I had the invaluable opportunity to work as the Marketing and Communications Head for the 11th edition of one of the most awaited events at Fountainhead School. Working with the team and ensuring smooth communication throughout the event has been one of the most enriching experiences for me. These months leading upto the event were filled with several roller coasters, unprecedented obstacles, and joyous moments that made the journey worth it. The experience also allowed me to delve deeper into one of the core principles of CAS: Service by understanding and complying to the roles and responsibilities I had when assisting with such a large scale event.
LO2: Demonstrate that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.
Communication is usually one of my core strengths, which is why the role of interacting with the various people associated with the event seemed to be easy at first. However, since this was a large scale event involving deadlines, time crunches, unexpected issues, etc. I was responsible for crafting clear, concise, and effective messages under time pressure. My communication skills were challenged, trying to ensure that information is delivered in a way that is easily understandable by a wide range of people while still maintaining the formal nature of the event.
Since the drafted communications had to be revised until they were up to the mark, I also constantly dealt with feedback and improvement and worked upon them, enriching my communication skills in the process.
LO3: Demonstrate how to initiate and plan a CAS experience.
An essential part of planning was to set objectives and goals for me to reach in order to ensure that important messages were sent at the needed times. There were several deadlines set for myself and my team to create email drafts for different committees, getting approvals from higher ups, etc. that we met in order to proceed with executing the event.
A part of the role was also to ensure that the event was well-coordinated. In order to ensure smooth running of the event and that no candidate had any lingering issues, I communicated regularly between them and the executive committee, resolving any upcoming queries any candidate might have.
LO4: Show commitment to, and perseverance in, CAS experiences.
The nature of the role was one that required a lot of commitment from my end. Being responsible for the communication of the event overall, I had to be present at all stages from drafting emails, getting approvals, to getting contact information, and sending emails. This required a lot of time investment, attention to detail, and of course a strong commitment.
A large event does come with it’s challenges, and so did ours. I showed perseverance by tackling the hurdles on a timely basis, and getting back to delegates’ queries as soon as possible. I found solutions to issues that I didn’t initially know to resolve, exampling my perseverance.
LO5: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.
Being the head of one department meant I had to coordinate regularly with other departments to ensure that the entire team was on the same page on updates, progress, and any changes that came to the event along the way. A major reason that problem solving could occur as efficiently as it did was also due to collaborative efforts. The teamwork led to benefits such as quick brainstorming, immediate actions, etc. that proved to be good to ensure a successful event.
The 11th edition of the FSMUN proved to be a great opportunity for me to learn, grow, and prove myself. I learned to work collaboratively, stick to deadlines, work proactively, and to enjoy the benefits of my hard work. It came with several new experiences that will help me expand my horizons in the near future, through the takeaways taken from this event.
