Yes, it's that time of year again, the UNICEF AGM will be taking place on Tuesday 24th January, in room 201 in the Arts building (2nd floor just opposite the stairs), from 6-8pm.
We're going to be electing a brand new committee, doing a round up of the year's events and going to Joe's for a social after so whether you're a keen member or just a bit curious about what we do this is the perfect meeting to come along to and say hello :)
To get you guys excited and to encourage as many of you to run for committee positions as possible here's a bit about why being a council member has been one of the best things I've ever done:
I first heard about UNICEF on Campus during a general meeting to discuss how University of Birmingham societies were going to help during the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake in January 2010. They were a brand new society, set up by post grad law students who really believed that helping UNICEF protect child rights in any way they could was incredibly important. They worked hard and ran a couple of successful events but, unfortunately, due to the fact that they were busy, pressured, post grads who simply didn't have the time to organise and promote lots of events, and that they'd been set up after freshers and the societies fairs, the membership shrunk to just a couple of volunteers, myself included, who became the next years committee.
From March 2010-2011 I took over as President and the faith that previous year's committee had had in UNICEF's potential was rewarded. We had more sign ups in Welcome Week than any other volunteering society, were nominated for the Most Improved Society award at the Guild Awards and Raised well over £1800 for UNICEF by running a variety of events from bake sales and bucket shakes to a 24 hour sponsored fast and an Easter egg hunt. One of our members, Ioana Tanasescu (this years Vice President) also took part in a UNICEF UK sponsored trek, travelling across the amazing landscape of Jordan and visiting a UNICEF UK project out there.
In 2011-2012 UNICEF on Campus has gone from strength to strength with the committee headed up by President Karen Chui, running a variety of innovative events, raising awareness of and money for UNICEF's East Africa Children's Crisis Appeal and bringing UNICEF's Day for Change campaign to campus, which raised over £330 in a single afternoon.
For me, being part of the committee as President in my second year and Campaigns Secretary this year has been a phenomenal experience. I've loved helping plan and put together events and socials, getting to know the society members and knowing that all the time and effort I've put into the society is also helping UNICEF's projects around the world. On top of that the skills that I've developed and the experiences I've had have certainly been instrumental in helping me gain my current student job (Student Development Assistant at the Guild of Students) and in helping me gain a place on the prestigious UpRising Leadership programme, and I know that when I do apply for graduate jobs after completing my masters, it'll help my CV stand out then too.
All of the current committee are standing down this year (we're all third years apart from Karen whose a busy busy 2nd year med student), so if you've got the slightest inkling that you might like to be a committee member come along! All candidates have to do is prepare a short speech about why they think they'd be the best person for the role, a vote will be taken and the new council announced at the end of the meeting. If you're not the best public speaker, don't worry, we're a pretty friendly bunch and we know that being a brilliant council member doesn't necessarily mean you have to be brilliant at speeches.
You don't have to be a keen or even an existing member to run for a position, you just need to be willing to put a bit of time and effort in to the running of the society and believe that the work UNICEF does protecting Child Right's across the world is important. And you can trust me when I say it's worth every minute of it :)
See you guys on Tuesday!
Henrietta
Campaigns Sec
UNICEF on Campus, University of Birmingham
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