow in every direction my path takes me to. After one year of AIESEC my worldview and mindset changed so much that sometimes I can't even measure it and understand it.
E. Strategic direction 1. What is the EB role in ensuring the organizational growth? First of all the EB has to make sure the pipeline of projects is planned and that the appropriate set for the development of the members is assured. After that the EB has to make sure that the organization has enough members to fill the TMP and TLP positions created through the projects. The recruitments solve the immediate need of human resource but in fact they are a stepping stone in the long-term organizational growth. The next thing on the list is preparing your members, for them to perform and bring results on the projects they work on. You have to focus on the team-leaders, because if they do a great job, the team will grow naturally. More than giving them hard skills and soft skills preparation, you have to give them @knowledge, because if they understand the organization and the WHY, you will win their dedication on a long term. Having the @knowledge members understand better the relevance of our projects and more than that, our relevance as an organization. The EB also has to constantly keep track on the activity of the members, to make sure they develop properly, but in a discrete way, that would empower them to take responsibilities and find their own answers and methods, and by this have a healthy and natural growth. Another aspect that ensures the organizational growth is for the EB to be role models in the LC and to walk their own talk. They have to act according to the values of the organization and to project a strong image of unity in the LC that would make the members feel like part of something grand and that would motivate them to apply on projects and take initiative. The attitude of the EB determines the attitude of the LC and creates the organizational culture which sustains the organizational growth. When talking about organizational culture, a valuable resource which we can use are the full members. By "branding" the full members team and making them visible in the LC we can motivate more members to desire to be part of it and shorten the time in which a simple member takes responsibility and an active role in his AIESEC learning process.
Regarding the exchange programs, the main focus should be to allocate the majority of the members we have on the exchange departments. It has to be one of our priorities to put the exchange on a high rank in our members minds. We can do this by simply directing their focus on exchange from the moment they enter the organization, for example having all VPs at @Way talking about the way they support the exchange departments. The EB also has to ensure the exchange focus of the old members, and more than that, to increase the conversion rate of the TLers. On GIPi, the VP CD has to coordinate the account management and usually assigns accounts to the external VPs (MD, NCD) and the President. These members of the EB have to be present at the business events and have to constantly do networking, follow-ups on agreements and customer care for their accounts. By this they help the organization have good relationships with the companies and the partners, fulfill the organizational goals, and grow. On GCDPi the focus of the VP (together with the other eXchangers) should be creating and maintaining the exchange culture in the LC, in order for the members to apply on PBoXs and to get actively involved in the reception of the internationals. They have to make X a story worth listening. The VP also has to focus on having projects on issues and that would attract a lot of EPs and by this grow in numbers on PBoX and as an organization. He/she has to constantly increase and diversify the market reach. On OGX the VP has to make a qualitative supply & demand analysis and to know the market extremely well. He/she also has to ensure a constant human resource on the department and together with the rest of the EB work on the conversion from TLP to X. Together with the other exchangers, VP OGX has to cultivate an exchange culture not only in the organization, but to raise awareness in the local community and other NGOs. In the EB team, there should be a strong collaboration between the Alumni Development VP and the other VPs, making sure that once a member is reaching the end of his @XP he has developed well enough to become as close as possible to a change agent. VP AD also has to facilitate relevant H4TF conferences for our about-to-become alumnis because by this we make sure their first step towards becoming a change agent is made together with @. Growing our organization also means constant positioning and contact with our stakeholders, goal set to be achieved by the MD VP. This way we accentuate our brand and we increase the number of youth we engage. Because organizational growth also mean sustainability, the EB has to make sure the incomes from sales we bring into the organization are allocated wisely.
2. Make a SWOT analysis of the LC, giving solution to the weaknesses and treats presented. S
W
- growth on GCDPi
- TMP/TLP efficiency
- organizational culture
- TL positions on which nobody applies
- efficient induction of the newies
- exchange culture
O
T
- open grants lines
- volunteering is not appreciated by society
- accreditation of our programs (education - losing partners program/practice) - competition - increasing market reach at NGOs TMP/TLP efficiency - allocating the majority of the members on the exchange departments, delivering a package of trainings on processes so that every member would be capable to work for exchange TL positions on which nobody applies - growing and investing a lot in the already existing TLers, because they are the ones that are role models for the members in their teams, they are inspiring them and they are working directly on developing them; delivering more @knowledge because if members understand WHY do we do what we do as an organization they will be motivated to apply and take active roles. X culture - My personal opinion is that exchange culture comes from @ knowledge. When a member understands the organization as a whole, he/she will automatically have that shift of focus to exchange. This is why besides the classic emphasis on the exchange importance that is send to the entire LC, we have to work for this with the TLers and the full members first, to give a personal touch to the understanding of the organization. Doing coaching with TLers and first having them answer the question "WHY is @ doing what it's doing?" is the first step. They will pass along to their members their beliefs and understanding of the organization. Volunteering is not appreciated by society - for this it is necessary a national awareness campaign followed by an educational campaign. At local level we could start moving things a little bit if we would sign partnerships with the universities for them to acknowledge the @ volunteering as practice and also for them to introduce a mandatory module of volunteering in every student's curricula. Losing partners - this can be solved by creating a clear account management system. Not only the EB members, but also experienced members from the CD department can be account managers. Another aspect is delivering fully and qualitatively our promises. We should have in mind not to promise more than our resources allow us to deliver. Competition - there will always be competition out there and on short term let's say we could invest time, money and HR to overcome it. But I think we should think on a long term, and focus on creating an image and brand of our organization that should be associated with quality and impactful experiences. If our stakeholders understand this, then the competition is no longer such a big problem.
3. What is the contribution that AIESEC Timisoara will bring to the national network? First of all it's the attitude we have an LC. We strive for excellence with every term and it's what makes us a role model for the other LCs in the country, a source of good case practices and a constant inspiration on leadership and determination. Here we also have to mention our attitude at conferences, our involvement at sessions, our team-work skills and openness to new ideas that help us combine points of view from different LCs and then obtain viable plans for AIESEC Romania. Secondly, we invest local human resource in the national teams. We grow and prepare our members, we create a learning environment for them to develop both professionally and personally. After that we encourage them to apply for NST positions and MC positions. More than that we offer SOLs for everyone in the network because we want to help each LC perform. By being a top performing LC for so many years, we constantly set high MOSs which we usually achieve. This way we bring numbers for the national MOSs and like this we increase our ranking as a country. We will increase the number of internationals we bring in on each project, and by this we will add to the national MOSs. We will create new PBOXs and by this we will ensure efficient TMP/TLP positions as well as generate numbers for the TMP and TLP objectives. By encouraging members to take various leadership positions and taking exchange programmes and actually facilitating them this opportunity, we will develop eligible candidates for alumnisation and by this add to AIESEC final purpose: creating change agents. Through the RTS conference, the GN will become more powerful and will increase the result of the GN which will be seen at national level. Another added value that @Timisoara will bring to AIESEC Romania is organizing the ITtT conference next year. As we are known for the quality that we deliver in organizing conferences (e.g. NC), I think that ITtT will be another change for us to demonstrate our professionalism and to create a multicultural learning environment, a thing that is much needed these days. 4. Create an initiative that should bring the growth of at least 3 organizational objectives. Attached 5. What is the relationship between each area and how should they work together? NCD-CD When CD has sales meetings makes sales and partnerships with companies for GIP or AIESEC Academy they should always have an open eye for CSR projects opportunities and only then, if the opportunity arises both NCD and CD should develop a PBoX tailored on the needs and specific of the company. They could also present our current PBoXs to the companies, and try to obtain sponsorships especially on social projects that the interlocutor may personally relate to. They could involve our partners is public events that we organize (e.g. Orange that sponsored our Global Village and the treasure hunt)
NCD-II The most important aspect of these two areas collaboration is creating and maintaining an exchange culture in the LC. They should promote the exchange internally in two steps. First get involved in a PBoX, or in reception, meet the internationals and find out about their experiences, and then be the one to take an exchange opportunity and go abroad. II should have a session for the participants on every PBoX. NCD should involve the internationals on the II recruitments. NCD-MD MD offers support to NCD with creating the promo campaigns and visuals for the NCD projects. MD also prepared the comm members on the department. MD helps with the positioning on the platform and audits the communication with LCs in other countries. NCD-AD AD offers a complete data base of the alumni of the organization with information regarding their actual occupation and the domain they are activating in. Then, NCD should look up if there are any opportunities of involving the alumni of PBoXs we have in the LC. NCD and AD should have meetings with alumni and try to create together projects. NCD can invite alumni to deliver trainings in the preparation stage of the internationals and maybe even to the OC teams on PBoXs. AD can also facilitate feedback sessions with alumni when planning projects, for a better sense approach of the market. NCD-F Creating strategies for having more sustainable projects by bringing incomes, for example applying for grants with the projects we already have. Also, they have to decide together the fees for participation at projects. VP Finance keeps track and prepares the finance representatives on each NCD project on the overall financial management. NCD-IPD IPD manages all recruitments of members in @. After TD prepares them in the induction period, IPD makes sure that the allocation of the members is made according to the current needs. IPD also constantly evaluates the members in each department, including NCD. In collaboration with VP IPD, VP NCD creates a R&R system for the members in the department. Other aspect would be that VP IPD gets involved actively in the preparation of the selection responsables in the NCD projects as well as creating the interview guides for the matching interviews and the AFs for the participants on projects. NCD-TD TD facilitates the trainings for the members in the department, for the internationals on the projects (TTT), integration seminars, feedback sessions for OCs, personal/professional coaching. If we analyze the synergy between areas and the logical flow we can speak about the exchange departments and the support departments. The purpose of the organization is to create lifetime experiences through integrated experiences containing leadership and exchange. That is why our exchange departments have the key role in our activity. All three receive support from MD on the PR strategies and promo campaigns, because we need to project a unitary image to our stakeholders. Finance makes sure that everything we do stands for our value "Acting Sustainable", and more than that, helps us bring money in the organization by writing grants. The same way we can group the "exchangers", we can do with IPD, TD and AD. IPD brings the members in the organization, TD develops them, AD is assuring their lifelong connection. They keep track on the transformation of members intro change agents. The president sits comfortably in his armchair and smokes pipe...IN HIS DREAMS! He is the rock in the storm that steers the potential of the VPs into the right direction.
6. How are you going to ensure the continuity between terms? 12-13 to 13-14: I will get actively involved in the transition prepared for us by the current EB, but I think the most important thing will be that I will try to build my term on what it's already been build, I won't make sharp changes, I will only want to improve things and. And I will try to share this mindset with the whole EB team. I want to have meetings with Roxi and learn in detail everything that regards my department. I also want to be visible in the department so that the members get used to me, to my way of working, and for me to get to know them better and to figure out a good strategy for their development. 13-14 to 14-15: When I will have to end my term and have transition with the next VP I would approach this process from multiple points of view: VP-VP transition, EB-EB transition, both very personalized and focused on needs. Besides this I want to have a VP journal to pass along to the next VP. Speaking about the mindset of the next VP, I want to educate the members in my department so that whoever decides to apply as a VP to be already understand @. Another aspect that I am focused on is the human resource sustainability on the department: I want to have constant members because I want to prepare them professionally very well and moreover when I end my term I want to leave behind for the next VP a strong department and performant members. 7. How will you as a team create a perfect learning environment in the LC? Whether you have or not a learning environment, first you need to have the willingness to learn. This willingness is determined by the organizational culture and the mindset that is sent to the members. That is why, we as an EB team should focus on role modelling, on showing an image of persons that are constantly learning and never settling, for example going to international conferences available only for the EB members, and then sharing what we LEARNED. After that come the practical methods of facilitating the learning: we have to create a learning cycle that should include trainings (soft + hard skills), learning circles on departments, preparation local conferences, sharing sessions (LOF). More than this, we have to have transitions at all levels: EB-EB, VP-VP, TL-TL. For the TLs we can add to the project tool one more sheet where they should have a weekly journal with GCPs and NOGOs. We also have to have more often feedback sessions in projects teams, midproject feedbacks and so on. 8. Make a comparison between AIESEC Timisoara’s organizational culture and how it will look at the end of your term. We'll still have all the elements that we are proud of today such as the "think big" mindset, high attendance at conferences, EB transparency and role modelling, the unity of the LC, the members' passion, the members supporting each other and many other small things that create an organizational culture. At the end of my term, our organizational culture will contain one more core element: the exchange culture. Besides this I would work on improving the LCM attendency by maybe changing its structure and I would like for us, @TM to find a way to have activities together outside of AIESEC (and I am not talking about parties over here). I
would like to start building on the vision that was set for this year, and add to the passion of the members the @knowledge and the hard skills needed to achieve excellence. 9. Write your own definition of sustainability. How will you contribute to AIESEC Timisoara's sustainability? For me sustainability means paying forward everything you've been given. This is why for AIESEC Timisoara I want to pay forward more than I've been given (not that I haven't been given enough). Our LCs sustainability is determined by the flow of members in the organization. That is why I will make sure the recruitments are done properly and the induction of the members is qualitative. This means a quick absorption of members on projects, and also a learning cycle prepared for them. On my department I will contribute to the financial sustainability of the organization. All PBoXs will maybe bring money in the organization, not spend. For this I will colaborate closely to CD which should train my members on sales and who will promote our PBoXs at sales meetings. 10. What does TMP/TLP efficiency mean and how do you see it applied in the next term? TMP/TLP efficiency means the number of people that work for exchange in your LC. This year it is has been very low because the members weren't focused on the exchange areas. This is why after we changed our focus on exchange, in the autumn recruitment we allocated most of the newies on the exchange areas and they had a "brainwashing" induction where all the focus was on the importance of the exchange departments. In the next term we should continue this GCP and allocate members to the exchange department, create a learning cycle for them (focused on processes and based on experiential development), offering them opportunities to experiment and simulate the processes. Another thing that we can do is have Cultural Mix, Let's GO and Winter Vitamins all start a little bit later, so that when the new members enter the organization, these three PBoXs will open team member positions and will absorb the majority of the newies. 11. Define X quality. Give 3 specific actions through which you want to improve the exchange quality on all programs in AIESEC Timisoara. Exchange quality are the details around the impactful experience of an EP that turn him into a promoter of AIESEC. On GCDPi I want to implement the EP-buddy matching system that Bucuresti uses, so that the two personalities match and consequently the collaboration is better, and those two persons actually bond and get to learn something from each other. I also want to try to implement the hosting families system because I think the experience is more complex like this. On OGX I would have LC to LC partnerships with other countries and when recruiting I would promote targeted for the projects they have. This way I can assure the quality of the experience and the observing of the JD for the EPs because I would already know a lot of things about that LCs organizational culture and I will be able to choose with whom I
collaborate. We can also syncronize the EPs recruitments with the peaks of realization in our LC and this way we can involve the internationals in their preparation. On GIPi I would concentrate on finding buddys for the internationals, because given the fact they work all day, they don't have as much time as the international on GCDP to interact and meet new people. That is why I would assign a member from CD to each international and create an activity plan for them. Also I would make sure the intern receives an integration seminar and constant feedback from the company he/she is working at. 12. How will you as a team capitalize on the organization’s Alumni? There are several areas on which we can use our alumni. But first we have to reconnect to them. We can do this by simply enlarging the circle of people that come to talk at leadership on fire, or organize more often alumni business talks. Inviting them to this kinds of events first makes them feel proud to be alumni of @TM and revives memories of past. After that, we can analyse the data base and see which alumni works in a domain that could intersect with our activity. We should try to create CSR projects with the alumni who work in big companies and try to collaborate on ICX with alumni who have NGOs. We can use the alumni's help to also prepare our members by inviting them to deliver trainings, learning circles, LOFs, chairing conferences, sharing experiences at events. Another important part where alumni could help us is coaching the EB team as a group, coaching the VPs, and being part of the BOA. We can use them as "inside man" in the companies. We can involve them in H4TF, they could offer jobs for fresh alumni. 13. How will you maintain and capitalize on AIESEC Timisoara’s current relations with corporate stakeholders? For maintaining the relations we have with our corporate stakeholders we have to create a clear account management system managed by VP CD but implemented by all EB members. Each of us should have an account that we are responsible for. To capitalize on the current relations we could try to develop a CSR project in which the name of the company would be associated with AIESEC and for that to receive full financial support. We can also grow AIESEC University because we already have stabile relations with important companies, that offer us financial stability and opportunity to add more schools to the project. 14. What will your contribution be to outgoing exchange sub-programs growth? When I do raising at NGOs I could also promote the sub-programs, especially the development traineeship and if the NGO wants to take internationals in their organization we could offer discounts for the OGX for their members. I want to implement the national campaign that was proposed by the MCVP NCD this year NGO GLOBAL, where we sell as a package ics+ogx to NGOs and VP NCD works together with VP II to do this. I also want to synchronize the EP recruitment with the peak of realizations on ICX so that we can involve the internationals that are in town in the promo campaign and like this have a more convincing statement.
VP Non-corporate Development 1. Make an analysis of each process and give specific actions for improving each process from the area. Raising. The raising process in the last term has been targeted on the NGOs and institutions that were necessary partners for Rebranders and Let's GO. Having few members in the department, the VP was the one to do this and the one who was the account manager. What I want to do to improve the process is to actually have a team in the department that will make a research of the suitable NGOs in Timisoara and organize a raising campaign after that. They would sell the concept of Global NGO and they will propose that the NGOs would involve the internationals on their existent projects or even create new projects that would include the multicultural issue. This way we increase our market reach, we develop our members, we increase and realize our numbers. Matching. The matching process has been late on projects like Rebranders and Let's GO because of the contracts and approvals we needed to gather in order to raise the TNs on the platform. Besides raising the TNs the VP was also sending promo e-mails to VPs OGX in other countries and posting TNs on @exchange Facebook groups. The interviews were held by VP NCD and Adi Presedinte for Rebranders. For the winter projects things improved, the members received education on interviewing and they did the matching. The account management with the NGO that we collaborate with on CATW was not taken care of, and that's why we had to delay the project. For matching I want to establish LC to LC partnerships that will help me bring more trainees, I want to have a member of my department that will constantly be present in the Facebook groups and post TNs from Timisoara. I will start matching earlier and I will train the members to do it, so it won't fall all on my shoulders. I want to have a calendar in the office with every matching event on the platform (e.g. webinars, matching manias). To motivate the members I want to have on the NCD wall a picture with every trainee that has been in Timisoara on my term and next to that a scale with the fulfilment of the numbers on GCDPi. Quality/Reception. We have reception booklets on every project but we don't have a universal one, for our LC and town. We don't assign EP buddies and only the project team handles the internationals. Members of the LC are not interested in spending time with the internationals. The JDs are respected. I want to implement EP-buddy matching (personality matching), so that the integration of the internationals will finish faster and it will be more qualitative. I also want to have more parties for the internationals (like international Fridays) to give people the chance to bond. I want to try to implement a host-families system. I want to have a team of ep buddies in the department, with a team leader that will make the EP-buddy matching and after that the buddies will get in contact with the trainees and have at least 4 G2KEO skypes before they arrive here. I want to capitalize on the partnership with orange, and in the summer organize a big treasure hunt where the internationals should also get involved. I want to create a database/pack of reception materials and promo materials that could increase our visibility on the platform.
2. Give 4 specific actions that will increase NCDs market reach in the term 13-14. Raising at NGOs and creating stabile partnerships with them by promoting them the Global NGO concept. Bringing internationals on their internal projects would help us both create a wider network of contacts and increase our market reach on the NGOs market. We can also increase the number of internationals we bring in NGOs that we already have partnerships with (e.g. Plai). Creating a new project for students on an issue that an NGO already identified, which will increase our students market reach and and position us better as an organization. For example I would make a project in partnership with ECO Club or Let's Do it Romania and ExpertEco (local eco business) that would bring 4 internationals with ecological knowledge and background in this kind of activities. They will deliver trainings on the issues and have workshops where they will teach the participants how to create objects for the household from reciclable materials. The project should finalize with an eco action where we would engage the citizens of our city. This way, we can increase our market reach both on the students and the NGOs, and the local authorities. Another way of increasing our market reach is by increasing the number of participants on our local projects. After that we can synchronize our winter projects, gather all the internationals and the participants on the projects and organize an impactful event for Christmas. More people in the same place create a bigger impact and raise awareness easily. By having a public event we increase our market reach to many categories of audiences. We can also increase our market reach on the platform. I would create a complex pack of materials as a support for the LC to LC partnerships. This way you ensure the quality of your product and the image you have as an LC. Having met all the requirements and being professional, your partnerships will be more stable and you will shorten your matching period and ensure your realization rate. Having this, I will be able to do a much more productive matching and to increase the number of internationals on all our projects. Having more internationals, you can have more participants, and so increase your market reach. 3. Give 2 GCPs from national network & 3 GCPs from international network that can be applied in AIESEC Teamisoara. AIESEC Bucuresti has a good case practice on reception. They are doing matching between trainees and trainee buddys. The EPs have to fill in a form with questions regarding their personality, free time, hobbies, values. Then, using the information from the form and the ones gathered after the interview with the EP, the ICX responsible decides who will be the EP buddy who will fit best with the trainee. AIESEC Cluj also has a GSP on applying for grants with their PBOXs. The VP ICX and VP Finance were working together on writing these grants, and their strategy of doing it was that they studied the issues on which the grants were being awarded and then tried to create PBOXs that responded to those needs. This is how they got a 40.000 euro grant on Sunny Days Project, a social project designed for children with low financial possibilities, which intends to help underprivileged youths in developing social and communicating skills. Developing their self-esteem thorugh non-formal education, all this is done using a fun and relaxing atmosphere.
AIESEC in Russia - Young and Perspective (national project) - the project aims to raise awareness of pupils about the culture of other countries, their history and present situation, inoculating to school children a sense of racial tolerance. Duration 6-8 weeks. The trainee will have to do country presentations for school students, organize games, learning activities, plan the workshops, organize and participate in local cultural festivals, give lessons of English. AIESEC in Brazil - they use the webinar for EPs as a method of matching. They gather all the EPs and the VP ICX from other country and that VP has about an hour to present the culture and his country and the projects that are available at the moment. EPs have the chance to ask questions directly and the information exchange is more accurate. AIESEC in Russia - They have Regional Exchange Conference. The conference goals are: getting a better understanding of 2015 vision, simplifying operations, and designing personalized experiences. The conference is mainly focused on creating an exchange culture. It would help us raise the awareness among members. They have various sessions, one of the most relevant being "Driving GCDP incoming culture". 4. Taking into consideration the last term, create a strategy that will ensure that @TM will remain a performing LC on GCDPi.
AIESEC Timisoara doesn't always bring internationals in town, but when we do, there's so many of us everywhere you might think there's a new community in your town. exchange culture - this is the core direction that I will have, because it is the one that can make the other two happen. I want to do this by applying this autumn's induction strategy at every recruitment and with every generation changing more and more the shift to exchange. I want to make members take responsibility and ownership and to do this I thought of creating a new PBoX together with them. To create this culture I have to facilitate as many ways as I can the interaction between the members and the internationals. That's why I want to organize International Fridays, a branded EP-buddy team (like a party/fun team). I also want to have personal meetings with the TLers and discuss with them this subject, and through them to downscale at the LC level. - no of EP buddies: 35 - no of events organized for internationals (peaks quarters): 7 -no of personal meetings per month with TLers: 2 meetings/TLer iPBoX development - I want to develop new issue based projects and to refresh and reorganize the old ones. That is why I want to do raising at NGOs and either creating projects in partnersip with them, or bringing internationals because we like the issue they are trying to
resolve in our community. I also want to reorganize the PBoXs, and create like an @University but with internationalism and non formal education. This "bellow the line" University would be comprised of Let's GO (1-4), Winter Vitamins (5-8), Cultural Mix (9-12). They would keep their brands but will be united under a bigger brand. I want to do this to create a stronger product and sell it easier. I want to add 3 more projects to our pipeline: Camp Champ (international summer camp, I described the project at another question in the AF), an eco project for students in partnership with Let's Do it Romania, ECO Club and ECOExpert (the project should raise awareness about eco issues and have practical workshops on how to reuse resources and create objects from waste), and an Events School wagon for AIESEC Academy (the theoretical part facilitated by internationals and the practice space by AIESEC). - no of GCDPi: 140 - no of projects: 11 - no of projects for students: 3 - no of NGOs engaged: 10 - no of new NGOs engaged: 10 +Q processes - I want to improve quality of each ICX process and to do this, first to give preparation to my members. I want to do raising at NGOs and create projects based on those NGOs issues. I want to create a matching promo package that would make it easier to establish LC to LC partnerships and will increase our visibility on the platform and on the online channels. I want to implement EP-buddy matching system, try to implement host families system, have 2 feedback sessions (mid-term + at the end) - no of LC to LC partnerships: 5 - matching promo package - 90% feedback forms filled in - 2 feedback periods - NPS score: above 9 5. What do you plan to implement as VP NCD in the next term in order to improve quality and quantity on this department? Quantitative growth: I want to grow the number of the trainees that come on Rebraders to 50. I want to implement 3 new projects: a summer camp at an orphanage in Jimbolia, with 15 internationals, an ECO project for students with 6 internationals and a PR&Events school wagon at AIESEC Academy with 4 internationals. Because I will have a lot of projects, I want to start matching early and this will be a strong focus of mine. I also want to have a raising team in the department that would do raising at NGOs (as an initiative). Regarding the members, I want to constantly have at least 15 active members in the department, and to deliver them trainings on processes, so that everyone could do matching and like this obtain efficient TMP/TLP. I will also have a weekly meeting, because I want to create a brand for the department and for me as a VP in order to keep the members engaged and active, this way
performing better. I want to continue the work I've been doing in the NST and establish LC to LC partnerships that can ensure me the numbers I need (e.g. Uberlandia, Brazil). Quality growth: First of all it will be the reception. I want to externalize the process, so that not only the OC of a PBoX will do reception, but also the members on NCD and even members of CD and OGX. For this I want to implement an EB-buddy matching process done by the person who is in charge of the matching interviews. I want the LC to be engaged and bond with the international, that's why to enable this I will organize international parties with cultural themes, beer bondings and a lot of social activities. For an impactful experience I also want to try to implement a hosting families system by including in the AF of the participants to projects the option to host an international for two months. I want to have mid-term evaluations and feedbacks with the internationals to be able to change things if necessary. For the development of my members I will push for them to go to conferences, especially the team-leaders, I will have personal meetings with each TL and if needed I will recommend them coaches. I also want to facilitate simulations for unexperienced members: for example to go with them in raising at a friendly stakeholder that I know in advance. I want to create a quality framework if by then we don't have one, or see that the one we are working on currently is implemented. For this I will keep track on every PBoX and colaborate with VP IPD to make a plan of meetings with the TLs. 6. What are the 3 critical points in the development of this department (member's development, GCDPi processes improvement, exchange culture, exchange experience)? How do you plan to overcome them? At the time, the most critical point is the exchange culture. It doesn't exist, and this is why the department has no members. With the autumn recruitment things started to move forward a little bit, because the newies were welcomed in an exchange focused organization, and this was the idea that was inoculated to them from the beginning, but for the old members things aren't the same. Most of them do not understand the core of AIESEC and the importance of exchange. And this is where we will have to work a lot to change the attitudes. I want to do this firstly by role modelling not only me, but the entire EB. I want to work with the OGX department and have a plan of sessions (ICPS in an hour) delivered to the participants in every PBoX and constantly promote attractive TNs to our members. I will organize international parties and beer bondings to facilitate communication between internationals and members, I was also thinking about organizing a facebook event "I am talking international" where in a certain day, at a certain hour, everybody should open a conversation with an international and try to find out as many things as possible about their culture, country and even themselves. To motivate members to go in exchanges I would also give discounts to internationals conferences, to take a peek at how could be an exchange experience. I also want to involve the internationals in promoting OGX, and make them work with our members, for the members to see how it's like to work with people with different mentalities and cultures. All this to make them understand the importance and relevance of our projects and to motivate them to get involved in the department's activity. GCDPi processes improvement is another stepping stone in our departments' development. Starting from the analysis of the processes that I wrote at a previous point, we have to improve a lot. The fact that we have a lot of projects that happen at the same time it is very difficult for the VP to also do raising at NGOs. That is why I want to create an initiative in the department (a mini-team) that will first do a research of NGOs and only after that go targeted in raising. For the matching process I would plan it in advance, and I would start it earlier. To facilitate it even
more, I will establish partnerships with LCs from big countries, that have a lot of EPs, and a trustworthy history. On reception I want to organize a Buddys team and brand them like "Maslinutzele Mizerabile". It should have the image of a fun/party team and by this people will want to be part of it, and we will ensure our quality of reception. The member's development is difficult because members don't come to trainings. Another aspect is that a training on ICX processes is boring if not delivered by a really funny person. That is why I thought I should compress the training and deliver it in one night: an allnighter. Combine it with beer and music, and it will become a pleasure to learn about raising and matching, CABs and project tools. I will also have to work a lot with the TLers on PBoXs, because if the TL is prepared, then the project works well, and the members in that team develop. If the team has synergy, they motivate each other to do things and to have to urge to learn new things. For the members to take an active role in their learning I was thinking on getting them ownership on a project: creating a project from scratch with the members in the department. 7. Analyze the study case attached and give specific actions to improve critical points focusing on prevention and quick fixes. Education plan for Q4 For the preparation of GROW OCP after I select him/her I will have a personal meeting to talk the project through in detail, to make sure he understands how things work. After that, I will push for him to go to 5TC (in fact this will be a criteria in selecting him as a TL). It is very important for him to be there, because there he receives all the knowledge, hard skills and soft skills he needs to start coordinating GROW. After he comes back I want to have a meeting with him, where to solve any doubts that he still has and to answer questions.
TB - team building after summer with the old members, to reactivate them and motivate them for a new AIESEC year WKS matching - workshop for the old members to prepare them for the matching period MWebinar - session with VP OGX in other country and its EPs where we present our projects MMania - matching mania for GROW & CATW 5TC - preparation conference for GROW OCP GROW TL - personal meeting with the OCP for further clarifications WKS ind - workshop for newies in the induction part. Old members which received education in October are facis RTS - newies and oldies receive education on soft skills and hard skills Noctura - allnighter consisting of a training on processes followed by matching RYLF - newies and oldies receive education TB - team building with all the members - creating the WALL
Quality I will have an oldie to keep track on the interviews and another one to create a EP buddy team. Then, at the same time with the matching process I will implement the EP-buddy matching. The applications for GROW will be open and the participants will start applying, so I will attach to the AF a questionare to fill in if they are open to become a host family. I make sure the OCs send the reception booklets to the internationals. I set a committee to take the internationals from the airport. I make sure the EP buddies have skypes with the trainees and that all of them complete their goal-settings.
G. Connection to personal vision 1. What is your personal vision for your future? To get there, which characteristics needed you’ve already developed? How will the EB experience help you on achieving this vision? I want to grow a lot in the next few years, hell, I want to never stop growing. But I want to keep some things just as they are now: my passion, my trust in people, my energy. My future is already booked: I have places to go and people to meet. I want to have stories to tell. Until now, I think the key characteristic I've developed in @ is thinking big, answering to WHYs and being solution focused. The EB experience will only take things to the next level and will motivate me to point higher with the next opportunity I will take. And it will help me decide, as I said in the previous paragraph, which place should I go first to meet those people. I am too far in this relationship with AIESEC, and like in an usual long-term relationship, I somehow managed to let go. Like a leap of faith. I trust it will take me on the right paths and I no longer try to control it, because I know here is where I will put the solid grounds for my future. 2. What if you are not elected for the position that you are applying for? What are your plans? What will you do next? How will that affect your AIESEC XP? It will probably be a downer at first, because I've already imagined too many beautiful moments for the next year in the EB of AIESEC TM. But then again, I'll get over it and I will continue my AIESEC XP: I would wait until summer to have my bachelor's degree and then apply for a GIP somewhere in Europe.
H. Your space After answering all these questions, you have a free space to summarize the main points of your application, or express a relevant point that you didn’t have the chance during the application. I want to bring out the hard-core side of exchange and promote that, and project that through our actions as an organization.
J. Make a 3 minutes video of your perspective of “The way you see AIESEC TEAMisoara in 2014 at the end of your term”. Pana si iepurii pleaca in eXchange http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh6bT1jOKvc&feature=youtu.be
K. Blank paper challenge: “What would happen if the AIESEC vision would be fulfilled today?” Attached