DEAR FUTURE NATIONAL COORDINATOR CONNOR MOEN From September 2016 to December 2018, I had the rare and exciting opportunity to be the National Coordinator, a new position created for the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK) and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC). This marked my first professional role in the non-profit world and brought me to Canada’s capital. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to strengthen the Ukrainian Canadian youth community while making new contacts in Ottawa, where I aspire to continue building my career.
Starting a new job without predecessors, a long job description, and short-term funding can be a daunting task. However, with support from SUSK and UCC, generous donors, peers and intuition, we created a new model that will serve the needs of SUSK for years to come as it continues to grow across Canada. As SUSK’s first staff personnel in decades, here are a few things I learned on the job that I would like to pass on to my successors:
convince the overworked student to join a member Ukrainian student club? How can you guarantee a successful turnout at SUSK conferences (‘Congress’) to provide value for its sponsors? How can you earn the trust from SUSK alumni and potential donors who can help further the organization’s mandate? This all boils down to the power of building relationships. While prior experience with the organization can
help provide you with a network and credibility (I had five years’ worth of relationship-building before the job), this does not have to be the end-all. Cultivating your personal brand and reflecting why you believe in SUSK’s mission will mark your ability to connect with Canada’s large and diverse community of Ukrainian youth. Listen and learn
Relationship-building will determine your success Success in just about any field will depend on your ability to forge authentic relationships with people; I find this to be especially true for the Ukrainian community. How can you
You belong to an organization with over 65 years of expertise and contacts – use them! SUSK has a rich network of people who live in Canada, the United States, Ukraine, and beyond. If want to learn how SUSK mobilized
10 UKRAINIAN CANADIAN STUDENTS’ UNION
VOLUME 61, ISSUE 02
