Presidential Vision

In keeping with the overall theme of the session, sustainability will be at the heart of the work of the chairs team. Central to this will be encouraging chairs to adopt a mindset of acceptance and flexibility when facing challenges. It will involve understanding that what is sustainable for you may not be sustainable for someone else, and cultivating a tolerance of imperfection during the session in the name of greater overall wellbeing. This also links in with setting realistic and manageable goals for yourself at the session, and leaving room for falling short of these goals sometimes. Fundamentally, everyone on the team should feel comfortable working in a way that is sustainable for them personally and for the needs of their committee. To foster this positive and sustainable mindset, trainings will not only focus on the framework and practicalities of chairing itself, but also on tackling any insecurities in your chairing through dialogue with the wider chairs team and the board.

This leads me to highlighting the importance of working as a true team at this session. Often, the chairs team are working quite independently during the day, and teams often feel pressure to force bonding activities around the ‘real work’ of the session. Rather than the work of the session and bonding feeling like two distinct elements of the session, I hope that we can create as many opportunities to work together as a unit during the session through finding dynamic ways to bring committees together during committee work and maximising the frequency of inter-committee energisers and challenges. Finally, as an academic team responsible for guiding delegates through the session, I hope that we can work together to provide the most comfortable and welcoming space possible for delegates to truly speak their mind on European issues. I hope that at this session we can keep a focus on people over product, keeping faith that delegates that feel respected and cared for will deliver an excellent resolution that resonates with them and inspires them to continue to remain engaged in European dialogue. I look forward to working with you to make this vision a reality. All the best,

Clara Gaughan President of Porvoo regional session 2021

Questions for Chairsperson’s

Without mentioning your aily occupation an your stu ies, tell us who you are. Explain what makes you the missing puzzle piece o the

Chairs Team What is your working style What kin o environment o you enjoy working in an what annoys you What excites you most about being a chairperson?