Recently we talked with Gabriele Scollo from AEGEE-Torino, who is running for a position as Network Commissioner. He joined AEGEE when he was 25 years old, and has been an active member ever since. He was a member of the Action Agenda Committee for one year and participated in many local and European events otherwise. Now he is taking it to the next level and applying for member of the Network Commission. Read below the interview and get to know him better.

The AEGEEan: Hello, let us begin by telling us a few words about yourself. 

Action Coordination Team (ACT) workshop at EPM Leiden

Gabriele: Hello, I’m Gabriele, I’m from Turin and I’m 27 years old. I’m an economics student and I’m currently writing my Master thesis about sustainable food production. If I have to choose two things I love, I would choose cooking and travelling, that’s why in the future I see myself as an entrepreneur in the sector of gastronomic tourism, so I can share my passion with everyone visiting my country and maybe make some money to travel to new destinations during my free time. I’m also a big fan of science fiction, because it makes me think a lot about how the future should or shouldn’t look like.

What motivates you in AEGEE?

I got to know AEGEE when I was 25, so I was already a bit too old for a new member. Since my first European event (European Planning Meeting in Burgos 2015), I started to realize how many possibilities to develop yourself this organisation gives you. The very thing that motivated me was seeing all these people from everywhere around Europe, much younger than me, with such great skills, self-awareness and determination, so I can say I was greatly inspired by them to make up for all the time I spent ignoring the existence of student organisations.

Gabriele as main coordinator at AEGEE-Firenze’s Summer University “Go wild in Tuscany!” 2016

How would you explain to a five year old child what means to be a Network Commissioner?

A Network Commissioner is the good teacher who didn’t forget how to play, helps you do your homework, cares about your well being and asks you about your dreams and life goals.

Which are the two main points you want to focus on if elected as Network Commissioner? 

Gabriele Scollo at Network Meeting Valetta

I think there’s a problem that all members should take very seriously right now: the fact that our Network is shrinking more and more every year. AEGEE has been a strong and influential organisation for decades and it can’t just die out like this, especially in a moment when Europe itself is going through a serious crisis and needs all of our passion and energy. We should all do our part to invert this trend, and it goes without saying that NetCom should have a role of primary importance in this process.

A second problem on which I want to focus on personally is the development of our Network in qualitative terms: we need more thematic and training events for our members, more locals organising them, better prepared delegates at Agorae and, in general, more involved and active members. This doesn’t mean “no more parties”, but aiming at representing something more than a simple occasion for fun.

Gabriele Scollo as main coordinator at the Network Meeting in Firenze, autumn 2015

According to you, which is the biggest problem in Europe? How would you solve it?

Unemployment is definitely the biggest issue, and the one that has triggered the lack of trust towards politics that we all know of. There are no easy solutions, I’ll leave that to populist politicians that are trying to bring us back to the past. A good starting point though, would be for society to start learning from young people, often way more skilled, open-minded and mentally flexible than previous generations. Our society should believe more in us, let us access positions of power more easily, finance our projects and understand our world view. This means that we have to make our voice heard.

Do you plan to candidate also for a position in the Comité Directeur in the future?

It’s an experience I would really love to have, but I think I will prioritize having a job in my field of study.

Gabriele as main coordinator at AEGEE-Firenze’s SU “Go wild in Tuscany!” 2016

Name three personal strengths and fears.

One of my biggest strengths is that I get along well with 99% of people, even the ones who are really different from me. This takes me to my second strength: the ability to understand all points of view and find good compromises. This is probably linked to another strength I have: an analytical way of thinking.

My fears: to disappoint people I admire, disappoint myself, the inability to face uncertainty.

Do you have any message for the people who are coming to Agora Chișinău?

Let’s try to make this Agora a moment of reflection on our organisation’s future. We have what it takes to achieve all the goals we set for ourselves.

The AEGEEan: Thank you and good luck!

Gabriele: Thanks a lot!

You can read his candidature here.

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

The winner of Local of the Month of May is none other than AEGEE-Bergamo! The organiser of the spring Agora 2016 hosted 1000 people, a huge number of participants even for an Agora. We had a talk with the board of AEGEE-Bergamo about the challenges encountered for organising AEGEE’s biggest statutory event, about their antenna and of course, about their next plans! If you attended Spring Agora Bergamo and want to know more from the organisers’ point of view, here you can read all about it.

The AEGEEan: To begin with, congratulations for organising Spring Agora Bergamo! What was your overall impression as organisers?

AEGEE-Bergamo: First of all, it is an honour for all of us to be named Local of the Month. Organising a statutory event is a very complex goal, trying to do it hosting 1000 people is an even bigger challenge. Now that Spring Agora Bergamo 2016 is over, we, as organisers, can only say that it has been a success and we are really proud of what we achieved. We really worked hard last year preparing everything, and then, on arrival day, everything seemed to finish in the blink of an eye. It was great, especially because there were 1000 smiles surrounding us during those days.

What was the biggest challenge you faced before and also during Agora?

While we were organising the Agora, I guess the most difficult part was the FR, and not because our team was not good enough, but because we actually needed a lot of money to guarantee a unique experience for 1000 people. Actually, the FR team did an amazing job and thanks to them we did not have any problem. The problems we faced during the Agora were not enormous; the logistic team had the hardest job, especially by night when they had to deal with 1000 people who wanted to reach the club and were waiting for the buses to come, or during meals, for example.

What could you have managed to do better and why?  

Our team was very focused on small details, thanks to Paolo who did an amazing job as Main Coordinator, and due to that I think we considered all the small things, which can make the difference between a great event and an unforgettable event (which was our goal). Also, there is a thin line which separates an unforgettable event in a positive way from an unforgettable disaster. Anyway, although we did a great job, there is always something that might have been done better.

How many active members does your antenna have?

Actually we have 100 members and 40 of them are active. It is a good number and I am happy we have grown a lot in the past 2 years.

Had your antenna organised a statutory event before; if so, when?

Well, before this Agora we organised a NWM in 2013, but this was the most important event we have ever organised in the history of our Antenna. Will it be the last? We will see, but I am sure it won’t.

What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of your antenna?

The strength of our Antenna is in the group, we can work together and we are a big family. Nevertheless, the strength and success of our projects is also due to the great help given by the City and the University. Something we can improve is our level of activity, not only at the local level, but also at the European level. We can always work harder, try to improve ourselves and our home: Europe.

What are your next plans for this year? 

After the Agora, we took a little break to relax after a year of hard work, but now AEGEE-Bergamo is coming back to work and has a lot of surprises for you all. Stay tuned, we will demonstrate to you that there is Life after Agora!

What would you recommend to antennae who want to organise a statutory event?

We were a very untrained and small group only a few years ago, but with hard work and perseverance everyone can reach any goal. My suggestion is to work on the cohesion and the strength of the group; skills are important, but unity comes first. If the organisers are well trained and work as a single body, your event can only be successful.

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

Agora Bergamo is approaching day by day and you’d better prepare yourself both physically and mentally for it, because it’s about to become real in less than a week! Beside the necessary things you need to take with you undoubtedly, we want to help you with a few cool tips which you have to take into account once you are there in order to survive! So, take notes because you will need them! Especially if you are a newbie at your first Agora! 

#1 Tip: Drink A LOT of Coffee!

Every oldie in AEGEE knows that at each Agora, during morning plenaries, half of the people in the room are sleeping, or are half asleep because of last night’s party, of course. Whether it’s on the floor, on the chairs, on someone’s lap, it’s the same scenery. The “Sleeping AEGEEans” Facebook page is full after each statutory events with weird sleeping faces on weird positions or even places. Yeah, we have seen a lot of creativity among those people! So, as you can already imagine, the most essential thing to do at an Agora is drink COFFEE and A LOT OF IT! There are lots of intensive activities which require your attention and full cooperation sometimes. So drink a cup or ten or you might lose a lot of insightful information or the key moments of this event!

#2 Tip: Take an External Battery everywhere with you!

That’s right. You will need it to charge your phone during the event, so as be able to use it during boring times or if you need to check some important issues. If you don’t own an external battery, you can also buy one from the Summer University Coordination Team (SUCT) who are selling them during the Agora! Dibs!

#Tip 3: Take Vitamin C every morning! 

It’s well known the fact that if you take vitamin C after a long night of party and alcohol, it kills off the hangover. It couldn’t be more true! Vitamin C is an antioxidant. Alcohol depresses your immune system, leaving you wide open to colds and other viruses. As alcohol metabolizes and our body detoxifies itself, a substantial number of free radicals are released into our body. Vitamin C’s antioxidant qualities help fight free radicals in our body and generally alleviates headaches. So, you can say it’s also a good way to prevent getting the flu or other illness. It’s a win-win!

#Tip 4: Take earlier showers in the morning or later during night! 

It’s not a surprise that during every Agora there is a queue of people starting from the gym and all the way to the bathrooms. People in their towels wait in line for their limited time to use the showers. It’s crazy. It’s messy. It’s hot. It’s Agora’s most often problem, not enough showers, not enough time. However, it has been said since “ancient times” that you would have a better chance at taking a normal shower, if you wake up in the morning earlier than the others, or during the night when everyone is at the party or even sleeping.

#Tip 5: Don’t come late to the European Night!

Yes, we have arrived to the most important tip of an AEGEE event. European Night! It’s always great when people bring a little bit of taste from their own culture and nation during a nice small event organised in AEGEE. However, when it comes to an Agora, it’s the mother of all European Nights in one place! With large quantities of alcohol and all kinds of sweets, you cannot be late for this party! No, sir! Everyone knows that the best drinks finish first and fast! Come late and you will also miss the chance to enjoy your time with others at the same time and it will be sad for you when everyone is really enjoying themselves and you are still sipping some weird drink from Finland.

We gave you some tips, now you figure out the rest! See you at Agora Bergamo!

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

Whether you are a delegate, a visitor or an envoy, you are definitely going to love the workshops planned for the upcoming Spring Agora Bergamo! They are new, they are fresh and interactive, aimed for new members coming as visitors, some of them being for the first time at an Agora, eager to learn valuable things, AEGEE related or not,  from trainers and members with experience. Three of them will briefly be presented in this article and are the following: “Be water, my friend!”, “I was killed by PowerPoint” and last, but not least, “Peace it Up!”. Read more to find out about each one of them and don’t forget to join one during Agora Bergamo! See you there!

Workshop I-A: Be water, my friend!

Held by the Speaker and Vice-Speaker of the Public Relations Committee (PRC), Gerardo Garcia Diaz (AEGEE-Oviedo) and former Comité Directeur (CD) member, Mayri Tiido (AEGEE-Tallin), the workshop will take place on Thursday, 19th May at 12:45 and will end at 14:15. This workshop encourages you to refresh yourself and teaches you how to adapt to different situations, to be like water, as the name suggests, through improvisation theater and role-playing. Although this workshop will be a lot of fun,  a decent level of English is required, so if you are having trouble with that, start revising!

Workshop I-B: I was killed by PowerPoint

As the name suggests, we are all sick and tired of PowerPoint presentations and dull speeches. The means used to spread education & knowledge have changed a lot, the best example for that being TEDx, with events taking place all over, featuring worldwide known trainers, experts and great leaders that inspire us with their speech and stage act. Why shouldn’t you try to be like them? Through tips and tricks presented during this workshop, you will learn how to keep the participant’s attention, leave them speechless and falling in love with your presentation. The workshop will be held by Academy trainer, Ana Potocnik (AEGEE-Ljubljana) and will take place on Thursday, 19th May between 12:45 and 14:15.

Workshop I-C: Peace it Up!

So far, the year of 2016 wasn’t too great when it comes to democracy and peace-making, considering all the terrorist attacks that happened in Paris, Brussels, Istanbul and Ankara. However, it definitely brought us together and motivated us to take our own actions to contribute to a better and more peaceful Europe. The collaboration between the “Democracy in Practice” and the “Your Vision for EUrope”
project has resulted in an interactive and meaningful workshop called “Peace it Up!”, which will offer you this great opportunity to come, share and support your thoughts and feelings about the current situation. It will be held by Noemi Lowy (AEGEE-Debrecen) on behalf of the “Democracy in Practice” project and Adonis Meggos (AEGEE-Peiraias) from the “Your Vision for EUrope” project and it will take place on Thursday, 19th May from 12:45 until 14:15.

For more information you can download the Agora Agenda and the Workshops and Progress Meetings booklet.

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

He has been active in his local for almost two years. After his first Summer University in 2015, he was elected as Public Relations Responsible in the local board, organising the Local Training Course and Summer University of 2016 as both main organiser and treasurer. But that’s not all, he also coordinated local volunteering events such as Let’s Do It Ioannina 2016 and the Student Associations 2016 for his antenna. Spyridon Papadatos from AEGEE-Ioannina may not have the European level experience, but he is very motivated and wants to devote himself entirely to the position as Network Commissioner of AEGEE. We talked with him a little about himself and more about his plans for this position. 

The AEGEEan: To begin with, tell us three words that best describe you and why. 

What do you think is the biggest and most concerning problem in the Network at the moment and how do you plan to solve it?

In your application you said you want to build a strong team of SubCommies with vision. What is your vision as a possible Network Commissioner?

Questions from our readers:

Giving the fact that there are no fixed regions, which locals do you want to work with?

I would like to work with the Greek antennae of course, because I am aware of their strengths and weaknesses and I have met a lot of their board members. Also, I would love to work with the Turkish antennae, just like Network Commissioner Danae Matakou, because she has set a solid base of work with them and I would like to continue it. Also, Turkey has a lot in common with Greece and I am interested in reinforcing the connections between their locals. Alternatively, I would like to work with some Italian ones at some point, because Italy is one of my biggest loves (I’m fond of the Italian culture and country, I simply can’t get enough!).

What do you think is the thing you, as a Network Commissioner should work more on with the locals in order to improve their lives?

Apart from supporting them with their responsibilities and the criteria, some trainings to reinforce their HR and PR are always a must. But for me, the most important thing would be helping the locals and their members take initiatives. They are the ones that know their needs best, their pros and cons, as well as the environment, the society they exist in. So, I would like to help them develop and realise their ideas, start making their potential projects come true. That way, they can achieve the best of what AEGEE offers, while at the same time they can personally grow in a groundbreaking way.

You didn’t mention LTC, despite the fact that it recently became a criterion. How would you ensure that locals will organise one?

Considering that it officially became a criterion, I thought that I didn’t necessarily have to specify it. But you are right, because that shows that there are AEGEE members, who haven’t gotten used to this change yet. The LTC is a great chance for the local members to explore a more serious aspect of the Network and to be activated on an international level. But that doesn’t mean it has to be less interesting for some of them, because of its seriousness. Just like at the Agorae, we have the fun activities (the parties, the city tours), and the LTC can be lighter too. With the help of the local board’s HR responsible, activities can be organised to help new members enjoy the LTC, while learning deeper things about AEGEE. For example, in my antenna we were thinking of a yoga event in the city castle after the LTC (combined of course with the beloved AEGEEan energizers!). Don’t you think that would make a LTC seem less of a ‘criterion’ and more of fun?

What do you think about the Network Meeting Reform? Do you think a standardised NWM will bring more pros or cons?

I believe that the Network Meeting Reform is a positive change the NetCom came up with. It helps the NWMs to have a common concept and structure, while at the same time it allows the NetComs to approach it in their own way and implement their antenna’s character and needs in it. For example, a NWM in Aachen and a NWM in Napoli can share common sessions, but won’t be the same at all. They can both have sessions adjusted to their own individualities, because at the end of the day the locals are the ones that give to the Network Meeting its unique identity, and the NWM reform works to facilitate this, while at the same time trying to improve the quality of the content. It also helps making the whole procedure more transparent and more organised. Furthermore, it helps amplifying the team character of the Network Commission and the whole Network to be more unified. Let’s not forget though, that the AEGEE locals and their needs are still in the center, so it is really not a standardised version, but more of a common structure on which you can build a unique NWM, that will respond to the exact needs of the locals.

 

You have never taken part in a NWM. How will you be able to organise one?

First of all, being a part of a team is all about covering each other. The Network Commission is a team consisting of ten more NetComs, so I am optimistic that the more experienced ones will help the new ones. That is why there are two terms and a transition period. So the new NetComs won’t have to face problems like this. Also, I am sure that NetCom Danae Matakou will be more than happy to support me and help me prepare for it during the transition period. And last but not least, my antenna, AEGEE-Ioannina hosted a NWM in 2014 and a lot of my fellow members were organising it back then. So, I am sure they will help a lot if I need it, just like they have supported me all this time (for which I would like to thank them and express my gratitude for it!).

She is currently Secretary of the Agora/EPM and Project Manager of the Democracy in Practice project. Being a member of both AEGEE-Kastoria and AEGEE-Sofia, having attended several Network Meetings, Summer Universities and Agoras, Lia Tuska has a quite rich and colourful experience in AEGEE. Moreover, she is ready to take it to the next big level and run for Member of the Comité Directeur. We talked with her and she explained a little about herself and the program she has planned for us if being elected.

The AEGEEan: To begin with, tell us three words that best describe you and why?  

Lia:

Committed: When I’m doing something, I give 100% of myself in that. Even when I do more than one tasks, I stay committed to all of them.

Energetic: I cannot stay idle. I love doing many tasks at the same time. Having just one task to do makes me bored.

Smiling: Even when things go wrong, I see the positive side of the facts and I face everything with a smile.

What would you say is your biggest flaw?

My empathy. I put myself in the shoes of the other person. I try to see their point of view and feel how they feel. Sometimes I do it too much. I know it’s not always a flaw as long as you know how to connect with others the right way.

How would you explain your position as a member of the Comité Directeur to a five year old?

A member of the Comité Directeur is a brave person who decides to move in with six other people (usually from different countries). They work together for the good of more than 13000 young people.

In your application you said you are planning to do quite a lot on network development and human resources. My question is, how many hours are you willing to work in order to fulfill your objectives for these important topics?

As I said, staying idle makes me bored. Having many tasks challenges me. I was the Vice-Speaker of the Information Technology Committee, Secretary of the Human Rights Working Group, myAEGEE team and Sub-commissioner (and later Network Commissioner), all at the same time for a year. Especially in the myAEGEE team, it wasn’t just reading e-mails, checking the database and answering e-mails. I found some bugs of intranet, which unfortunately cannot be fixed. What I mean is I always go the extra mile. I might say now that I will work for 50 hours per week, but most probably, I’ll work more.

Can you elaborate in one or two sentences what do you have in mind exactly when it comes to involving the locals more in Comité Directeur’s decisions or ideas that affect them? 

Being a member of AEGEE for almost four years, I have realised that the Comité Directeur is not only physically away from most locals, but it does not know their point of view. I would like to involve them more in Comité Directeur’s decisions in order for their voices to be represented through hangouts and live meetings during statutory events, where they can ask questions, clarifications or give feedback.

What did you mean by making clear the task division between Network Director and NetCom? What
do you have in mind about that?

This is something I noticed while I was a Network Commissioner. There are some tasks in the work of the Network Commission that are not clear if they should be done by the Network Commissioners or by the Network Director. I don’t know exactly how they have been working in the last year, but I would like to set those straight for the future generations.

At the same time, I want to include the NetCommies more in some parts of the Comité Directeur life, which will make them understand more of the Comité Directeur tasks. This can be achieved through the NetCom-CD couple, an idea which is still vague for some people.

How do you plan to encourage the locals and European bodies to collaborate more? 

I don’t want to just encourage them to collaborate more! All these years we are talking about this gap between locals and European bodies and how we can bring the locals closer to the European bodies. But what about bringing the European bodies closer to the locals? How I imagine it: we issue a survey asking the locals what they expect from the European bodies and another survey asking the European bodies what they expect from locals. In the results of those surveys, we can find the common ground where they can cooperate. I don’t want to limit the European bodies to dream big, but they should adjust to what locals can provide them.

How exactly do you want to introduce impact measurement in the work of the locals?

First of all, finalise and publish the Impact Measurement Toolkit that was created last year by a home-based CD assistant. Then, it can be introduced through a workshop at Network Meetings, together with the importance of quality events. Last but not least, have hangouts with them to answer any questions they might have and help them understand the importance of impact measurement.

Opinions are always different as well as points of view, but when a decision has to be made, sometimes you have to agree with the others, even if it’s against your own values. In what circumstances would you be able to do that?

I am quite flexible when it comes to decisions. Before making a decision myself, I try to check all the points of view, but sometimes it’s not easy to predict what others think or how they will react to that. Even if a decision is against my values, if it is taken democratically, I can accept it.

As an ending, tell us in just one sentence why should people vote for you? 

Because I will do my best to make the voice of the Network heard by Comité Directeur.

QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS:

How quick do you answer to e-mails?

I am subscribed in 37 AEGEE mailing lists, but I have all of them organised thanks to Gmail filters. I usually answer to e-mails as soon as I receive them. Even when I travel, I try to answer as soon as possible, but that depends on whether I have an internet connection and time.

You have been chosen as Secretary of the Agora only half a year ago, and you would probably need to quit this task after Bergamo (if elected). Do you think this sets a good example?

I know it’s not the best situation. I informed the rest of the Chair Team of my plans before I applied. If I’m elected, we will launch an Open Call to find an interim Secretary of the Agora on time. I will have to resign from Secretary of the Agora position after I finish the minutes of Spring Agora Bergamo, so I won’t quit this task.

If you could only make one big change in AEGEE’s current state, what would you want it to be and how would you contribute to it in the position you are running for?

The big change I want to make is the Antenna Criteria Reform. The answer of how I will contribute to it can be found in the next question.

In your program, you mentioned that you would like to reform the antenna criteria by adjusting them to the locals needs. Having such a huge number of antennas with totally different situations, how could you assure that the new criteria would fit all of them? Do you already have any specific idea of what you would like to change?

Such a big change cannot be done in a short period. It needs time. Firstly, I want to consult with the Network Commissioners. Then, there is this form that locals ask for exceptions to specific criteria before the Agora, which I can check to find the ones that are the hardest to be reached by the majority of the Network.  At Agora Chişinau, we can have a progress meeting, where we will discuss the idea with the network. Which and how the criteria will be changed is up to the Network.

You can read her candidature here.

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

He describes himself as a stoic, stubborn and attractive person and he is the creator and developer of the Online Membership System (OMS) which will replace the old Intranet. Fabrizio Bellicano is our Member of the Month for February and in this article he explained to us how the Online Membership works and how it can change AEGEE in the long term. So this is how we got to know him better, through his continuous work for the new Intranet and his perspective as an IT person both in AEGEE and outside of it.

The AEGEEan: To begin with, tell us three words that best describe you and why.

Fabrizio: Stoic, stubborn and.. uh, sexy, yeah, so we have three S.

How did the concept of OMS (Online Membership System) come to life? 

Oh, there’s so much to say, I’ll try to be short and simplifying stuff..

AEGEE (i.e. the Comité Directeur) used to have a product called “Lotus”, back in the times when the computer applications weren’t networked: they received paper documents, and recreated the information inside Lotus to be handled by the CD.

In order to expand the functionality, a new system with online capabilities was designed: the Online Membership System. Due to the usual problem that we are also facing now (i.e. lack of HR) it was outsourced (allegedly to a company “friend” of the President at the time…). Specifications, however, were bad; in other words, we asked for a product in a generic way, and we got a product that generally works. Some parts are worse, some parts are ok. Clearly suboptimal, especially if you think that a loooot of money were spent to get that. Anyhow, that’s the current intranet.

What I am doing is a total revamp of the intranet, borrowing some parts from the concept of “OMS”, yet what I am doing is definitely not “the OMS” – the first code name for my project was “Calaf” (his name, and he ends up by singing “I will win”) except only me and Paul Smits keep calling it like this. The most important part of the revamp was the use of “marketable skills”, in other words, the technologies I am using for this project have been picked with two criteria in mind: 1) they are modern and easy to pick (a new person is able to get started soon); 2) they are in high demand in the job market. I hoped that this would foster IT students of AEGEE to jump in and help out, but I was too optimistic. I guess we’re not so full of volunteers after all… As it always happens, the more people take part in something, the less it’s being done (everybody thinking “somebody else will take care of it”.. simple social science).

What is the purpose of the OMS and how can AEGEE benefit from it?

Since the network is only one, it is stupid to make every local reinventing the wheel to make a system that works. The first purpose of the new system is to relieve IT resources on the local: think about shared website space managed by AEGEE-Europe, instead of paying hosting space, domain name, and perhaps mail server or other additional services.

How AEGEE can benefit is simple: the second problem the system wants to tackle is information management. Currently we have no clear way to obtain information about.. well, anything. Just as an example, I got asked once by the board of AEGEE-Amsterdam how to know where their members applied/to which events they participated (they have something like prizes for the most traveller or something similar). The point is clear: how is it possible that I have no data telling me what is going on in my own antenna?

The third benefit is, once all data is harmonised and we have a strategy on how/what/where to store data, it comes naturally that the interchange of such info is eased. Think you don’t need to submit members list anymore – a snapshot from the database of your members (hosted on AEGEE-Europe’s servers, as mentioned) will suffice.

What would you say is the biggest problem in AEGEE at the moment and how do you think it can be solved?

The biggest problem in AEGEE is that we’re not self-sustainable. We have such big ideas about saving refugees or opening locals in some places, that we are not realising this is blinding us. We are constantly spamming the word AWESOME, yet locals are closing slowly one by one. Why? It’s simple: intranet. Wow, you’ve spent two days in trying to bring your friend in AEGEE, you told her/him about SU, about NWM, about Agora, s/he gives in and joins AEGEE! S/he goes on intranet.aegee.org and registers. First impression: we are still in the ‘90s with that look & feel – user experience anyone? Second impression: wow, I registered, now I didn’t receive any email. Yet I can’t retry because it says that my email is already registered. Ok, we’re done here, goodbye and see you never.

AEGEE-Kyïv told me they lost a handful of members because of that – their problem is even worse, the page they received on registration is completely blank (the server errors). AEGEE-Siena is losing members in this period of SU applications. Many others are facing the same problem, yet just imagine closing those two antennae. And another one. And another one. We are slowly decaying – do you think we are still 13,000?

Oh, now that I mention numbers, last fun fact about intranet members: there are 60,000 (sixty thousands) members in the database, because when people forget their passwords they simply re-register….

ITC (Information Technology Committee) is right now very silent. Do you have any idea as how it can be brought to life again? 

 ITC is a body like any other, it needs HR, PR, FR. Some IT skills would be favourable, yet not necessary. I was very happy when this year (actually last year) the candidates were not just “nerds”. I don’t know what happened to them though.

How do you see AEGEE in five years’ time?

It just depends on the next two years, if we are placing our bets on internal development or not – and this involves IT, as I said, but also literally developing our members. The academy, LTCs – whatever it is, we have to instruct our members of what AEGEE can offer. Also, we should start thinking of more flexibility so that we can respond in time to events, instead of waiting six months every time just to change the CIA… we’re getting too much bureaucracy.

What do you plan to do next in AEGEE?

I just look forward to the Agora, and then I applied to the SU “Nordic smile” by AEGEE-Riga, AEGEE-Tallinn and AEGEE-Helsinki.

More on the long term, I plan to chill and have fun, contributing slowly but steady, and not rushing anymore (risking a burnout).

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

Did you miss the European Planning Meeting this year? It was organised by AEGEE-Leiden and took place between the 25th and 29th of February. Thanks to their amazing work and team coordination, they managed to organise a great European Planning Meeting. Not suprisingly, AEGEE-Leiden was voted Local of the Month for February for this great accomplishment. So, we had a talk with Boudewijn Steenhof, Main Organiser, and also Casper Renting, Vice Main Organiser of the event to tell us a few details about the challenges the team encountered  and the antenna’s future plans.

The AEGEEan: First of all, congratulations for being voted Local of the Month for February! What are your future plans in AEGEE?

Casper: Thanks on behalf of everyone from -Leiden! I’m sure that all these active and intelligent members will continue to do great things for our local and the Network. For example, I’ve heard things about a NWM next year… Personally, the EPM feels like a transition from Leiden to Europe. I recently joined the LIG & HRC and started as SubCom for Loes.

Boudewijn: For me, organising the EPM was the last big thing I will do in AEGEE-Leiden. I’ve had five great years, learnt a lot and made quite a few good friends. But what AEGEE-Europe has in store for me, you never know…

What was your overall impression as a hosting local of the EPM?

Boudewijn: Apart from it being very tiring, it was amazing. To see all these participants enjoying all we have worked for in the last year was simply great. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we have learnt a lot from organising the EPM about ourselves, each other, and AEGEE! A hosting local receives a lot of attention during this time, which can be overwhelming. But I think we dealt with it well, and everyone knows AEGEE-Leiden for whole different reasons now!

What do you think you could have done better?

Casper: Oh, so many things! No seriously, we are really proud on what we have accomplished, but we also see room for improvement. Happily these were things mostly invisible for participants. For example, we lost quite a lot of stuff during the event. Apparently it’s not that hard to lose a big professional trolley, or 40 forks.

There were also quite a few participants who thought the food was a bit too ‘Dutch’, meaning, too many sandwiches. But I don’t think this is something we would have done differently, as trying different cuisines is part of exploring other cultures.

Do you plan to also organise an Agora at one point?

Casper: We already did! In 1987 (EGEE-III) and 2010 to be exact. But also if we hadn’t, I don’t think we would soon organise the Agora. It’s not like the EPM is a stepping stone to the bigger and maybe more prestigious Agora. Actually, it’s better to do something smaller really well, than something big so so, and because the city of Leiden arguably doesn’t have the facilities to host an event with this scale, I don’t think we should consider it. This is the sad reality I know other antenna deal with as well. They are very capable and would do great, but their city lacks the facilities.

What do you think was the biggest challenge in organising the EPM? 

Boudewijn: Definitely the logistics. Having the right locations, with the right stuff and the right people all come together to form a well-working machine has been a great challenge.

Casper: I’d add to that satisfying everyone’s needs. Obviously participants are very diverse in their preferences, but also in our team we had different ideas of what “EPM Leiden 2016” should be like. Combined with requests from the Content Team, Chair Team and Comité Directeur, all within our limited financial and logistical possiblities, this created a complex but interesting challenge.

After this experience, what piece of advice would you give to a local who has just decided to host an EPM?

Casper: Don’t ‘just decide’ it, haha. Make sure you have full support from your university and municipality, as you will very likely need them. Related to that, money is everything. Don’t even consider applying if you’re not sure you can get your funding sorted out. Lastly, you’re not going to organise it yourself. Make sure your whole antenna (especially if you’re small) supports the idea and is willing to put time and effort in it, and be aware that your local activities and plans will suffer. I’d say these are the three most important checks you should do before you can decide to host an event on this size.

What did you think of the theme (the refugees’crisis) for this EPM?

Casper: I think it’s a very important and relevant topic that deserves attention in the Network. From an organiser’s perspective, it was way easier to ‘sell’ an event with this topic to financial partners and media, than an EPM without a specific topic would have been. Combined, I’m proud we could facilitate a discussion about this topic. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to actually participate.

The AEGEEan: Thank you for your time!

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

“This is not in Visual Identity!” – probably a sentence you’ve heard either from PRC, a member of your local or even someone else. And hearing this makes you frustrated. “What? Why do I need to use VI? What is this!?” Say no more our friend! Here you can find eight obvious reasons why using Visual Identity is cool and the most awesome thing you can do!

Reason no. 1 | You Can Create Materials Much Faster.

Locals can simply go to the Members Portal, download some template/element, customise it to their own needs and everything is done in no more than 15-30 minutes.

Reason no. 2 | Design Artist or Not, using Visual Identity Can Make You Look Like A Pro.

You don’t have to be an expert in Photoshop, Illustrator or other programmes related to design. You can make your own VI puzzle just by using the Design Elements and following the Visual Identity Manual.

Reason no. 3 | You Contribute to AEGEE’s Identity.

By using the Visual Identity, you strengthen AEGEE’s identity both internally and externally: you and your local play an important role in building its identity. It’s like the code from a website or app; if just one line in the coding is incorrect, it cannot work properly.

Reason no. 4 | Your Mind is The Limit.

Visual Identity doesn’t limit your creativity. “No, ma’am!” It can be creatively adapted to your own ideas. People who are saying the contrary might have not really worked with it yet. So don’t believe the rumours, just give it a chance and you will see what we are talking about. 

Reason no. 5 | You are More “Ready, Set, Go” to Promote Yourself.

Other international youth NGOs and especially famous companies, also have a Visual Identity and follow their own specific manuals. When you see a Coca-Cola poster,
(think of the typical one with no bottle displayed at all) you know it belongs to them, even before noticing the logo. You can check out the visual identity of every big company and you will see that we are not just saying that to impress you.

Reason no. 6 | Cool Locals Who Use The VI are An Endless Source of Inspiration.

The more the locals who use the VI, the more the approaches are different, showing the diversity inside a common path. You can bring your own cool approach to the table and maybe you can inspire others to follow your example, why not? After
all, we can all learn from each other and form an awesome community. Plus, you will help improve the “design templates archive”, to make Reasons no. 1 and no. 2 even more awesome.

Reason no. 7 | You Look More Professional towards University and External Companies.

When your local is going to fundraising meetings, sending e-mails or delivering presentations using the VI, you are using the power of a network of 13,000 members to support your project. Then, you are not just representing your local, but the whole AEGEE network is there helping you out.

Reason no. 8 | You Save Yourself from PRC Setting You in “red” in the VI Check.

Once you adapt your antenna to the VI, you will mostly forget about PRC chasing after you for having an identity that makes you look like a completely different NGO, and most importantly, the red mark will be magically turned in a lovely emerald green. So, quit the rebellion and start using the VI. You can save a lot of time, energy and resources, but also, you can learn a lot from it, whether you are experienced in design or not!

If you need more information or have any doubts, simply contact us at prc@aegee.org.

From PRC with love! #PRChard

Written by Mayri Tiido and Gerardo Garcia Diaz, vice-speaker and speaker, Public Relations Committee