Comité Directeur 2011/2012
Without our predecessors, the Comité Directeur 2011/2012, we could not have had such a fruitful and useful month of August as we had and we could not have been prepared for all the challenges of the upcoming year, so we are all really grateful for the Knowledge Transfer that happened in August.
Marko Grdošić – President
Marko got three successors in August: Kathrin, Luis and Pavel. Kathrin took over fundraising tasks, existing partners, and NGOs we are closely working with. All four of us have discussed the Corporate Relations Committee strategy and the first steps for this autumn. Pavel and Marko went through the institutional fundraising, looking at the application procedure, especially focusing on the General Subvention, together with Anna. Luis has taken over from Marko the external representation tasks, which include contact with the platforms we are members of, the coalitions where AEGEE is involved, the patrons, and all the official duties that are added to the president’s tasks. Marko also took the whole team to the Eurodistrict, showing them the institutions they will be visiting in the following year and having a meeting with partners, such as the European Youth Forum and EUCIS-LLL.
Alma Mozgovaja – Secretary General
Alma was busy mainly with finalising and giving over started tasks. She was sharing her knowledge with her successor, Lucille – general management of the house and the office, preparation for the Agora and EBM, archives and team management. A few tasks of Alma’s will go to other members as well, such as the Summer University project and the Information Technology Committee to Pavel, and the Juridical Commission to Luis.
Elena Antova – Financial Director
In August, Elena was working on closing the financial year and preparing for the Audit meeting and was having on-line Knowledge Transfer with her successor, Anna. Unfortunately, because of visa issues, Anna was not able to be present during the KT period in Brussels, but this didn’t stop the work. Anna had different sessions about reimbursements and bank transfers, how to prepare for the Agora, budgets and financial reports, and a simulation of how her year will look like.
Jüri Kirpu – Internal Relations Director
In August I faced many challenges and the finishing of my term in the Comité Directeur. The month was mainly occupied by the knowledge transfer period, when I tried to give the best overview of the different functions that were connected to my position as the Internal Relations Director, which was largely divided between Beáta (Network) and Pavel (Communications). In addition to that, there were the continuous developments connected to the compilation of the Key to Europe that I overviewed and advised upon. Moreover, I dealt with several matters connected to submitting the members lists of Locals for the Autumn Agora Budapest 2012, as well as with answering questions of Locals and resolving minor problems, which were mainly of administrative nature.
Gizem Karslı – Vice President and Projects Director
August started with a planing evaluation meeting for Gizem: going through all the planning tools, the launch of a thorough identity research and evaluation of the current Strategic Plan. Together with this meeting, the base for EBM Valletta was established. Ideas for the content and planning structures were put on the table. The other weeks were busy with finalising all the work and with the Knowledge Transfer to Miguel, about projects, archives, the general overview of our thematic work, what has been done and what should be done.
Guillermo García Tabarés – Human Resources Director
Comité Directeur 2012/2013
It took us six weeks to finally sit together at the table in Brussels. These weeks were full of work, adventures, teambuilding and unforgettable memories. The teambuilding has been easy and hard at the same time, because we all wanted to do it and we were generous in our efforts, but at the same time, we all have our own ideas and it takes some time to find the way to fit all the pieces together. The fact that Anna was not able to come during the whole month due to problems with her visa disturbed the whole perioad, and we could feel that Skype meetings and phone calls are a poor substitute for the possibility of sharing a common space, where discussion flows naturally.
We had several social activities in Brussels, as Luis and Miguel celebrated their birthdays in August. Moreover, the former CD made sure that we were aware of the need to spend time outside the house. They introduced to us several opportunities for freeing our minds from the stress in the capital city of Brussels (you all know what we mean).
We had some opportunities of strengthening our bonds with activities outside of Brussels as well. We enjoyed a weekend retreat in Lede, Belgium, where we were introduced to meditation and the activities of our partner organisation, Peace Revolution. And for a week we participated in a Training Course in Las Palmas (Spain). The Arc was the perfect environment for exploring our own leadership skills. We got to know each other better, and many connections with other International NGOs were created. Moreover, the subject of Impact Measurement-based Project Management was introduced to us there. Unfortunately, on the last day of The Arc, Beáta had an unfortunate accident, that forced her to go back to Budapest for surgery, so she could not be with us until the end of August.
We had also planned a teambuilding weekend at the end of August, but we were forced to postpone it due to the fact that we were not able to reunite the team for the whole month. We all expect to be together soon and leave these kind of problems behind after the 1st of September.
The final activity of the month was the Transition Night. The former CD prepared a programme that was emotive, challenging and very intense. They set up a high standard and we will try to do something similar for the next CD to come. I guess you all are curious to know more about that night, but what happens in the Transition Nights stays (hopefully) in the Transition Night.
We want to thank our trainers from The Arc (Astrid, Arne, Alex and Magda) and especially Alma, Elena, Gizem, Guille, Jüri, and Marko for their contribution to our future work this year. Without their effort during this month, we could not be looking into the future with this energy and passion.
Luis Alvarado Martinez – President Elect
My Knowledge Transfer started straight after the AGORA, together with Marko and the rest of the former CD members. Going through lists of patrons, partners, important deadlines and stakeholders in Brussels and Europe in general took quite a big part of the time.
During the month we also went through the financial situation and all the possibilities we have for this upcoming term. We also tried to have meetings among the new CD almost every day, brainstorming on our vision as CD and as team, and commenting different ideas about our Activity Plan, what to try to improve and what we would like to put our energy into this year.
Together with Marko, we visited the offices of several partners like YFJ, EUCIS-LLL, and EU Institutions to get a real insight of how Brussels really works. Towards the end of the month, we got the chance to arrange a meeting with our partners from EurActiv with whom we want to strengthen very much the cooperation this year. The month has slipped very fast and the only thing left is to thank the former CD for putting so much effort into leaving us as prepared as possible for our next challenge: taking over.
Lucille Rieux – Secretary General Elect
The first month in the house passed in a blink. Apart from the external training the team attented in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the days in Brussels were filled with internal meetings among the elected CD in order to start planning the year, and with individual and group knowledge transfer sessions. Most of my sessions were with Alma, who introduced me to the functioning of the head office, the steps of the preparation for Agora Budapest, as well as for the next statutory events, the team management tools she has been using during her term, as well as other general administration issues. I also had a session with Marko regarding the Liaison Officer and volunteering policy, topics which I will take over. Finally, Jüri also shared with me his experience regarding the Events Committee, which I will be working with.
This first month was also important because it laid the foundation of our team, slowly but surely turning us from a group of people into a real team of friends. The first challenges have already arisen, with Anna being far away and Bea breaking her ankle, which prevented us from having a teambuilding as planned, but the difficulties also made us come closer in that sense.
Anna Gots – Financial Director Elect
My first month in Brussels will actually start in September and not in August. But my work as a member of the new elected motivated team started already more than three months ago, with August being an especially intensive period.
Even though I was unable to be present in the CD house during the transitional month due to the problems with the yearly Belgium visa, I tried hard not to miss all the crucial discussions and sessions held there, living online almost 24 hours per day. We dealt the same way with my personal Knowledge Transfer, together with Elena Antova, and through the series of Skype meetings we managed to tackle all the aspects of the FD’s job which can possibly be tackled via Skype, by means of long lasting questioning from my side and meticulous and patient explanations from Elena’s.
All in all, it was a very challenging month, the month that required for me to be extremely strong mentally, not to give up whatever happens, to stay confident, calm and optimistic and to pursue my dreams despite all the obstacles. What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger! And even stronger makes us the support of people, united by the very same aim, driven by the very same ideals as yours. With this I’d like to thank both CD teams for keeping my inspiration high, for doing everything to provide me with a decent KT, but most importantly for being there for me and supporting me through this difficult month.
The real challenges are just around the corner, and now I feel as ready to face them as I have never been before!
Beáta Matuszka – Network and Human Resources Director Elect
The first month in Brussels has passed quickly and it was busy and extremely fruitful. This was my second time in the house, but I already felt like home and got used to everything relatively quickly, hence we were able to spend every moment with knowledge transfer and meetings. My predecessors, Jüri Kirpu and Guillermo Garcia Tabarés, gave me an enormous amount of knowledge and information and valuable insight of the Internal Relations’ and Human Resources Director’s work, since I am going to deal mainly with the Network (and the Network Commission) and human resources (and especially the Human Resources Committee) related issues. Besides the knowledge transfer, the teambuilding of the new Comité Directeur has already started and we all found it vital, useful already helpful for the cooperation and future planning among us.
Unfortunately, the last days of the month were personally really difficult due to an accident, but they proved how the CD (both for the 2011/2012 and for the 2012/2013 term) can act as a family and help the members through the difficulties. This also means that the hard work does not stop at any time, especially before important deadlines, such as Agora Budapest and Local and Regional Training Course support applications, members lists, proposals and activity reports submissions and so forth.
The end of the summer brings another surprise every year – the Network Meetings are almost all announced and the Europe-wide PR campaign will soon be ready for launching – which can shake up the Network again after the relaxing summer period.
Kathrin Renner – Vice President and External Relations Director Elect
As I came four days late to the house, due to an internship that I couldn’t quit earlier, and Marko had to transfer knowledge not only to me, but also to Pavel and Luis, it was not easy to find time for a personal Knowledge Transfer, but in the end, we managed and he gave me a good overview of everything that has happened with AEGEE and the corporate world in the last year and before. Besides contacts and the materials from last year, I also have a big pile of publications and booklets which are meant to be turned into a database for potential partners of AEGEE. Marko and Guille also provided me with an overview of cooperation we have had with other student NGOs and of where there is potential for more, as this will be one of my tasks. I also received knowledge from Guille on the Academy, regarding their trainings, while Miguel received information useful for taking care of the administrative part of this body of AEGEE.
Miguel Gallardo Albajar – Projects Director Elect
I arrived at the AEGEE house on the 1st of August, just the day after the end of my Summer University in Alicante. It felt completely different to arrive there to inhabit the house for the next year, and not to be a visitor. On the very first day we had a guided tour of the house with instructions on how to use every device and system, and later we had a city tour, so now I know that I have all the necessary information to survive one year in Brussels.
The Knowledge Transfer (KT) was, in my case, provided by Gizem and Guille. The fact that I have been involved in Working Groups and Projects during my last few years in AEGEE did save some time, but in the end we went through every detail just to make sure that nothing was left out. They provided me with valuable advice on what are the time periods when I will be most busy, some personal contacts and their personal point of view.
Another important issue of the month related with my task was the meeting with the Action Agenda Coordination Team (ACT) in Brussels. We discussed how to better coordinate the ACT with other bodies in AEGEE (especially with our Network Commission), and we started an intense discussion on the identity of AEGEE, which has finally become one of the topics we will want to work on during our CD mandate. We also evaluated the previous EBM and started the process for the improvements of this year.
Pavel Zbornik – European Institutions and Communications Director Elect
I came to Rue Nestor de Tière 15 on the last day of July, but my work started quite earlier. In June, I started close cooperation with the new Public Relations Committee Speaker team. During that time, the development of the new aegee.org page also started, with which the PRC is doing an amazing job. During my stay in the house, I had several KT sessions with Jüri and Marko on the websites we use, social media and other tools. Focus was also on external communication with the press, for which the meeting with our media partner, EurActiv, was very helpful.
Marko gave me a quite intensive KT on European Institutions, in order to be ready for the applications for general subvention, which will have to be done in the near future. Alma introduced me to the SUCT and we started discussing about possible changes in the SU Project. Besides this, I was introduced to the IT matters of the house, which I’ll be carrying out from now on.