Finding your community

Search for a safe space to practice new skills, learn from your peers and figure out your strengths. Volunteer, take a position in your local IFSA committee and apply for a global IFSA position. Jump into the unknown and dare to get out of your comfort zone. The key to growth lies within the uncomfortable, you’re challenging yourself to develop a skill set and learn along the way.

The first part of this video talks about finding your community. Further on we tackle how not to feel intimidated in places of power and why you need to keep your options open.

Do not shrink in places of power

It can be intimidating to speak your mind in a room full of experts, but your opinions and insights matter! Policy making needs more diverse perspectives and experiences from local communities into the decision making room.

Keep your options open, experiment and get out of your shell

Take every opportunity that can contribute to creating value for yourself and your community. Think ahead with ‘the rule of 3’: Think about 3 versions of your future self, 3 possible careers, 3 possible pathways. Don’t settle on one way, that puts too much pressure on you. Keep options open instead of having a narrow view. Focus on broadening your strengths and learn new skills in which you can excel. The range of possibilities gives you the opportunity to keep experimenting.  Give yourself enough time to find out what works for you. Ask questions and bring those into conversations to figure out which role you can play in reaching a certain goal.

Think about your practical approach

What point do you want to make?

How can you deliver this message in such way that that it resonates with the different stakeholders in the room?

How to build valuable networks that help you in reaching the cause/goal for your community?