Update from Europe HQ: In addition to the annual changing of JCI officers, the JCI Europe HQ saw some restructuring in 2021. The first few weeks of January were a balancing act between trying to ensure a smooth transition from 2020 to 2021 and finding time for the team to get to know each other. The best way to achieve the latter? Working together! From week 1 all minds have been focused on planning and executing an EPM like no other – fully online. Through highs and lows, the team sat through meeting after meeting to sort the details and the program, ultimately putting together an event from the 4th to the 7th of February they can be proud of. The next steps for Europe HQ are: administration, preparing for the ECC and the EUKHT, and hiring an Area Manager!

Update from European Development Council – Intensive Support Portfolio: In the last 6 weeks, much happened in Intensive Support. The #ReStart program was elaborated and kicked off at the European President Meeting. This is a program for National Organizations who need support to grow, understand their unique selling points, and enable them to realize their full potential. Registration is open until Feb. 25th. The first meeting is on March 10th. The registration for the mentoring program closed on January 10th with 38 applications from Local and National Organizations. 38 mentors accepted the challenge to accompany these organizations until the end of the year. The goal of the mentoring program is to enable organizations in their specific endeavor and help them reach their targets. The match-making was specifically based on the needs of the mentored organizations and the expertise of the mentors. The kick-off of the program was Feb. 16th. Next on the agenda is intercultural communication.

Update from European Development Council – Impact & Promotion: In the first three months, the priority lay on relaunching the JCI Europe website. This has been completed and apart from giving the website a new look, improving the website speed, and cleaning up the content, it gained a new section about committees, easier newsletter signup, and a Facebook chat widget for easier contact. In the next couple of weeks and months, the blog will be extended further with more frequent updates from JCI Europe, as well as from committees and task forces. In addition to the website relaunch, the Impact & Promotion portfolio organized 2 JCI Europe Live sessions, a first-time-ever virtual JCI Europe Meet-up, and the JCI Europe members group got a cleanup. Furthermore, marketing material was created for the European Presidents Meeting in February as well as for the new #GoDigital Framework, a broadcast-only WhatsApp group for National Presidents and Communication Officers was launched, and JCI Europe received a new look based on the new Corporate Identity Guidelines. In the next weeks, the newsletter will be relaunched with a new look, the website will receive more content, a Europe Calendar with all important event dates and deadlines will be launched and on 22nd April, the next JCI Europe Live session will take place.

Update from European Development Council – Intensive Support: National and Local Collaboration Portfolio:
Joanna Mamczur, EDC Councilor assigned to the National and Local Collaboration Portfolio 2021, has taken a new approach to work with the European JCI organizations. To improve communication and mutual information flow – Joanna has been establishing the Team of Growth and Development Officers elected by their organizations – responsible for the recruitment, membership growth, and retention. The Team has started its formation already in December 2020 and had its Kick-off meeting on 14th January 2021. 
Many of its members have also benefited from other opportunities offered by the EDC – the new Mentoring Program and the workshops at the European Presidents Meeting. We currently have representatives of c.a. 30 countries in the GDO Team. If your Local or National Organization would like to be represented and get the current information about opportunities in JCI Europe, please connect with the EDC Councilor Joanna Mamczur who will coordinate the process, and the GDO Team: [email protected]

#GoDigital framework for supporting Small and Medium Businesses in Europe: We are happy to share that at the European Presidents Meeting the Team Europe held several sessions evolving around the RISE initiative, including a brainstorming session. Based on the feedback gathered from the JCI officers attending these sessions, the EDC Councilor Joanna Mamczur will be coordinating the #GoDigital initiative which shall consist of – best practices sharing in Europe and – coordinating our efforts to support the small and medium businesses where JCI is present. The first stage of the initiative is the Call for Projects which shall open on 1st March 2021. 
We will invite your National and Local Organizations to share the projects which you have already realized in your communities to support the digital opportunities for SMEs in your area – as well as the projects that you are planning to implement this year. The goal is to create the toolkit of best practices for digitalization projects that may be then used in other JCI chapters – so that we can empower the economy through our entrepreneurial members. 
After collecting the projects, Joanna will announce the next stage of the #GoDigital initiative – so make sure to keep an eye on the EDC updates! 

Update from General Legal Counsel (GLC): The beginning of the year has largely been spent assisting the JCI Europe Diversity and Inclusion Committee and preparing Online EPM. In the Online EPM Assembly Area D Agenda were amendments to the Guidelines of the European Development Council, especially clarifying terms Ex-Officio Officers and Observers, description of the General Legal Counsel duties, and clarifying election coaching.
In the Online JCI Europe e.V. General Assembly Agenda were amendments to the articles of the Constitution, especially description of the General Legal Counsel tasks and description of the eligibility for office for Treasurer and General Legal Counsel, clarifying reimbursement of expenses to Treasurer and General Legal Counsel and decision making about the resignation and suspension. The next step is to continue working with the description of the General Legal Counsel tasks as well as the difference in Area Director tasks and also the decision making about the resignation and suspension with respect to the JCI Constitution. The goal is also to create and clarify reporting systems and structures for committees and task forces and look into the JCI Europe website privacy policy.