Voluteering – You’ll get more than you give

By Alix Edmiston

Ralph Beslin’s, volunteer track record is just as impressive as his professional one.

There aren’t many positions at IABC that Ralph, ABC, hasn’t held, and he’d be the first to tell you that he got more out of it than IABC.

If you’re looking for challenge, volunteering with IABC might just fulfill that need.

Ralph started out like everyone else in the small roles and then worked his way up to president. “My year as the president of IABC was a tremendous learning experience on every level.”

He was then asked to use his leadership skills to drive large projects, such as chairing 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 through 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 new in the field.

Alix is VP Volunteers on the IABC/Toronto Board of Directors and an Independent Practitioner. She’s always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. She can be reached at toronto-volunteers@iabc.com