Time for Agora Cagliari, time for new candidates. Today we are meeting Andrea Ugrinoska (AEGEE-Skopje), who is running for the position of Chairperson at the upcoming Autumn Agora 2014. Former Human Resources responsible and current president of her antenna, Andrea considers herself as a hard-working and reliable person, who gives her contribution and energy both on the local and on the European level by working actively on relevant projects: Y Vote 2014, Health4Youth and Democracy in Practice. Check this out and see if she is the right person for this position.
The AEGEEan: Can you tell our readers who Andrea Ugrinoska actually is?
Andrea: A very enthusiastic and hard-working girl with lots of ideas for improving things. A person who loves what she does, and loves the people she works with! Someone who knows how to laugh hard on a good joke, but sit at the table and work at the same time. Andrea, dear Network, will stay positive in the hardest of times. At the end, you can imagine Andrea as a wax figure that can adapt anywhere according to its environment.
What is your experience in AEGEE-Skopje?
Currently I am the president of my antenna, and before that I was HR responsible. I have been present in many local activities, as well as main coordinator of a pre-event for Agora Patra and organizer of our Summer University. We are currently organising a Local Training Course that will take place in a few days. Besides that, we are also preparing the upcoming NWM SkopYEAH Vol. 2. The local level is very dear to me, especially because I have an amazing hard-working team that supports me. In my reasonable mind, one should not rush away to help things out on the European level, without contributing to its origins, meaning the Local level.
What about your engagement with the European level?
I would lie if I say that I haven’t been sneak-peeking in the European level since the very beginning, but I always felt this responsibility of contributing to my local as much as possible, and then aim a bit higher. However, I am quite satisfied with my engagement in the European level as well, as I have worked in some projects (Y Vote 2014, Health4Youth and Democracy in Practice). Besides projects, I am also a subcommissioner, making sure that the communication between the locals and the European level is fluent.
And here is a question from our readers: You hold many European level positions so far, how will this affect you, if elected, in terms of time management?
The truth is that half of my positions will end by the time I would start my term as Chairperson, or very soon after that. However, I have been a professional snowboard athlete since I was 12, meaning that I was travelling every two weeks for training, and still managed to finish high school at the top of my class and become a European champion too. Even though it may look like I am extremely bragging about myself, my point here is to emphasize my strong time management skills. If there is one thing I am not worried about, that is managing my time. I am aware that the Chairperson position is not something to be underestimated, and I am well prepared to invest all my time there.
Why did you decide to run for the position of Chairperson in the upcoming Agora in Cagliari?
I believe that AEGEE is a very powerful Network, which has a strong influence on youth and stakeholders nowadays. This is for sure a result of the strong visions that previous and current people in AEGEE have, but another fact responsible for this great development is that we have two General Assemblies per year. These meetings help the Network to discuss on relevant topics, share activities that have been done before, and question their professionalism and impact, therefore pushing the organisation to its limits. That is why these Assemblies deserve a lot of attention and commitment to improve them every year, as it has been done before. Putting everything that I have said so far together, it is very easy to see my motivation to contribute as much as possible for an Agora or European Planning Meeting where every member (old or new) will feel like home. A place where everyone will feel comfortable to propose, to question, to get more involved. A place where new potentials will be born and motivated, and old ones will be even more stimulated. I believe I have a lot of ideas, and I am very motivated into joining the Chair Team for contribution to these strong powerful meetings.
Another question from a member of our Network: You have only attended one Agora so far. Wouldn’t this be an inconvenient for you? And how have you “been introduced to the CIA” [Corpus Iuridicum Aegeense]?
Thanks for the question. When I say being introduced to the CIA, I mean (as the word explains itself) that I got to know the CIA very good. I read it a couple of times, patiently, step by step clarifying all its points, understanding the core laws of our organisation. Therefore, if elected, I would fully support and cooperate with the Juridical Commission. Of course, I can never be as introduced with the CIA as the JC, but in function of having a smoother Agora, I believe that the Chairperson should understand these basic principles too. When it comes to my experience, I think there is one common trend in AEGEE: we sometimes like to measure experience in quantity, rather than in quality. This is a student youth organisation, so our time is a bit limited, and talking in terms of experience here is something very relative and unstable. First of all, we are here to learn, not to measure the number of events and conferences we have attended, and make lists of who is better. We come here all equal, and seek same opportunities, and the fact that some of us had exams at the same time the Agorae were happening, or the destinations were really impossible for us to reach, should not be a key point into measuring a person’s motivation and willingness for contribution. It is true that the CIA offers some safety measures for candidates, which I absolutely fulfill, and sometimes I find it pointless to search stubbornly for more. Let me not even mention the amazing mechanism our organisation offers, such as “Minutes”, “Online Streaming”, “Booklets”, “Live Reporting”, which allow AEGEEans that are not able for any reason to be present physically on the Agora, to still participate fully.
So back to the answer, no, I do not think in any way that being a delegate at Agora, present at EBM, President of a local and overviewing locally an organisation of an Agora is anyhow inconvenient for me.
Question from our readers: Which are the characteristics (personal and professional) should the Chairperson have? Do you honestly see yourself in this role?
Well, I would not be running for Chairperson if I did not see myself in this role, would I? But thanks for the question, and when it comes to the characteristics I would say very formally speaking the role of the Chairperson is to facilitate, to contribute to a good organisation, to cooperate with relevant bodies in AEGEE, to make the Agenda, to choose participants and to make sure that Agorae and EPMs are comfortable, challenging, limit-pushing meetings for our Network. If I would speak informally then I would say that for sure this person needs to be well-organised. This person should also be very objective, not to let any personal preferences influence some of the judgments which need to be made. They should be prepared for a lot of stress, ready to solve problems in the same minute they appear. Be calm and full of understanding for the Network’s needs.
My decision to run for the election did not appear out of nowhere. It was a well-informed choice which was being built through reading, sharing opinions, and practicing. So yes, I honestly see myself in this role.
Did you ever have the opportunity to gain experience in this field?
Yes, I have had this chance many times, as whenever there was an open space to chair meetings of any kind, I was the first one to do it. I have been President during a Parliament simulation, I have chaired many local AEGEE meetings. Besides this, I have been handling focus groups in my university studies, which means that I was the main facilitator of interviews on different topics among small groups of people. Everytime I find myself on these positions, I am reassured how much I love it, and at the end of the day, I believe this is something to start with.
Surprise our readers. Why do you think you are the right person for this position?
At the end of the day, what we really want to see behind the Chair Team table is someone who will assure us that no matter how many complications were born in the meantime, things will get back on track right away. We want someone who understands the needs of the Network, who appreciates the questions of the people, and values their contribution as such. We want a person who is patient and calm, managing to stimulate the Network to participate. We want someone enthusiastic and excited about their position, someone who loves and appreciates sitting behind the table, never misusing the power that the Network gave them. A Chairperson is not a judge, king or God. A true Chairperson is the one who is grateful for its Network’s trust, and understands that s/he is here to facilitate and make the whole process smoother. Back to the question. I am the right person, because I am truly in love with the work of the Chairperson.
Written by Larisa Smajlagic, AEGEE-Verona