GainingEdge is engaged on an annual basis to be manager and moderator of annual Association Executive Seminar as well as various seminars conducted by ICCA Asia Pacific Regional Office. GainingEdge has also provided programme content, promotional support and was a speaker and the on-site moderator of ICCA’s Middle East International Meetings Forum 2019, held in… Continue reading Manager and Moderator of Annual Seminars with Additional Programme Support – International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)
Industry Solution: Association Advisory
Management Services – BestCities Global Alliance
Since 2008, GainingEdge has provided management services for the world’s first and largest global convention and visitor bureaus alliance. BestCities partners include the CVBs of Berlin, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dubai, Dublin, Guadalajara, Houston, Madrid, Melbourne, Singapore, Tokyo and Vancouver. —– Global
Legacy Measurement Study – BestCities Global Alliance
In 2019, GainingEdge was engaged by BestCities to lead a study to help advance the nascent field of meeting legacy measurement. This has been done by establishing a framework to help meeting planners and destinations measure meeting legacies and to identify a clear path forward to help advance industry knowledge and ensure that the international… Continue reading Legacy Measurement Study – BestCities Global Alliance
Membership Support & Strategy Development – International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA)
GainingEdge was engaged in 2020 to support the development of a strong membership strategy and operations to spearhead the growth of ISSA in EMEA, Oceania & Asia Pacific regions in 2020 and beyond. —– Europe
Organisational Consulting and Support for Education Programs – African Society of Association Executives
GainingEdge helped to found AfSAE in 2015, is a charter sponsor of the organisation, and has provided consulting advice since then. —– Nairobi, Kenya
GainingEdge’s Pick 5: Five News Items You Need to Know
This is not a Pick 5 bet in horse racing but a selection of five business events news which caught our team’s attention. This issue with a focus on AUSTRALASIA is compiled by Faye Langley and Mike Williams who are based in Sydney and Melbourne respectively. The global pandemic has resulted in many landscape changes… Continue reading GainingEdge’s Pick 5: Five News Items You Need to Know
Could Girl Guides All Over Africa Become Beekeepers?
30 July 2021
When people who have never met are brought together for some common purpose sometimes magic happens in unexpected ways. After all, so much of the world’s innovation is spawned by chance meetings, people making connections and new enterprises emerging.
A case in point was a recent meeting of the Membership Committee for the African Society of Association Executives (AfSAE.)
We were there to talk about growing the association. The goal is to strengthen association management professionalism and to advance civil society in Africa. AfSAE needs more African associations to know it exists and to realise that becoming a member has benefits – for the member association leaders and for Africa.
While we were waiting for everyone to join our Zoom call, we were just chatting. One person on the call was David Mukomana, from Zimbabwe who is the President of the Apimondia Regional Commission for Africa – Apimondia is the global organisation representing and promoting bee keeping and honey-related issues. While waiting to talk about AfSAE membership, a couple of us started talking about bees. Bees are fascinating creatures so we had plenty to talk about especially around human wellness through use of hive products and environmental conservation.
Then Pascaline Umulisa came on the call. She’s the Executive Secretary for Rwanda Girl Guides Association. While we were waiting for others to join, we explained to Pascaline that we were talking about beekeeping.
Then one of us said, “hey, Pascaline, maybe beekeeping would be a good activity for girl guides to learn about!” And, Pascaline said, “it’s interesting you would say that, because last week in a meeting we were talking about possible activities for the girls and one of the suggestions was bee keeping.” That’s when David said, “well, one of Apimondia’s goals is to empower women and girls in remote villages through beekeeping, to develop small enterprises that create employment opportunities and help them earn livelihoods from their environment.”
So here were two African association leaders who barely knew each other until they met up through their connection to AfSAE’s Membership Committee, who realised that they had a shared interest. Because of a chance conversation, they figured out that they could work together.
As a follow-up to the conversation a formal virtual meeting was held where the possibilities were explored with AfSAE. That discussion has led to creation of a legacy project for AfSAE, the Girl Guides in Rwanda and the Apimondia Regional Commission for Africa that can be rolled out to other countries in Africa. It was agreed that Apimondia and the Girl Guides could partner to set up a pilot project helping girls engage in beekeeping as an income-generating activity. If it works, the Girl Guides can develop a program that empowers girls to learn a fun and useful skill – keeping bees, collecting honey and well, who knows where all that could lead? Maybe Girl Guides all over Africa WILL become beekeepers.
David Mukomana, President of the Apimondia Regional Commission for Africa
Pascaline Umulisa, Executive Secretary for Rwanda Girl Guides Association (centre) with girl guides
Girl Guides World Thinking Day 2020
This is often how change happens. Chance meetings, interesting discussions, new revelations, new connections, new directions.
The goal of AfSAE is to strengthen Africa’s association community. But, its greatest value to members may be in helping them to make connections with each other. Making connections that lead to new ideas and new undertakings that bring real benefits through collaboration. There are endless possibilities of African associations connecting and innovating to their mutual benefit and to Africa’s benefit. But, not if they never connect and have a conversation. Maybe that is the ultimate power that AfSAE will bring to African associations so they contribute towards building the Africa We Want. But, only if African associations choose to connect.
ABOUT AfSAE
AfSAE is a non-profit organisation working to build the African association community. If your organisation would like to participate or if you would just like to help AfSAE succeed, think about becoming a member. AfSAE will welcome you as a member whether you are from Africa or any other part of the world. Go to www.afsae.org to learn more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR GARY GRIMMER
Gary Grimmer is Executive Chairman of GainingEdge. He is one of the original founders of AfSAE and GainingEdge provides ongoing pro bono strategic support to the organisation.
Email Gary
For more articles/news, please visit News & Resources.
Gary Grimmer, Executive Chairman of GainingEdge muses “Could Girl Guilds all over Africa Become Beekeepers?”
GainingEdge Launches Online Training
PRESS RELEASE GainingEdge, a global leader specializing in providing advice to the business events industry, is pleased to be offering its first round of instructor-led, online courses as of May 10th. These 90-minute courses will provide industry professionals an opportunity to upskill their expertise through practical and interactive learning sessions. Led by senior GainingEdge specialists,… Continue reading GainingEdge Launches Online Training
GainingEdge Supports ICCASkills Certification
PRESS RELEASE
12 January 2021
GainingEdge, a global leader specializing in providing advice to the business events industry, is pleased to be supporting ICCA’s recently launched ICCASkills certification programme.
The new certification programme was announced by ICCA on 11 January to provide an opportunity for its membership and the industry to meet the challenges of new business models, enhance professionalism and improve standards in the industry. GainingEdge is leveraging its deep industry expertise and knowledge to guide the development of the ICCASkills programme with our strategic advice, as well as logistical and operational support.
Jon Sivertson, CEO of GainingEdge, said: “GainingEdge is delighted to be continuing our long-standing involvement with ICCA by providing assistance for this extremely important programme. Our team has extensive global experience in education and training, including managing and moderating the ICCA Association Executive Seminar on a regular basis. Helping elevate the industry to higher levels has always been GainingEdge’s mantra.
Certification will enable individuals in the global business events industry to improve their talents through rigorous learning, thereby contributing to their organisation’s success. We very much appreciate to be involved in shaping an innovative and unique certification programme. We believe our insights will ensure ICCASkills certification to flourish.”
-ENDS-
For further information contact:
Jon Sivertson, CEO
Phone: +1 604 360 4633 (Canada)
Email: jon@gainingedge.com
GainingEdge is pleased to be supporting ICCA’s recently launched ICCASkills certification programme.
How Accessible is Your Association?
1 October 2020
Empowerment. Inclusion. Access. These are 3 words that will no doubt resonate with Association leaders, staff and members as these have been values espoused as core to the services and functioning of Associations.
With the proliferation of digital engagement adopted by Associations since COVID-19 disrupted our traditional means of engagement and interaction, these 3 words have acquired a new level of importance.
The evolution of digital has been experienced as a key disrupter to Associations – it has challenged their traditional revenue sources and impacted on the organization and operations of events, educational programmes, publications, membership and HR. However, Associations have now started to see the benefits of digital as an enabler. The move towards digital which has proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic, has allowed Associations to broaden their networks, deepen their connections and most crucially it has facilitated accessibility of associations to previously under-served and under-represented communities – including those with disabilities.
According to the 2011 World Report on Disability by the World Health Organisation/World Bank, there are an estimated 1 billion persons with disabilities worldwide. That same report shows that whilst employment rates vary across countries, “the bottom line is that, all over the world, a person with a disability is less likely to be employed than a person without a disability, often much less so”.
Despite legislation on diversity in the workplace, people with disabilities still do not experience the same access to work opportunities as do their counterparts without disabilities.
The role and the responsibility of Associations here is clear. Inclusive and equitable quality education and the promotion of life-long learning opportunities for people with disabilities is fundamental. Without their full inclusion, efforts to achieve the societal transformation envisioned in the UN SDGs will stall. As industry representatives, associations are in a pivotal position to lead and stimulate the development of a more inclusive workforce.
So how can Associations help move the needle towards empowering those with disabilities? How can they contribute to a more inclusive and accessible workplace?
As a point for departure, Associations can start by identifying participation gaps within their existing networks and develop a clear strategy for both stimulating and supporting greater inclusion of people with disabilities across all their programme of activities- both offline and online.
Whilst seeking to understand and address the issues and challenges raised by those already within their networks who have disabilities, they also need to engage with those who remain on the outside of their networks and seek to understand what keeps them there.
Certainly, the inevitability of digital as a permanent feature of associations moving forward creates an opportunity to systemically embed accessibility within their operations. This will also require the supplier community from technology companies to exhibition centers to be ready to provide associations with the solutions they need in order to develop disability-inclusive responses to all their services and events moving forward.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR CHLOE MENHINICK
Chloé Menhinick is the Partner for Association Consulting at GainingEdge with 15 years’ experience in the Associations industry. She is an Active Member of UIA and a Board Member of the European Society of Association Executives (ESAE) where she also co-chairs the Communications & Membership committee.
For more articles/news, please visit News & Resources.
Inclusive and equitable quality education and the promotion of life-long learning opportunities for people with disabilities is fundamental. As industry representatives, associations are in a pivotal position to lead and stimulate the development of a more inclusive workforce.