Inspiring Youth Parliamentarians Collin Kaster

Inspiring Youth Parliamentarians

By Collin Kaster

My name is Collin Kaster, the current Executive Council Postsecondary/ Collegiate Vice President for HOSAFuture Health Professionals. HOSA, an international student-led organization with 250,000 members, helps prepare future health professionals to become leaders in the global health community through career technical education, peer collaboration, and health industry experience. Understanding parliamentary procedure is an integral part of that mission. It provides its members with the backbone of mutual respect and equal opportunity that ensures a diverse and inclusive learning environment. As we continue to advance into the future and to grow as an international organization, it has never been more imperative for us to remember these roots.

HOSA’s student members range from middle school to postsecondary/ collegiate. At a time in our lives where growth and self-discovery are at their peaks, it is not easy to get us excited about a set of rules. Parliamentary procedure is not known as a young man’s game, but that is because most are not aware of the rich history, the applicable knowledge, and the invaluable community that one gains through exposure to Robert’s Rules of Order. I was fortunate to have the unique opportunity to attend the 2019 Biennial NAP conference, where I attained enlightenment on all of these aspects. After engaging with interactive workshops facilitated by accomplished parliamentarians, networking with other student leaders of organizations governed by Robert’s rules, and participating in a professional, full speed business session, I left this

Career and Technical Student Organizations State and National Officers with Thomas Balch, coauthor of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (12th Edition). conference with a new toolkit for inspiring young leaders.

The secret weapon you will find in my toolkit is collaboration. The NAP mentors fostered an atmosphere whereby all student interns were encouraged to engage during the business sessions and to ask questions they felt pertinent. NAP tapped a passion that I did not know I had. Networking with professional and student parliamentarians gave me the chance to draw lasting connections between the leadership values that I already hold dearly and values that inspired Robert’s rules. Instead of being merely a set of agreed-upon rules, the process gradually became a tool for critical thinking, an opportunity to enforce equality, and a uniting force that connects everyone in the meeting.

The National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) provided an invaluable revelation for my understanding of the significance and importance of having a parliamentary process in place. It offered an expansive network that will be forever useful. I plan to share what I learned with other young leaders and continue to stay engaged with such a meaningful purpose.