Board Application and Information Booklet
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Transcript of Board Application and Information Booklet
Board Information and Application
Booklet
2015 -2016
Leiden Model United
Nations Foundation
Board Application 1
Introduction
Dear all,
In the upcoming pages we will try to give you an insight in what is to be an
individual board member of the LeidenMUN foundation. Before we do so,
however, we would like to sketch an image of what the LeidenMUN board in
general is responsible for. Many of you may think that the board is all about
training delegates for conferences. This is certainly our primary goal and all our
activities are centred around this. This is not the full picture, however. The board
spends only half of the time directly on training. The other half of the time the
board spends on maintaining and expanding a close relationship with our alumni
network, raising funds for our preparatory track and conferences, organising
networking events and last but not least, promoting our organization. This, still,
is by no means an exhaustive list of what the board does; yet it does encompass
its main tasks.
From the 1st of June a new Board will be installed to tackle the above-
mentioned tasks and therefore we are happy to officially open Board
applications!
Do you want to be part of an amazing and dynamic team? Do you want to
organize and train MUN delegations to conferences all around the world? Are
you one of those people who is always dedicated to put your ambitions in to
practise? Are you capable of keeping an overview when pressure rises and tasks
become increasingly complex? Are you up for a mind-blowing year to which you
will always think back with a broad smile? Let’s go on than and read over the
next few pages to find out what could be in store for you as a board member of
the Leiden Model United Nations Foundation! Please do not hesitate the Board
for more information!
2 Board Application
Board
This year, the board will consist out of six members; The President, The
Secretary, The Head Delegate, The Delegate Trainer, The Acquisitions Officer,
and The Treasurer/Activities Officer. The specifics of all functions will be
outlined below. Here, we will give you an idea of what the board as a whole
needs to do and how each individual should work together.
What is crucial to realise is that you will work together intimately on a
weekly, and sometimes, daily basis. It is therefore of paramount importance that
you are charitable, kind and helpful towards your other board members. It is
only through working together closely that you will be able to make your board
year a success, regardless of how brilliant or dedicated you may be. Egotists need
not apply. Furthermore, with an attitude of openness, it will be much more easy
to discover the talents and abilities of your peers.
Communication is another essential element in becoming a successful and
dynamic board. At times, you will be stretched out over multiple continents.
During that time, every board member will still be vital to the success of the
operation. Make sure you develop a habit of updating your peers on your work
and coordinate your efforts in such a way that everyone will do the work s/he is
most suited for.
Finally, it is important that you can deal with stressful situations and
major responsibilities while simultaneously enjoying yourself and providing
effective support to both fellow board members as well as delegates. This
requires both iron discipline as well as the ability to not take yourself too
seriously and to know when to ask for help. If you feel you are able to do this or
are dedicated to try, we would gladly welcome you to read on.
Board Application 3
President
The President of the Leiden Model United Nations Foundation carries the final
responsibility for the Foundation, the Board as well as for its Active Members.
The president must lead those other board members who perform
specific tasks. Every move made by the president is aimed at implementing the
foundation's strategy and implementing the policies and procedures that allow
LeidenMUN to reach its intermediate and long term goals.
Furthermore it is his/her task to function as a convincing spokesperson,
representative and external liaison for the organization. By scheduling and
running the foundation’s meetings the President constantly evaluates the
foundation’s operations in order to keep an overview of the Foundations
performance.
Most of all s/he must be a person that keeps spirits high and maintains
LeidenMUN’s image as an inclusive, enthusiastic and attractive organisation. All
in all, the President is a social person who is able to connect people, motivate
participants and lead a team of highly ambitious students.
4 Board Application
Secretary
As the Secretary, you have the main responsibility for internal and external
communications. This means that you will be head of all communications and
media such as our email accounts, Facebook- and Whatsapp groups and alumni
network.
You are furthermore responsible for our promotion campaigns and public
relations, which give you a lot of room to be creative, expand and implement
your own ideas. You are LeidenMUN’s Secretary, as well as a board member,
which means you will be involved in all major decisions, trainings and ,most
excitingly, trips to MUN conferences, such as Harvard National MUN, or Oxford
International MUN.
Preferably, you are proactive, assertive and organized. However, most
importantly, you are willing to commit yourself to advance the mission of
LeidenMUN to set up kick-ass delegations and rule every conference in the
committee session and on the dance-floors.
Board Application 5
Treasurer and Activities Officer
As a treasurer and activities officer you have two functions within the board and
towards the delegates.
On the one hand, as a treasurer, you are responsible for the financial
status of the foundation. You set the delegation fees, monitor internal incomes
and external funding. In addition you have to keep track of the expenditures
made during the year and step in when these exceed pre-established thresholds.
At the beginning of the year you have to make a budget and therefore a long-
term vision and accuracy is needed. However, during the year decisions have to
be made and you should be able to make fast financial decisions.
As an activities officer, you are also responsible for booking the actual
conference spots, accommodation, transportation, itinerary and all other aspects
related to the conference trips. These trips need to be booked (far) in advance
and therefore you should always be one step ahead in your planning in relation
to the rest of the board.
To the delegates you are the go-to person for information with regards to
the financial obligations they have and with questions regarding the conference
planning. In addition, it is your job to make the conferences as inexpensive as
possible and make deals with hotels/hostel and transportation agencies.
Therefore good social skills are required. The more successful you are at
this, the more able you make the foundation to select delegates on merit rather
than on income, which is a core aspect of our philosophy.
6 Board Application
Head Delegate
As a Head Delegate, you carry the main responsibility for the training of
delegates and, therefore, our preparatory programme.
You will have to convey your, often subconscious, knowledge of the game
that is MUN in a way that is accessible, captivating and effective. The position
allows you a royal amount of creative freedom and will constantly challenge you
as you adapt each preparatory track to the individual dynamics of a conference.
You get the chance to see delegates grow personally, emotionally and
technically as they slowly master the finer arts of MUNing. In my experience, it is
this growth process that is deeply rewarding. All your scheming, design and
coercion, all the energy that you put into your function, is exponentially returned
to you as the delegates themselves become aware of their increased capacities.
Yet what makes being the head delegate truly great is seeing your
delegates perform and succeed during the actual conferences you have worked
towards so fiercely. To see them slowly take control of a committee and
eventually seize the room altogether is an indescribable experience that only
culminates to reach its apex when they are awarded for their efforts.
Board Application 7
Delegate Trainer
Leiden MUN attracts a broad variety of highly ambitious and capable individuals.
As a delegate trainer, it is your responsibility to train and coach these individuals
in order for them to develop and apply the skills necessary for the MUN setting of
debating, lobbying and resolution writing.
Together with the Head Delegate, you will decide on the logistics and
content of the prep-track, and tailor it to the needs of the delegates throughout
the prep-track. The prep-track is the raison d’etre of the foundation, and the
quality of the prep-track determines to a large degree the success of LeidenMUN
and of the individual delegates.
Within this setting you will be able to discover what your personal
coaching style is, how you can translate your tacit knowledge into concrete
advice, and how to motivate and inspire delegates to perform to the best of their
abilities. After the prep-tracks you will be joining the delegation to visit some of
the most prestigious conferences and universities in the world.
The trips you will take with the delegation to, for example Oxford and
Harvard, will form an unforgettable experience of your MUN career. On these
trips you will coach and support the delegates, enrich your understanding of
diplomacy, and undoubtedly enjoy the intellectual, geographical, and cultural
diversity that being part of an excellent team of motivated individuals travelling
the world has to offer.
Acquisitions Officer
8 Board Application
Are interested in getting into contact with major corporations and
conglomerates, with universities and governments? Are you unphased when
faced with major responsibilities and minor guidance? Do you want to gain real-
life experience that will directly benefit you as you enter the job market? Then
you want to consider applying for Financial Officer.
In this role, your responsibility will be to acquire funds for the
LeidenMUN foundation in order to strengthen and expand our operational
capacities. In exchange, you will be able to offer potential sponsors exclusive
access to our alumni database and expertise in lobbying, negotiating and
interacting with international multilateral institutions such as the UN. This
means you will also be responsible for coordinating LeidenMUN’s assets towards
fulfilling the needs our sponsors will have.
Furthermore, as a Financial Officer, you will be by no means excluded
from what we do best: MUNing. Like any other board member, you get to be a
part of one of Europe’s most consistently successful teams and you will be able to
reap all the benefits from the funds that you have managed to acquire for our
delegates.
Board Application 9
Interested?
We are looking for a person with the following characteristics:
- Structured
- Accurate
- Not afraid to make decisions
- In possession of a long-term vision
- A passion for planning
- A hands-on mentality
- Able to be strict to delegates and other board members
- Socially skilled
If you are interested, motivated and dedicated to join the Board of Leiden
Model United Nations Foundation please shoot us an email at
[email protected] and we will be happy to inform you about the next
steps of application!
Only the best,
The Board of 2014 - 2015
10
Board Application
Board Application 11