Like every year, The AEGEEan is giving a platform to candidates for a position in the European Level boards and commissions of our association to answer to some questions in order to present themselves. This year, we established a cooperation with the Golden Times and, together with his Editor Gunnar Erth, former and current journalists of our magazine will interview the candidates for the upcoming Agora in Krakow. Today we present you with the only candidate (so far) for the position of  Equal Rights Working Group Coordinator Julia Roshan Moniri (AEGEE- Frankfurt am Main) and  three members, all running for one of the six positions available for the members of the Network Commission: Brian Brands (AEGEE-Tilburg), Novak Simin (AEGEE-Novi Sad), Refik Barış Özçelik (AEGEE-Izmir).

One of the Focus Areas of AEGEE is Equal Rights, with the aim to acknowledge and tackle discrimination based on gender identity, expression and sexual orientation, and to promote equality from an intersectional perspective. Contributing to that is the Equal Rights Working Group, which supports the Network in organising activities and sets up its own related activities too. Julia Roshan Moniri, member of AEGEE-Frankfurt am Main, is motivated to take on the leadership of this Working Group for the next term, starting on the 1st of August. About time that we get to know her!

Check her interview here.

Find Julia’s complete candidature here.

Refik Barış Özçelik took his first steps on the European level of AEGEE as Content Manager of the Events Quality Assurence Committee (EQAC). The 19-year old member of AEGEE-Izmir will present his candidature as Network Commissioner at Agora Kraków.

Check his interview here.

Find Refik Barış’ complete candidature here.

Getting inspired by AEGEE’s greatest events ever as well as creating new ones: this is one of many things that Novak Simin from AEGEE-Novi Sad wants to do if he gets elected Network Commissioner at Agora Kraków. “I would also like to see more locals cooperate on a joined project or joined event”, he says. The 22-year old engineering student currently serves as Subcommissioner of Marina Klanjčić and is also member of the Action Agenda Coordination Committee (ACT).

Check his interview here.

You can read Novak’s full candidature here.

Brian Brands, student of Supply Chain Management in Tilburg, discovered AEGEE two years ago. After more than a year in the board of AEGEE-Tilburg, the 26-year old is ready to take a step further and to contribute to the development of locals from the Netcom perspective.

Check his interview here.

You can read Brian’s complete candidature here.

Like every year, The AEGEEan is giving a platform to candidates for a position in the European Level boards and commissions of our association to answer to some questions in order to present themselves. This year, we established a cooperation with the Golden Times and, together with his Editor Gunnar Erth, former and current journalists of our magazine will interview the candidates for the upcoming Agora in Krakow. Today we present you with the candidature of  four members, all running for the six positions available for the members of the Network Commission: Aydin Mehdiyev (AEGEE-Baki), Elena Panagopoulou (AEGEE-Athina), Oksana Prokopchenko (AEGEE-Sheffield), Polina Khapaeva (AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg).

Aydin Mehdiyev gathered local experience as President of AEGEE-Baki and made his first international steps in the Eastern Partnership Project and the Youth Development Working Group. At Spring Agora Kraków he will be one of seven candidates for six open Network Commissioner positions for the term 2018/19.

Check his interview here.

Check Aydin’s programme here.

Second time around: NetCom Candidate Elena Panagopoulou already tried to get elected as Network Commissioner one year ago. In the end, the former board member of AEGEE-Athína member was not elected in a very competitive field of eight candidates. Now, with many new ideas and plans, the 26-year old gives it another try at Agora Kraków.

You can read Elena’s full candidature here.

Check her interview here.

Oksana Prokopchenko, founder of AEGEE-Sheffield, is running as Network Commissioner at Agora Kraków. The antenna president is really motivated to bring the locals in the UK closer and closer to AEGEE-Europe in order to establish a better cooperation, to strengthen the locals in that area and the ones nearby, giving them all the tools to shine as they deserve to.

You can read Oksana’s full candidature here.

Find her interview here.

Polina Khapaeva from AEGEE-Sankt-Peterburg has been really active since she joined AEGEE in 2016, being president of her local for two years, member of the Youth Development Working Group and the AEGEE-Academy. Now she’s ready to take the next step – at Agora Kraków she runs for Network Commissioner.

You can read Polina’s full candidature here.

Check her interview here.

When you meet Francesca Zorcolo from AEGEE-Cagliari, you can tell straight away that she is an active member of our association. She was vice-president and president of her local, main organiser for NWM Cagliari 2106, subcommie for the Rainbow for Netcom Gabriele Scollo. Now candidating for the Network Commission. 

The AEGEEan: How would you describe yourself?

Francesca: My name is Francesca, but I love to be called  “Zorci”, I currently study Economy and management at the University of Cagliari but I’m going to finish soon –luckily- ahahah. I’m 24 and I’m from AEGEE-Cagliari. I have been a member since 2014 and from the very first moment I’ve always been an active member, I’ve been for two years on the board and now I’m subcommie for the Netcom Gabriele.

Why did you choose to candidate for the Network Commission?

As I said before, I have been in AEGEE since 2014 and in these past years I’ve gained experience, I’ve learnt a lot about what locals need and how to support them and that’s exactly what I would like to do: support locals, make them shine and be present for everything they could need, giving them my time and the resources they need.

What would be your main objective as a member of NetCom?

Certainly, I would like to work together with the Netcom team to study and put in action a recruiting strategy to spread among our locals in order to solve the problem of decreasing numbers in memberships that AEGEE is facing now. Then I would like to create a strong collaboration among locals and between locals and European Bodies, in this way the right field to share best practices, resources and opinions can be created.

Who would you say is your best source of inspiration in AEGEE?

Aww I didn’t expect this question! I cannot nominate just one, so I answer with Lisa Gregis, because she’s a hard worker and she has inspired me to dream big and to realise bigger! Marina Klancic, because I love the way she works and she keeps me motivated to give my best to the Network Commission and of course Mattia Abis, because I think he had a great impact on the Network when he was Netcommie and his feedbacks are still for me the most important I can receive.

You mention in your application that you would you like to create a strong cooperation spirit among locals. How do you plan to achieve this result?

First, I would like to create chances to get to know each other: through live meeting at events, but even through hangouts, challenges, inviting them to introduce themselves in the locals group and creating focus groups about common interest issues. Then, I would like to invite them to share their best practices filling jointly folders about different subjects, like PR, HR, FR and so on. And lastly inviting locals to organise events, such as Summer Universities or RTC or Promotion Days, together, in this way even those locals which suffer from a lack of members could organise something to involve new ones.

But I would like to know the opinion of the Netcom team and the Subcommie team for building a well-studied strategy together.

You live in Sardinia. Do you think this might be an obstacle for you when you need to visit your locals?

I think not, Sardinia is well-connected with everywhere by plane and by ferry, we have low-cost companies and special offers that connect Sardinia to Italy, so definitely it won’t be a problem.

How do you envision cooperation with your fellow NetCommies?

I think we will set up common projects and go on with those that are currently working, and I imagine our cooperation will be like a constant sharing of opinion and points of view. I hope we will support each other in case we would have any problem or doubt!

Do you already have an idea about your SubCommies team, in case you were elected?

I would like to collaborate again with some people I met this year, but I don’t have a clear idea about it yet. I just know how I would like to work with them, I’d like to structure the subcommie team as Gabriele did before, giving them general tasks for help locals about different fields and giving them specific locals to support.

Questions from the Network

You have experience with Gabrielle’s locals. Would you have a problem if you were assigned to other locals?

I’d say no, because if I will be elected I can count on the previous Netcom’s knowledge transfer for those locals, probably I would choose subcommies who already got experience with some of those locals and of course, I would organise a meeting with all of the locals assigned to know them better

What’s your opinion about cutting a wide series of useless Netcom criteria which just create useless bureaucracy?

As we have seen from the last email about the “possible changes in the Network”, there is of course a problem regarding the Antenna Criteria, but now I cannot says what. Of course, this issue will be discussed with the Netcom team and our Network Director in order to find a solution that it’s suitable for the locals and our network in general.

You can read her full candidature here.

Written by Firdevs Cazim

Few days are missing to Autumn Agora Catania, and one of the most important decisions we will make, is to choose the best people for the Network Commission. Alin Georgescu has already worked as a NetCommie for one year and would like to dare again and commit himself to the Network. 

The AEGEEan: Who are you? For what do we know you?

Alin: Hard question. We don’t usually ask ourselves who we are, and if we do, we come with some cliché answers. I can say I let my actions say who I am (See? Cliché!) and I’m not concerned about this question to be honest. I can be consider a traveller, I like to explore places, people, thoughts, ideas, buildings, everything. So yeah, I can define myself as traveller.

You have already been a NetCom for one year, how would you comment your year as a NetCommie?

Challenging. I didn’t expect it to be so damn challenging, honestly. I hate bureaucracy, and as a NetComm you have a lot. But I don’t mind, we are a team and I’ve always found support when I needed. But overall it’s good, I say it is ‘cause my term is not over yet, I still have until December. I want to continue, I feel I didn’t finish with this. So if something makes you wish for more, that’s good, no?

What did you achieve in your year as a NetCommie? Why would you like to run again?

I was able to come closer to AEGEEans and European Bodies. But most importantly, closer to the members from many locals. I would like to run again because I need more time. I came to that point when I’ve met the difficulties that locals are facing, I want to change the way we see the Network Meetings as training courses. In NWM Debrecen I did it differently, it was a meeting between members, a space for reflection and connecting, learning and sharing. I want more of these events. I will do it in Cluj Napoca and hopefully two more times. I want to prove that it is possible this way and there can be an amazing outcome from it.

You wrote in your programme that you would like to stabilise the current state of the locals you’re responsible for, did you notice something else that might need your commitment after one year in the NetCom?

Isn’t it enough? The engine of our organisation is at local level. No matter how many new, awesome and life changing ideas or initiatives we have, we start at local level. We are a big organisation and we have an impact at European level because we have many locals. Unfortunately we forget that a big number is made by small numbers, our members and locals. We have to focus more on their REAL needs, strengthen their activities, management and resources. This is what I want to work on, for me this is top priority: the local level.

How is the Antenna Criteria Reform, approved during Agora Enschede, working?

Less bureaucracy, but there’s space for improvement.

In the Network Status Update email that the Network received there were many locals in danger, would you like to comment this and how you will work to change this situation?

Unfortunately this is the real state of the Network that we didn’t want to see for a long time. I will continue what I’ve done so far, building a good relationship between locals, trying to improve their activities, their recruitment process and members. Network Meeting will help. Also more thematic projects funded from different grants would do the work. Currently I’m gaining more and more knowledge on this and I’m planning to work closely with locals on applying for Erasmus+ funds. Also criteria should, and they will, suffer some changes, many locals are suffering and are on that list just because of bureaucracy.

Would you prefer a Network of few strong locals or one of many common ones?

Definitely more locals, we have to create the opportunity for as many young people as possible to join our organisation and our goals. A “natural” selection will always exist but we have to open our network for everyone. Maybe one member from a weak local can be the next President of AEGEE Europe, who can deny it?

Describe the features of “the perfect NetCommie”. 

There is no such a thing as perfect. There is just the will to constantly learn, improve yourself and never give up.

In your motivation we can read “During last months I came to the conclusion, there is more work that I have to do from this position so I want to continue”. Can you be more specific about what kind of work would you like to carry out if you are elected?

In my motivation I wrote this for the simple reason that almost no one is reading it. Yeah, some people can accuse me I’m too honest, but this is reality, jut few people are reading 70% of what we write in AEGEE. I will mention again the Network Meeting, the way I see it differently than what we do it now, a mix of trainings after which we get almost nothing, you are just tired and hungover probably. I need this time to proof that we can do way more and really use this events to strengthen our Network. I would also apply for grants, which needs time, and I will focus on planning and a good management. The locals that I’m responsible for need better strategy for recruitment, activities and managing their members. Some of them are even writing that “we need some magic to make the youth do something”. The lack of motivation is still a big issue in our Network and if you combine this with some bureaucracy (I think I used it too many times), you have locals endangered.

Why would we need to vote for you?

Because I can bring something new in AEGEE. Because I’m not perfect but I’m working on it. Because I constantly learn, reflect and share. Because I’m committed to this job.

Question from the Network:

You’re running for your second term in Net.Com. In your current experience as Netcommie what you consider the best goal you achieved and which you in the top urgent to solve or complete? (Consider your personal experience and your assigned locals)

Network Meeting Debrecen is the biggest achievement. Network Meeting Cluj Napoca is the next.

You can read his full candidature here.

Written by Lisa Gregis, AEGEE-Bergamo

The upcoming Agora is a place where a new generation of NetCommies is going to be elected. The Network Commission has always been one of the most crucial Commission we had in our Network, but now maybe even more than ever. Celia believes she is motivated enough and ready to take the job. She would like to lead by example her assigned locals, pushing them to fulfill the Antenna Criteria and getting stronger.

The AEGEEan: Who are you? For what do we know you?

Celia: To define myself there are some aspects that I consider essential.
First of all, talking about me inside AEGEE I have been a member of AEGEE-Zaragoza since 2013 and I am active from the beginning. Currently, I am president of this antenna and also subcommissioner of the Network Commission. Additionally, I collaborate with the Gender Equality Interest Group.
Secondly, I consider myself as a hurricane of energy, I love doing always new things and getting engaged with new projects. I am a tidy and responsible girl, but at the same time, I have a lot of creativity and a pinch of craziness, I love enjoying every moment of my life.
Last but not least, as many members of AEGEE, I love travelling and meeting new people and new cultures around the world.

Describe your ideal leader. Is a Netcommie a leader? Why? How can you be that leader you described?

In my opinion, a leader has to be an example to follow, a role model, a person who knows how to develop strategies to achieve common a goal making everyone feel involved and working on the things they are best on. I think a leader is also a person willing to receive feedback and continuously making the team grow.
A Netcommie then has many similarities with this definition: I believe it’s important to be willing to listen to its team and to the different locals. It’s crucial to have great teamwork to bear in mind all the opinions and feelings of the team members trying to get everyone on board, feeling comfortable and heard in every moment.
In my case, I consider myself a person open to feedback and to work within a team. Along these years in AEGEE I have worked in a team in several occasions as leader (being president or main organiser of events for instance) feeling comfortable and trying to get better little by little.

What are the NetCom projects you are more interested to contribute to? Why?

If I have to choose one, I would choose the Mentorship system. I think it’s always very interesting to be able to learn from other locals and to put people in touch so that they can share their experiences and anecdotes. In this way they can develop stronger bonds among locals and learn from each other. Related to this, I would want to work on a Toolkit for contacts to make it more accessible for people interested in founding an antenna to achieve what they want in every moment.

What do you think about the Antenna Criteria Reform introduced at Agora Enschede? Would you like to change something?

In my opinion the Antenna Criteria Reform has been a great method to make the Antenna Criteria more adequate to the reality of the locals. I think this is the kind of revisions that should be carried out constantly getting adapted to the needs of the locals so they don’t become a barrier for the locals to grow but a method to make them stronger. Antenna Criteria currently don’t reflect the needs of the locals and therefore I would not want just to check if all the locals have everything done but also to get to know the reasons behind an antenna not accomplishing them. This would allow me to help them grow and get stronger.

In the Network Status Update email that the Network received some days ago, there were many locals in danger, would you like to comment this? How will you work to change this situation?

It’s truly sad to see that many antennae are in risk to be downgraded but I am aware of the huge work that some people are doing in order to avoid that. I trust in the work of the Network Commission to improve the situation every time and help locals to get developed. With the collaboration of the subcommies, I would like to have a permanent contact with the locals and get more approachable to them to understand fully their needs. This would help us not just to make sure the Antenna Criteria are followed but also to motivate the local to work in the right direction. Many times, antennae don’t fully understand antenna criteria work or which are the AC they have to fulfill. There could be a project to be implemented all along the network to explain properly what AC are, which one each antenna should fulfill and more importantly, how to fulfill them. There could be a very visual manual containing links to forms, KT documents explaining things in details, etc.

In your programme you say that you would like to bring the AEGEE Bodies closer to the members, but the strategy you proposed seems the other way around: to bring the members closer to the AEGEE Bodies. Can you tell us something you would do in order to bring the AEGEE bodies closer to the members?

Actually I think both are important. On the one hand, it’s crucial to allow members to know the European Bodies, what do they work on, how they can get in touch with each other, to show they are friendly and they are willing to help. On the other hand, it’s also very important to work with different European Bodies to be able to help the locals in any issue they may find. As Network Commissioner, I would want to count on the support of the European Bodies and to be able to work with them. To put them in touch I would want them to collaborate not just at NWM but also at LTCs or RTCs for instance.

To ensure continuity and stability, among the other things, you wrote that you would like to continue the projects made by “La Nave” locals called “Connecting Locals” and “Local of the Month”. What would you do to ensure continuity if “La Nave” locals won’t be assigned to you?

All the projects carried out in La Nave locals could be easily transferable to any other local. Having the experience of being Alejandra’s subcommie, I would be able to take those and apply them into the reality of the specific locals or even to the whole Network.
It would also motivate other Netcommies to continue and implement these projects.

Describe the features of “the perfect NetCommie”.

First of all, I would want to emphasise that it would have to be a friendly person, open to new ideas, to receive feedback, to include changes and to improve for the Network. Additionally, I think this perfect NetCommie would have to be a hard worker and proactive person open to try new things, learn from mistakes and not fearing to make new mistakes by changing for the better

How would you like to support the CD in your daily work?

I think it’s important to work in close relation with the CD as they are also aware of the Network status and they are a great source of ideas and information which is very convenient for the work of the Netcom team.
I also like the Netcom-CD pair system that is already in play and I would want to keep it as I think it’s a great way of working together having two European bodies in touch. Furthermore, I want to work closely with the CD to organise the NWMs together with the team of subcommies and the hosting local in order to have a fruitful and nice cooperation. I think it’s also very important to bring closer the work of the CD to the locals and make more visible what they do and how friendly they are to help in any issue the members may have.

Why would we need to vote for you?

One of the most important things I think it’s needed for any position you run for is the motivation and, that, I have way more than enough!
I’m willing to start to work in this new adventure and face the new challenges it brings me. Every time I take any responsibility, I fight until the last moment and I do whatever is in my hand to achieve my objectives. I can’t imagine giving up or not doing my best every day. I would like to bring this motivation to the rest of the team to be able to have a nice working atmosphere and to coordinate plenty of project helping the locals every time. I love helping and being in touch with people, understanding the different cases and trying to empathise, giving always my help and my hand for anything that´s needed. I’m a real doer and I love getting really involved to solve all different sort of challenges!

You can read her full candidature here.

Written by Lisa Gregis, AEGEE-Bergamo

Agora Enschede is approaching and as the past Agora, the AEGEEan will try to help you to understand more the Proposals which will be discussed during the Prytania. These four are about the Locals and how they function.

Improving Regulations on Contracts

Proposed by Jorge Sánchez Hernández on behalf of AEGEE-Dresden. During Autumn Agora Cagliari 2014 the denomination given to a contact was changed from “Contact of AEGEE-Europe in cityname” to “AEGEE Contact in cityname”. This was decided to make PR easier for Contacts. At that time this change was not included in the CIA, so this is the case.

Furthermore, the proposer would like to allow Contacts to send more than two observers to the Agorae, in order to educate the new members that attending an Agora is a very important matter for an AEGEEan. This has also the aim to decrease the number of people going to an Agora as Visitors just to visit the hosting city and party hard.

You can read the full proposal here.

Updated Cd’A of AEGEE-Academy

Lia Tuska and Zvonimir Canjuga on behalf of Comité Directeur are proposing to strengthen the cooperation between AEGEE-Europe and AEGEE-Academy by updating the Convention d’Adehsion of the latter.

The commitment of AEGEE-Academy to provide training to AEGEE-Europe will be more specific. So not only AEGEE-Academy has to provide trainings to the individual members of Locals, but also skills development opportunities, based on Non-Formal Education methodologies, to AEGEE locals, as well as their individual members of Locals. Moreover AEGEE-Europe will recognise The Academy as the official pool of trainers of AEGEE-Europe.

AEGEE-Academy as a training organisation has developed during the years of its existence partnerships and relationships with other organisations, so in this proposal we can find more specific information about how and with whom it can cooperate. This has the purpose to give more independency to the Academy, which will have the right to collaborate with any organisation with similar scope, except for the ones in which AEGEE-Europe holds a position as member, partner, advisor or consultative status.

Moreover the Comité Directeur will appoint a member to be part of the board of the Academy who will have the same rights and obligations of the others elected board members. The Academy should also commit to support AEGEE-Europe and all its members, partner organisations and organs in all the internal educational needs with relevant training activities.

You can read the full proposal here.

Rewriting the Antenna Criterion number 12 included in: Antenna – Remaining an Antenna

Let’s start explaining what we are talking about (if you know how the Action Agenda and Strategic Plan work you can skip the first paragraph)!

The Strategic Plan (SP) is drafted every three years during an event called Planning Meeting. In the thematic part of this document you can find the Focus Areas on which AEGEE will concentrate its activities and events. The ones we will have starting from the 1st of August will be Civic Education, European Citizenship, Youth Development and Equal Rights. The Action Agenda (AA) is drafted each year in an event called European Planning Meeting (EPM). This is like a yearly list of objectives that tries to put into practice what is written in the Strategic Plan. So it can happen that if you organise an event about Youth Development (Focus Areas of the SP) but you do not fulfill the Action Agenda objectives related to that Focus Area, it is not counted as an event that contributes to the Action Agenda. The Action Agenda Coordination Committee (ACT) is the one who controls and approves if the locals have organised or not activities which contribute to the Action Agenda.

Experiencing this everyday, Juragis García, Cristina de la Parte and Svenja van der Tool on behalf of Action Agenda Coordination Committee would like to change the 12th criterion for remaining an Antenna. Right now it states that it’s a duty of an antenna to organise at least once every two years a European Event that contributes to the Strategic Plan. In case a local cannot organise it, it can be replaced by two local activities contributing to the Strategic Plan.

This proposal will make the locals organise two local activities each year (which can be replaced by a European Event – the opposite of how it is now) which contribute to the Action Agenda and not the Strategic Plan anymore. These activities must be approved by the Action Agenda Coordination Committee beforehand. This process is structured like this: the local sends an email to the ACT explaining the activity they would like to organise. Afterward the ACT will approve or not the activity. Moreover, this criterion obliges locals to maintain an active communication with the ACT, via the ACTie they have been assigned to.

You can read the full proposal here.

Antennae Criteria Reform proposal

Six months ago the Network Commission handed out a survey to gather opinions of the locals regarding Antenna Criteria. After processing all these data, Alejandra Piot Pérez-Abadín, Aleksandra Mojsova, Alin Andrei Georgescu, Gabriele Scollo, Kristina Reshetova, Loes Rutten, Mareike Ritter, Pablo Palazón Riquelme, Spyros Papadatos and Stanislav Mahula on behalf of the Network Commission drafted an Antenna Criteria Reform Proposal that is presented. Here below in bullet points the list of changes.

Remaining a Contact Antenna:

• The Contact Antennae will not have to create a bank account to keep that status, but only to become Antennae.

Remaining an Antenna:

• Now locals should send delegates to at least one out of the last three Statutory Events (usually 2 agorae and 1 EPM). With this proposal locals will have to send their delegates at least to one of the last two Agorae.
• Locals should send at least one of their board members to a NWM. With this proposal, if none of the board members can join this event, they can appoint an active member who will represent the Antenna in a NWM. This request will need to be approved by the Network Commission or the Comité Directeur.
• Each Board should send an Activity Plan to the NetCom within one month since they are elected and an Activity Report within two weeks from the end of their term. This proposal would like to extend both these deadlines to two months. Moreover the Activity Plan will need to be discussed with their Network Commissioner in a meeting arranged by the local. Same thing with the Activity Report, but the conclusions will need to be written down in an Evaluation Report. Unfortunately it is not possible to understand which conclusions the proposers are talking about. We will discover more on Prytannium!

You can read the full proposal here.

Written by Lisa Gregis, AEGEE-Bergamo & AEGEE-Verona

Laura Pérez from AEGEE-Leon decided to apply for the Network Commission. In order to get to know Laura and her plans for the Network Commission before Spring Agora Enschede, she answer some questions from our magazine. 

The AEGEEan: How would your best friends describe you?

Laura: Even though the question is for me, I decided it would be more fun to ask them directly. I hope the readers enjoy the answers and don’t take them too literally:

Ander (AEGEE-Zaragoza): “How to describe Laura? Just think of how you would describe your sister if you would have one. Beyond the committed hard worker AEGEEan she is, she is truly is a friend you can always rely on.”

Juragis (AEGEE-Tenerife, ACT): “She is the sweetest girl ever, she is always in a good mood, even if you are sad or angry, after talking to her you will feel better. She is full of AEGEE Spirit and she is a very experienced AEGEEan who is always eager to help you when you need her. I cannot imagine a better person to be NetCommie.”

Alejandra (NetCom): “Laura is a nice, hard-working and amazing girl, and such a good friend! She is always full of energy to do anything that she proposes to herself and no one can stop her. I will never regret the day that we started to work together, and, for sure, to be friends, because she is really amazing!”

Anna (AEGEE-Udine): “Laura is among the most committed people I know – in friendships and at work, she will always give her best to keep things going.”

Daniel (Youth Mobility WG): “Defining Laura is not easy; for me, she is a close friend and an important person. Laura makes people feel appreciated even if they don’t deserve it. That makes her a good and communicative person, but she is still in the process of developing herself. Her unstoppable work makes people feel confident and inspired. But there are still some attitudes that she needs to improve as: being too conformist (when a situation is as bad as hell) or being not so visionary. If she is able to configure her vision correctly, her new steps will dazzle us all. One of the most valuable features of Laura, that make her unique, is the way that she sacrifices herself for others. The resulting cocktail is an incredible person, and above all, a good and really important friend. About the rest I do not care.”

Could you give an overview of your experience within AEGEE, both locally and at the European level?

The first thing I did in AEGEE was organising the TSU of León, a bit more than two years ago and, almost at the same time, a post SU weekend event for 140 participants in cooperation with the NetCom (AKA Renove). After all this, I became the secretary of my local. During that board term we organised three LTCs in which I took care of the logistics and/or trainings. One year after, I got elected as president. Then I organised another SU (incoming responsible this time) and then (somehow) helped the organisers’ team of Planning Meeting León.

AEGEE-León works a lot with Mobility students of the University of León, so in the last two years I organised or supervised all kinds of weekly (and sometimes daily) activities for them and in co-operation with our International Relations department, for which I work now. For example: international and welcome weeks, trips, language exchanges… I would say that I have organised almost everything; from parties, pub crawls and city tours to conferences in Russian or sessions of Q&As about mobility learning agreements.

Outside of León I have always attended as many events as I could afford and more so: NWM Valencia, EPM Leiden, SUPS Catania, Leadership Training. And let’s not forget about Agorae; I was delegate and secretary assistant in Bergamo and Chișinău. Thanks to working with the Chair Team in both Agorae I learned a lot. I also typed and listened a lot.

Regarding my experience with the Network Commission, I was lucky enough to be in Brussels one day and to be suggested by a former CD member to a former NetCommie as SubCommissioner. I joined her team and then helped her organise and deliver some sessions at NWM Santander, NWM Barcelona and Renove Zaragoza.
With now a different NetCommie and a different SubCom team, I have also helped organise NWM Bilbao.

I believe NWMs have a lot of potential; so I always wanted to participate (and still do) in some organised by different NetCommies, where I could have the chance of experiencing the realities of locals far away from mine: NWM Aachen and NWM Debrecen were both very different and also different than those I helped organise.
I have recently gained some experience as well with RTCs after the one organised by AEGEE-León and AEGEE-Oviedo and the one organised by AEGEE-Toulouse (in which I was trainer). As for locals, I have been responsible for the following: A Coruña, Burgos, Castelló, León, Lyon, Madrid, Valencia and Zaragoza.

What makes you a good fit for the Network Commission?

I would say that my experience and my motivation do. After a year as secretary, a year as president, and more than a year as subcommissioner, I feel ready for candidating now. But even more important; I am very motivated and excited for the position.

If you are helping a local to organise a NWM, on which things would you mostly focus?

First of all, I would work on the process of selecting a hosting local (and encouraging locals to apply). Then on communication with the chosen local, to make everything as clear and smooth for them as I can. Adapting to the organisers’ needs is also important, as well as supporting them on any problems they can have when organising. Something that I’ve learned recently is that I would like to give the hosting local their own space in the NWM programme; space to show the other participants their local, their city and their best ideas for the social programme. NWMs wouldn’t be possible without a hosting local and the organisers’ team, so I would put the main focus on this collaboration and on working together as one.

You aim to be ‘’a bridge’’ between locals and European Bodies. Could you elaborate how you will improve the communication between them?

Every local is different, some are very active locally and some are not. Some organise activities for the Erasmus and mobility students and some others don’t. Some have members that are also involved in European Bodies and some don’t. But something I’ve learnt from experience is that most locals seem to have something in common; I have seen our Network confused with so many activities and events and happenings…and so many European Bodies and ideas with which many members just don’t feel connected to. So it seems that the problem resides in this gap that we have: Locals vs. AEGEE-Europe and European bodies.

They are all part of the same organisation, have motivated and hard-working devoted members and are depending on each other to maintain a balance. Not only is it one of my aims, but part of the tasks at the core of the Network Commission to maintain that balance and be this “bridge” that connects them.

How will I improve their communication? AEGEE is a mixture of self-development, contribution to society and fun -best definition of AEGEE I have ever heard-. All of this is why Locals, AEGEE-Europe and European Bodies are really all in this together. By managing to make our members aware of this reality, we could reconnect both “levels”, shorten this distance and, therefore, help them to improve communication between them. Also, more concrete actions and very important ones for me in order to be able to support locals and European Bodies on issues related with communication will be:

A) Knowing by heart what is going on on both sides of the river; realising the realities of all the locals and staying updated on what is happening with European Bodies.

B) Staying in touch personally with both, and helping in whatever way that I can: sharing materials or anything that will benefit locals, helping to collect data or any other information European Bodies need, encouraging locals to send their members to European events… And reminders, lots of reminders.

Also, you mention something about working (more) with the NetCom archives, could you give one or more examples of possible uses of these archives?

I’ve always been curious about AEGEE history: data, facts, contacts, ideas and projects that have been happening since our organisation was created. How is all of this useful? Learning more always is! I think that you can always use a good written knowledge transfer and some background information. Since I became SubCommissioner and I had access to La Tripu shared files, I have found out so much about those locals I am responsible for, and about the deep functioning of AEGEE in general, that I do believe it has helped me improve not only as SubCommissioner but also as president and active AEGEEan. More examples of concrete uses: having stored data and reports of previous NWMs can help to organise a better one in the future, due to having an overview of what worked and what didn’t (or even which topics should or should not be tackled) and maybe even the feedback given by the participants. Having information on all projects that the Commission has developed up until now can indicate which direction should future projects follow.

Questions from the Network

What is the area of the Network you would like to work with?

Our Network is not supposed to be divided in static fixed areas neither I find long term benefits in having a non-flexible distribution of locals between NetCommies, so that is how I would be with the locals’ distribution in case of being elected: flexible. Right now I am excited for it and I would love to work with ANY local of our Network.
Going from having ten members in the commission to (most likely) eleven, will change the current distribution so I don’t see the point in choosing one or another area. Still, I can share a bit more information if it serves as clarification: currently my local is León (where I’m living), however, next August I will move to Den Haag and join AEGEE-Delft. I do have the most experience working with the locals that are currently assigned to NetCommie Alejandra.  As for geographical proximity, and as you can guess, I will be living closer to those locals in the UK, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

What is your experience in writing grants?

I only have some experience applying for grants locally since in the last two years I’ve had to write and justify different grants for the Youth Council, City Hall and University of León.

You can read her full candidature here.

Written by Susan Nijsten, AEGEE-Groningen

Many people might know that the Comité Directeur, the executive Board of AEGEE-Europe (who is elected by the Agora) is based in Brussels near the European Commission, in a house that can be recognised mostly by the plaquette on the door. But how many of you have seen how the daily life goes for all the CD members? What do we do during our everyday work? Read on to find out!

As we are elected by the Agora, the Comité Directeur’s main task is to work for the members and locals of AEGEE-Europe. This is highlighted especially in my position as the Network Director, as almost all of my tasks revolve around supporting the locals and the Network. I have 5 main “tracks” in my portfolio: Network management (which is the biggest) together with the Network Commission; Strategic Plan and Action Agenda fulfillment together with the Action Agenda Coordination Committee – which also includes the drafting part of the European Planning Meeting; Visual Identity together with the Public Relations Committee; taking care of the topic of Entrepreneurship, including the management of the external MY-WAY project as CD responsible (together with Pablo Hernández as the project responsible); and I am also CD Observer for the the Juridical Commission.

Since my position includes a lot of administrative tasks, I can usually be found either in the office, in the meeting room (as I generally have quite a lot of Skype meetings due to being CD responsible for many bodies) or in the archives digging up documents, but I also do some external representation (as all of us in the CD). In general, I start my day by reading my e-mails (even sometimes in bed [she smiles, ed.]) and trying to get awake as I am not really a morning person. Then, the day continues with either doing my regular tasks (which often include some ad-hoc requests from locals) or having morning meetings with the rest of the CD about important topics such as EPM preparations, etc. Then, after our lunch break (when I try to cook something nice) I return to my office computer and keep on working until the evening when my Skype meetings are usually scheduled – then I move to the meeting room and finish my day officially after the Skype meetings. Of course, my schedule is different when I travel– in that case I do a lot of on-the-spot tasks and the e-mails/administratives are put a bit behind. I do enjoy travelling, getting to know new places and people no matter the type of the event (internal AEGEE-events or external representation), nonetheless work is first for these kind of travels.

On paper, my position might not look super exciting, but as I am working a lot with the Network there is never a day that is the same: sometimes people ask for information or help with some tasks, other days you get interested people asking how to found a new contact – sometimes I might see that I am a lot on Facebook and other social media, but I get approached in many platforms, so I will just adapt to whichever is more comfortable for the locals or for my teams. One thing that I really enjoyed until now is the CD on Track because I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know the locals better in their own cities and see how they manage in their everyday environment – hopefully, I can help and support them in case they need it.

Written by Tekla Hajdu, Network Director of AEGEE-Europe

Spring is right in front of us and Spring Network Meetings follow closely. The Network is once again presented with ten amazing opportunities to grow stronger together, create fruitful alliances and share best practices. Here you can find AEGEE-Bamberg, AEGEE-Gdansk, AEGEE-Novi Sad, AEGEE-Torino and AEGEE-Yerevan. For the previous five, click here. 

NWM Bamberg: We’ll be Royals [upgrade yourself]!

Royals – Lorde AEGEE-Bamberg

And we’ll never be royals.

It don’t run in our blood,

That kind of lux just ain’t is for us.

We crave a different royal kind of buzz.

Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen  Sir Heinrich II

And baby I’ll rule (I’ll rule, I’ll rule, I’ll rule)

Let me live that fantasy.

My AEGEE friends,

Your majesty Sir Heinrich II invites his imperial followership to an accolade and induction of his most faithful supporters to receive a knighthood in his beautiful city of residence, Bamberg!

“Upgrade yourself by attending this gathering of 25 members of the noble AEGEE-family that will take place between the 20th and 23rd of April. You will not only be offered inspiring workshops, discussion panels and debates in a royal city flair, but plenty of extras that will constitute the royal flair of this event!”

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/735094903322354/

NWM Gdansk: The Greatest ones Do Now! 

Yo, did you miss Agora? The event when dozens of people have a time of their lives? If the answer is “yes”, or “maybe”, or even “no”, just think for a while if you want to improve yourself and learn something essential by the beautiful Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea, huh, doesn’t it sound exciting? NWM Gdansk is your best option! Or at least, organisers think so! Now imagine: 100 amazing AEGEEans will come together to discover different areas, share their ideas and present themselves! Fantastic trainers from AEGEE and BEST! It is going to be something new, stunning, fabulous, something that AEGEE has not seen before… Well, there are a lot of catchy phrases, so to check all of them out – just apply until the 6th of March! It is your occasion to be the Greatest! #GDN

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/632077763643140/

NWM Novi Sad: European by birth. AEGEEan by choice. In Novi Sad on purpouse. 

The second largest city of Serbia, the industrial and financial center often considered as the co-capital of Belgrade, the European Capital of culture of 2021, European Youth Capital for 2019, the Youthful musical city where the Best Major European award-winning festival EXIT happens ever since 2000- the new era of a new age and… is there more? Oh, there is more. YOU can add more by getting more! And if you are thinking “When would be the right time to go? Does Spring 2017 seem like a good time?”, it is certainly the right time! Visit the Balkans, especially if for the first time. Afterwards, you will always want to come back. Right next to the warm and welcoming spirit of the city together with a lot of rich cultural learning, the total catch is simply to come and see- new FA, AEGEE (huge!) achievements: we know how and where, we know why, we are just missing with whom. Networking and strengthening, blending the joint visions into common missions, it is all about getting better. Acknowledge your European self and… Get to learn, get to lead!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/209560836180310/

NWM Torino: Not a Waste of Money! 

AEGEE-Torino is a crazy antenna and their events always have to be huuuge. That is why we decided to have 60 participants in our NWM. The sessions are going to be held in an amazing location in the middle of a park, a few minutes away from the main square and on the Po river bank. The programme will be fun and interactive, the social programme will be tremendous (participants will have the opportunity to take part in the famous “use your tongue” aperitif) and it will be also the best season to visit our great city. It is going to be absolutely fantastic and you are going to pay for it (but we promise it will be No Waste of Money). Save the dates!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1835333460083036/

NWM Yerevan: HAY power! 

NWM Yerevan: HAY power. You are probably wondering what does these 3 letters mean. Sorry, but I am not going to tell you that right now. All I can say is that if you come to Yerevan in May 2017 you will not regret it. Intensive sessions during the afternoon, national dances and music in the evening, an international team and hospitable local organisers, delicious cuisine and a wonderful city, a place for discussion and motivation to be born. Forget about borders in your head and distance on the map. Come and get inspired!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1439540256344976/

This is part two of a two-parts article. For part one, click here.

Written by the Network Commission of AEGEE-Europe