Succession Planning the Carnagat Way
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Carnagat Community Association Committee Members
Succession Planning is the process of identifying and developing new group members who can replace existing members when they leave or retire. Encouraging new members to be involved, especially younger people, is critical to the sustainability of community groups.
Many organisations struggle to attract new members, making them vulnerable to the sudden departure of key people, but not Carnagat Community Association!
Carnagat in Newry has found a system that works remarkably well for them, ensuring there is always someone ready to step up into a new role as needed.
We spoke to Paula McGuigan, a long-time committee member, to find out the secret of their success.
One key thing that they do is to actively rotate the management roles and have a “vice” of every position so that everyone has a chance to learn and develop all the skills needed. They value the contribution of their committee members and are sure to show their appreciation through trips and fun activities, and more serious training opportunities.
In terms of attracting new people to the group, Carnagat runs many activities for children and young people in the area. There is a natural progression for those interested in coming up through the various groups and eventually becoming youth leaders ready to progress to committee members.
“Get them young! Our young people are given more responsibilities over time to plan and organise their own activities and help out as youth leaders. We allow them to make real decisions. Young people are not token members. They take ownership of things.”
At their recent AGM, Carnagat inducted several new committee members who have come through all their programmes since childhood. Their youngest committee member is just 18 years old, and they now have seven under 25-year-olds on a committee of 15 members. The current Vice Secretary and Vice-Treasurer are both in their 20s.
“We like to keep things relaxed and fun," said Paula, who has served in several roles over the years. "We make sure to reward our committee members, so they get as much out of it as they are giving us. For young people, we can help with filling in CVs and being a reference for them when they start to go for part-time jobs. It’s a win-win!"
"Volunteering is something we recognise," she went on to say. "We count their hours and they can go for the Millennium Volunteers award as part of their work with us. We throw them in the deep end - that’s the best learning!"
Carnagat Youth Group
At Carnagat, personal development really does equal community development. Putting time and effort into their youth groups ensures a good long-term result for the group and the whole community.
Paula also emphasised that the young people are not token members. They take ownership of things and have a genuine say in the running of the community association.
"It’s all about the attitude and giving young people a true voice. Letting them see the results of their hard work encourages them to keep going. And you need that energy – it’s vital. It sustains our group to keep going, and the young people in the area see the benefits of it," said Paula.
Some of the new committee members also told us why they got involved and what motivates them:
"I enjoy volunteering as I like offering help to those in our community and working with children and young people in the area. It has helped my confidence and allowed me to help make a difference, " said Niocol Campbell.
“I volunteer because I like to see the happiness and difference we can make to a child’s day, especially those who mightn’t get these opportunities at home.”
"Volunteering allows me to connect with my community and make it a better place. It has boosted my self-confidence and self-esteem and offers me the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to people around me. It broadens my horizons and gives me lots of different experiences. I feel it is a valuable asset to my future," said Nadine Campbell.
