How to continue in EYP Not selected? No worries. Ella takes a look on how to continue your EYP journey
Picture this: It’s the end of the session. You have done your best, bonded with your committee, worked until you couldn’t keep your eyes open during committee work and made point after point in General Assembly. You have had an incredible time but now you’re wondering, did I get selected? Waiting for the selection results is nerve wrecking and in a few minutes they will announce who of you will be able to attend an International Session. There are several questions going through your head at this moment: Was I good enough? Will I be able to continue with EYP? Once they finally announce the names of the ones who have been selected you are either incredibly happy or a bit disappointed. However, not being selected, or not being selected for an International Session, does by no means end your EYP career. You have now become a part of this organisation and you have plenty of opportunities to continue and stay involved. If you ask around in the officials team you will notice that it is consists of only a few people who were selected at their first session. Alise, a Media Team Member, was not selected at her first conference. Instead she took part in the selection process again and has achieved quite a lot in EYP already: having head organised a session is only the tip of the iceberg. So here are a few tips on how to continue, whether or not you are selected.
Top Tips Keep in touch with the new friends you have made in EYP. They will keep your motivation up to participate and you can exchange information about all the sessions that are coming up. Participate at an International Forum abroad. Sometimes they have open calls for International Delegates and you can always approach your National Committee to find out if they could send you to a session. Media Team Member Robyn speaks from experience: “Of course I was disappointed when I was not selected. But then I went to an International Forum and the EYP spirit got me back immediately. It is such a good opportunity to meet EYPers from all over Europe and gain more experience.” Don’t hesitate – just start applying! Organiser, Media Team Member or Chairperson – Regional and National Sessions are the perfect place to be a first time official. In order to prepare yourself, keep an eye out for trainings which are mostly offered for prospective Chairs and Media Team Members. There are two very helpful links that can help you stay up to date with everything that is going on in the EYP community. Firstly, the EYP “Sessions” Facebook group, (www.facebook.com/ groups/233076716771585/) As the name indicates, a lot of calls for session officials and delegates are published here. Secondly, the Alumni platform of EYP, (http://alumni.eypej.org/), gives you the opportunity to put your session history online. It also publishes important news and calls as well as providing a database with lots of information on games, chairing techniques and much more. There are many ways for you to continue in EYP, whether you are selected to go abroad or not. Don’t let the Jury’s decision discourage you and stay involved!