Ned Seabrook, currently chair of AMED Council, urges us to enrol youth and step out of its way:
“On these pages … I hear the older generation (including me) wanting to hold onto what AMED already gives us. I think we can keep that, and add a whole new layer for those entering the profession and those seeking to move forward with their careers in this field.
Bob MacKenzie’s initiative – AMED/ISBE Social Writing Spaces Group – is aimed at early career academics and writers.
Words that spring to mind…. A New Institute – with a long history, a chance to shape this organisation to meet your needs. Under the guidance of AMED’s long-standing values – now is the time to step in at ground level to build your future.
Our professional field is full of experienced intelligent people who have come from a wide diversity of previous career paths. A new institute could recognise your professional standing without making you jump through hoops. Commit to AMED values and code of practice, take up the reins of your own development and build your career by engaging with AMED.”
Ned offers a number of suggestions here, looking both outwards – at the literature and research in our field, perhaps commissioning some of our own – and inwards – at our members and networkers, how can we engage them and make better use of the talent available to us.
Bob MacKenzie, long serving Trustee and coordinator of the Writers’ Group, is also determined to be optimistic. These two paragraphs are taken from his characteristically buoyant short article which you can read here.
“Contributions that we’ve received so far … speak to me of two competing narratives within a context of natural organisational life cycles. One is a narrative of despair or nostalgia; the other is one of hope and anticipation. Call me naive, but, despite the force of its counter-narrative, I am holding on hope.
I’m wondering how we can hold on to enduring AMED values whilst continuing to operate in this new, volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous, turbo-charged technologically-dominated environment which is transforming the nature of work and employment? Can we contribute to a humanistic shift (e.g. Mele 2003) that asserts that the role of technology is to contribute to the improvement of everyone’s lives – including those of the underprivileged?”
Linda Williams, our highly prized administrator, picks up and supports Ned’s idea of supporting research and following up with members/networkers who have offered pro-bono sessions.
She would also love to see:
- Increase in e-O&P readership
- Special interest groups running events. (I always get more out of F2F meetings.)
- More interaction with members
- Active discussion on the web & Twitter
Although she notes, “I personally find technology a distraction and try to reduce amount of emails I get from various social network groups if possible.”