Another AEGEE member running for the Network Commission. His name is Elmar, he’s 23 and he joined AEGEE-Bakı in 2011. The AEGEEan interviewed him in order to get more information.
The AEGEEan: You have been involved in so many different activities on a European level (Public Relations Committee, Environmental Working Group, Fundraising Assistant of Health4Youth Project) and on a local level (Public Relations, President, Fundraising). How did it help you to improve our Network and gain more knowledge about how it works?
Elmar: You correctly stressed that, I advanced in my career step by step on the local level. In reality, I had some information about AEGEE in 2009, but at that time I thought that they wouldn’t take me as a member if I didn’t know English or I had little experience. Before being a member of AEGEE, I gained experience in various organizations and university clubs, then improved my English. I started as an active member, then became University Coordinator, afterwards I worked as a coordinator of Environmental Working Group (local), next was board member and later I became President. I was working actively on the local level until my presidency term, then I decided to be active on European level in order to carry out some changes. My first activity on European level was as Public Relations Committee (PRC) member. At that time, for the most part of work, I acted as an observer, I got to know their activities, and subsequently, I created a local PRC, which had a beneficial impact on local PR and AEGEE-Bakı activities, at large. As ecology is my major at university, I wasn’t very active in Environmental Working Group (EnWG), though. I participated actively in Health4Youth Project. This was my first experience in an international team. Mayri and Matthijs did their best to make me active. I think it is advantageous to be active on both local and European level, as a local antenna must act together with other locals, apart from local activities. This way, they will share their experience and thus, refine their own network.
The AEGEEan: What did you learn while being a Cubcommie of Meltem Darakcı, the current Network Commissioner?
Elmar: I have been a Subcommissioner of Meltem Darakcı (AEGEE-Istambul) since the September 3, 2013. While I was President, I asked Tika (Tina) Kukhianidze (AEGEE-Tbilisi) about antenna criteria to maintain AEGEE-Bakı criteria. When I became a Subcommie we were talking with Meltem via Skype and discussed problems in the Caucasus network. Afterwards, I focused on the new Visual Identity and I helped Caucasus and some Turkish locals on this matter using my skills which I learnt in PRC. Now I have been working as a Subcommie for nine months and it is enough for me to specialize in this field. I want to say thank you to Meltem for her support.
The AEGEEan: You were very active on a local level. The local level is sometimes overrated but very important. Do you think you will have less time for it if you get elected?
Elmar: The majority of AEGEE-Bakı members after some months of activity lose this as they pursue their education or career. To be honest, now I am as active as when I became an AEGEE member for the first time. I highly appreciate it. I had a significant role in turning some of our members into active members. In case of my election, I will toil as much as I did for AEGEE-Bakı. I worked very hard and spent so much energy to come to this end. I don’t regret this, and now it is time to share this energy with others !
The AEGEEan: How do you intend to improve the quality of the Network?
Elmar: Strength of the Network depends on the spirit and the stamina of the team. Whether I get elected as NetCom or not, we have to bring something new into the system of knowledge transfer. The absence of a right transfer system may weaken the Network after local elections. There is a perfect knowledge transfer system on the European level, but nonetheless for the local antennae, there is no system like that. Some local branches try to have as many members as possible, but it gets harder to manage as the number of members increases. Therefore, quantity must be transformed into quality.
The AEGEEan: Also your non-AEGEE experience is quite relevant. Do you think it helped you to improve your skills as a possible future Netcommie?
Elmar: As we know, AEGEE activities are based on voluntary participation. We don’t work for financial income, we try to obtain experience and to share it. As you know, it is expensive to travel from Azerbaijan to other European countries. To cover these expenses, of course I need some source of finance. I tested myself in different fields of employment, including business, government departments, which helped me become more responsible and practical.
The AEGEEan: And now, a question from our readers:”My question concerns the gap between the local and European levels. Would you consider doing something to reduce it? In case you already thought about it, what are the ideas you would like to be put to work”?
Elmar: Such cases are common in our local unit, too. I found ways to tackle these problems and I wanted to share this idea with the other NetComs. I can share my idea right here, also. It would be useful if there are European level Working Groups in every local antenna, so that they could get information about this level and can join proper European-level bodies. The absence of this mechanism is a great threat, as we can lose our active members. For instance, no one told me about this European level, I got interested in it myself. But, as not everyone does so, it is our duty to inform them.
Written by Cosmina Bisboaca, AEGEE-Torino