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Collaboration between IET & volunteers

I've raised the issue of collaboration between the IET staff and volunteers before, and the fact that IET development managers and other staff are working within the regions without keeping the local volunteers informed. They set up business and academic partnerships, promote the IET as a body, and run local events, but all without letting the local boys know what they are doing. I've just discovered that the IET are running a local registration event, less than a week away, and I learned of it from another body. Why? The IET knows what the local volunteers are doing, CRM's see to this, so why not feed information the other way too.

I like to refer to it as "mushroom syndrome", keep us in the dark and feed us... compost?
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Hi Alex


    I am not sure if the event you mention is being organised by IET staff or local volunteers, so what I am going to say may not be relevant at all to the issue you mentioned.


    IET staff may not know what local volunteers are doing unless the volunteers informs IET staff. E.g. we are planning a Prof Reg event in March and we do not need to inform IET staff before the event.


    If possible can you please clarify what you mean by 'local boys', is it volunteers or members? On this point, I fully agree that the IET needs to communicate more on business (in particular) and academic (less relevant to my region) partnerships.


    Regards

    Hisham
  • By local boys I mean volunteer members, in this case the LN committee, the event has been organised by a regional development manager from HQ. Our RDM has visiblity of our site, planning documents and publicity material and is therefore pretty well informed of what the LN is doing, so that he is able to support us. In the years I've been a local volunteer we have had very little local feedback from HQ, for example when local universities (from whom we draw some of our volunteers) become academic partners. Even as a simple member who is undergoing registration, I would have like to have heard about this local registration event from the IET and not from another organisation.
  • The IET advertise all events, however an individual member has to opt-in to receive this information. It is worth taking some time to craft this information filter so that you are informed about what you are interested in - no more and no less. Each individual community can be set up with unique and different choices You can, of course change this at any time. Hope that helps!
  • David, thanks, but I am secretary and currently chair of my local network, and am as familiar with the IET sites as is reasonably possible. The issue is the flow of information from HQ to local networks about corporate IET activities within the local network region. We are supposed to be on the same team but it often feels like the IET is going about its business in isolation from the local membership. I feel that we could benefit from a better flow of information.
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    I can empathise with Alex's point about lack of co-ordination btwee LNs and IET Staff organised events.


    As an Interview Convener and sometimes Interviewer, I have developed over the years a presentation on Professional Registration in conjuction with like-minded members.


    Last year I delivered this presentation at a session in the IET Scotland SE LN 14/15 programme in November and March. Shortly afterwards I noted tthere was to be presented in Edinburgh on consecutives days in April sessions on Mentoring and Professional Registration, for which there was quite a sizable fee. The LN had no knowledge of these two events. My sessions are delivered at no cost to participants!


    Unfortunately this is not an isolated example and of particular concern it just what experience of the Professional Registration process does the person making the persentation have.


    Ron McMurtrie
  • Here is Coventry and Warwickshire we have similar problems.


    Especially relevant when two Members went to see the President (last year) who was clearly disinterested in their novel ideas about working with MPS and Industry.


    We have a divided committe about G4F mainly because of this. Some are against, some for and many don't know.


    Please see:


    - Notes of the G4F meeting in December with David Evans, Trustee

    - Notes of the G4F meeting in October with Barry Brooks, Past President


    "Before voting, the C&W Committee strongly urge you fully to consider all arguments for and against G4F."


    Kind regards,


    Derrick



  • Hi Derrick. I know that the G4F debate is causing a schism within the IET and I am really saddened by this.


    I invited Will Stewart (Trustee) to North Yorkshire Network (I am ex-chair & current treasurer) & there was a dull thud of interest so I interviewed him with regard to the role of Trustees and the forthcoming SGM. I hope you'll find it helps in your deliberations but most of all, whether you and yours are interested in G4F or not - I hope they vote.


    Here's the link www.iet-members.org/g.php


    Kind Regards

    Paul
  • In response to Ron's point about Registration events, I myself am currently undergoing this process and would have liked to know about a local event this week on exactly that topic. As LN secretary for many years and this year the chair of the LN, I knew nothing of it and I was told about it by the rep. of another organisation. angry

    Decidedly a failure of communication. I brought this issue up at last year's Manchester volunteers conference, to no avail.
  • Guys, can I please remind you that this is a discussion about "Collaboration between IET & volunteers" and not G4F? I'm trying to do something about the way HQ works with local volunteers, not change our overall governance.
  • Hi Alex,


    I suggest you bring it up to CC-UK so that CRC can look into this. TPNs organised their events independent of LNs.


    Chris Chew