AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY:

| Overview | Individual Development | Community Opportunity |
| International Opportunities | Business Opportunities |

OVERVIEW

The aim of Junior Chamber is to Create Positive Change in its members by encouraging them to participate fully in the wide range of opportunities offered. By doing this they will make a difference, in themselves, in their community and in their business life.

The opportunities available within Junior Chamber are numerous. Essentially there are Four Areas of Opportunity within the organisation: Projects, training and tasks are conducted in each area, and usually overlap depending on the event. As members work on these, they encounter opportunities for total development. The main idea is not to look for what the organisation can do for you but to see what you can do for yourself through the organisation.

INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT

• Evening management training sessions
• Training at Regional, National & International events
• Public speaking competition
• 2 person and 4 person debating competitions
• Opportunities to become a Junior Chamber Trainer yourself
• Reviewing the content and presentation of the Personal Success Programme and developing follow-up training.
• Making available presentations and materials from Head Office, to use for localised training purposes.
• Holding information on key programmes and forwarding this to members as requested.
• Encourage local projects (community and business) as learning opportunities.

Training for Trainers

For those members who are interested in developing their own training skills, Junior Chamber International Ireland offers many opportunities. We operate two international training courses called PRIME and EXCEL.

PRIME: this is the first-level training course that lasts for two-and-a-half days and is a practical guide for those with little or no experience in training or coaching but who want to develop coaching skills for use in their chamber, the local community or in the workplace. Attendance helps build confidence, develops communication skills and teaches you to look at new situations with an open and positive mindset.

EXCEL: this flagship programme is the 2nd stage for trainers. It prepares individuals who already have proven talent for a new dimension of training development. EXCEL is a three-day, intensive, hands-on training course.

Training for Local JCI Officers
Junior Chamber International have just developed a new course called ACHIEVE aimed specifically at developing the skills of incoming local chamber officers. This course will be available in Ireland in 2004 to all local JCI organisations.
The course content includes such topics as recruiting new members, running effective meetings, planning and managing projects.

COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY

'To provide opportunities to develop community responsibility.'

The community comprises local organisations, groups of people, individuals and issues related to the world that people work, live and take from. Junior Chamber's participation in the community is central to the mission and vision of the organisation and in the main is based upon the execution of community based projects. Local chambers are encouraged to initiate such projects that develop the organisational skills of the members.

By putting the skills you are learning into practice in these projects and initiatives, you will put something back into your local community.

INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

'To provide opportunities to develop global awareness.'

The world is becoming increasingly inter-dependent. JCI's global network of chambers and members is increasingly seen as an invaluable tool to business activities.

International Conferences

As well as it's annual World Congress, JCI holds a major regional conference in each of the four geographic areas cover by the organisation. These conferences provide a wide range of training and business seminars as well as an active social program. The true scale and nature of the organisation can only really be appreciated by attending one of the events and witnessing the fellowship and engagement of members from all corners of the world.


Twinning

Hundreds of Junior Chambers share experiences, cultures and ideas through Twinning. Chambers in different countries set up formal relationships. These relationships take on different forms depending on the goals established. Some chambers exchange members for visits, others exchange ideas and publications. Sometimes economic and business relationships are co-ordinated. Some Twinning relationships are established to provide humanitarian assistance or to advance development projects. Whatever the specific objectives, they meet the dual goals of developing solid friendships and increasing understanding between individuals of different nations.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AREA

'To provide members with the opportunity to develop their business experience and network.'

The projects which fall within this area provide members with individual learning opportunities which help their communities, their chambers, their own business and themselves.

Junior Chamber chapters in Ireland have forged strong links with their local Chambers of Commerce for many years and it is a policy of the organisation to continue to encourage and develop closer mutually beneficial relationships with other non government organisations.

There are several major projects of distinction in this field:

• Young Entrepreneur of the Year


• Lectures for the Business Community.


• Trade Surveys and promotion of regional economies.
  World Trade Game.


• Membership enables you to expand your network of business contacts and friends locally, nationally and internationally through the many meetings, conferences and social events.