Volunteering Your Time

It’s an investment in you

By Alix Edmiston, IABC Toronto VP Volunteers

When she was fresh out of the Humber Public Relations program Priya Bates was asked to take on a huge communications project that involved setting up a team of 40 people and working with a board of directors.

Needless to say she was feeling challenged – especially when she had to stand before the board and present the final results.

“I was so nervous.”

There was no need for any butterflies because the project was a huge success and Priya caught the eye of many important people who enthusiastically asked her to lead other key projects.

She was obviously making quite a mark at her workplace – but she didn’t manage this project through work. She did it as a member of IABC/Toronto.

Priya, who is now IABC/Toronto’s current President and Manager of Internal Communications at Compaq Canada Corp., is one of many IABC Toronto members who volunteer their time to help manage the various programs offered through the Association.

If you asked her how she finds the time over and above her frantic work schedule to do anything other than put her feet up, she’d probably tell you that she does it because she’s getting more out of it than IABC.

“I’ve done things that I would never have had a chance to do in my professional life. There’s no way I could have taken on that project so early in my career. In fact, I was doing very little in the way of corporate communications when I started out in my first job. So the training was invaluable.”

Annette Martell, ABC, has also been an enthusiastic supporter of IABC from early in her career.

She joined the Association when she was still a public relations student at Mount Saint Vincent and started volunteering in her first job placement as a co-op student in Edmonton.

“I was working for a guy that we affectionately called Mr. IABC. His whole department belonged. The enthusiasm for IABC and the profession was infectious. I just wanted to be a part of it,” says Annette, who works at William Mercer as a Senior Communications Consultant.

“Looking back, working with those early volunteers – getting to know them and learning from them – was on-the-job training like no other. It was a living textbook.

“And I’m still learning. I remember not too long ago I was given the task of setting up a new communications department at the company where I worked. Needless to say there wasn’t much time. Where did I turn for advice? I brought together a number of my IABC peers and asked them to brainstorm what a perfect department would look like. That was an unbelievable session.”

For Annette an added bonus of all the tireless work and dedication has been many prestigious awards. In 1998 she was honoured with IABC's Master Communicator distinction, Canada's highest IABC award.

She is currently Vice-Chair on the IABC International Board. Next year she will become Chair.

How do you develop such an impressive track record?

“The formal training programs offered to IABC leaders are top notch. As a chapter leader I went to the Chapter Leaders Institute to learn about strategic planning, budgeting, managing people. It was exceptional for me personally and professionally. Now a whole new type of training is being offered to me at the international level.”

Ralph Beslin, ABC, another senior IABC member with an inspiring professional and volunteer track record, is also a beneficiary of the training offered from IABC.

“My year as the president of IABC was a tremendous learning experience on every level. I think I got more out of it than IABC.”

Since then he’s gone onto even more challenging roles such as being asked to chair the Conference Committee that planned the IABC international conference in Toronto in 1995. The role required a savvy facilitator who could guide and support talented volunteers from around the world. Ralph enjoyed that role so much that he’s since become a certified facilitator, which is just one of the services he offers though his practice Beslin Communication Group Inc.

If you ask Ralph why he volunteers he’ll tell you that it’s important to him to be a active member of IABC. “By giving your time – no matter how much -- you’re giving to yourself and the chapter. Nowadays people may think they have to give 20 hours or more, but there’s still a lot of value in spending a couple of hours making some phone calls.”

Chances are you’ll enjoy it and might end up learning or making a friend or mentoring someone like Tom Giantsopoulos, who’s just starting out in his career.

Tom, who works at BenchMark Porter Novelli, is currently is IABC/Toronto’s Director of programs helping to plan events and lending his marketing talents to various projects while working under the guidance of more seasoned volunteers like Sheila Corriveau, who is IABC/Toronto’s VP Programs.

“Career Development is really important to me. I’m getting to know what opportunities might be down the road as I advance in my career. I’m learning so much and getting to know lots of people in many areas of our profession.”

However, career development isn’t the only motivation to volunteer. Bert Freeman, of Freeman Communications, volunteers because he wants to stay connected with members and understand their challenges.

“We provide creative services to the communications field. The more I know about the profession, the better questions I can ask up front to make the project management process smoother. I want my clients to trust that we’re the best company to handle their jobs. I achieve that through building on my knowledge of the profession.

“In turn I want IABC to benefit from my knowledge in creative services. I have expertise they can draw on when they need it. It’s a win-win situation and no matter how busy I am I will always find time to help out. It’s an investment in me ”

If you like to explore how you can help IABC Toronto, please join us at the Volunteer Recruitment night at the Rosewater Supper Club on September 20, 2001 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.