16th March 2011: Acting Committee of the Irish Planning Institute Young Planners Network

I was delighted to hear I was appointed as a Volunteer onto the Young Planners Network.

This will provide further scope to build on my existing communication skills.

The Committee met today from 6.30-8.30pm to discuss the goals of the Young Planners Network (YPN) which will be pursued over the next six months.

The second meeting is scheduled for the 19th May 2011 and this is the target date set for Membership.

1) Communication skills will be activated through talking to the first, second, third and fourth year Planners in DIT, Bolton Street. The emphasis will be on raising awareness of the Young Planners Network (YPN) to the fortunate students still at College and targeting members, 'who are not in the loop'.

In the many suggestions made by Committee members I will need to address Planning Students on the benefits of the (YPN) which will support Graduate work experience, organise events, educational programmes, liase with National Council and Branches and will involve many interested people through Social networking sites.

The problem identified at the Meeting was Graduate Planners were unreachable and this 'out of the loop' scenario requires a database of Young Planners with their email addressess.

In order to achieve my goal students if they wish can give me their original email addresses so they are contactable after they leave or while they are still in College.

I will know I am successful if I get consent from some of the fourth year Planning Students before they Graduate in May.

I will also raise awareness from first, second and third years to get involved in the (YPN) and emphasise that some of the events will be free!

The number of email addressess consenting to Membership with the (YPN) will prove I am an effective communicator and the task has been successfully completed.