The Emerging Leaders and Young Professionals Network

The Emerging Leaders and Young Professionals Network (ELYPN)

In the nonprofit world, a healthy pipeline is critical to success. Similarly, young members are key to the vitality and future of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. The Emerging Leaders and Young Professional Network (ELYPN) is a place for up-and-comers and future change agents to share their big ideas and participate in a dynamic conversation about developing as a capacity builder in the nonprofit sector.

Launched at the 2009 by the Alliance, ELYPN is dedicated to gaining and maintaining the participation of young professional members. ELYPN will foster relationships with young members to promote increased participation. They will also advise Alliance on how to reach this target group and offer products and services that meet their needs.

ELYPN is critical to the future of the Alliance and young nonprofit capacity builders need a professional home. ELYPN will do a good job at bringing new young professionals on board and overcome earlier challenges to keep this constituency involved.

For most associations and professional networks, members under 35 are the most difficult age group to retain. The role of ELYPN is to help define what young professionals need from the Alliance and make sure that such services and networking opportunities are available to them.

ELYPN will help the Alliance communicate in a way that speaks to young professionals and communications with young members through a Web site, list serve, and printed materials devoted exclusively to the needs of young professionals and available directly from Alliance. These vehicles will connect young capacity builders communicate the benefits of Alliance membership.

The Alliance membership will help young professionals to build professional and social networks and will help to promote these networks by working with local sections to develop programming to connect with young members. ELYPN will plan social events at the Annual Conference for this age group.

Who is the ELYPN - A member of ELYPN is described as any member (student, individual or corporate) who is early to mid-career professional. The Alliance has formed ELYPN, which will be dedicated to providing opportunities for young professionals in the field to meet other professionals locally, nationally and globally.

Why ELYPN - At present, there is a large generation gap among active members in Alliance. The Alliance is encouraging young professional involvement and in 2009 formed the ELYPN. ELYPN aims to focus on the needs and interests of young professionals in the field of capacity building in the nonprofit sector.

Emerging Leaders and Young Professional Efforts at Next Alliance Conference

The Alliance conference will be a major meeting place for the ELYPN and could the various segments could be funded by various foundations and corporate donors. The following could be featured at the next Alliance conference:
- University Forum - A meet-up with fellow university students from across North America as they present their previous papers and student projects.

- Career Coaching Sessions - Career coaches will be available to review attendees' résumés or offer advice about career growth and direction. These sessions will be available during conference hours.

- Student and Young Professionals Meet-and-Greet Reception - Young professionals, students, consultants, and other organizations are invited to a special reception in a relaxed setting to explore opportunities and allow emerging leaders to have an opportunity to meet others in the industry. ELYPN members will meet other fellow young professionals and share best practices. A drawing for door prizes to be awarded at the reception.

- ELYPN Affinity Group Meeting - ELYPN will meet to discuss plans for the upcoming year. This program works to develop ELYPN interests in the mission of the Alliance, promote the benefits of membership by increasing opportunities for participation and career development, and encourage younger members to take an active leadership role in the Alliance.

- Young Professionals: Industry Advances - This special-topics session developed by the ELYPN, features presentations by younger or newer Alliance members that cover recent advances in the field. It's a great opportunity for professionals of all ages to learn about the novel solutions young professionals are developing to meet the new challenges of the industry.

- Young Professionals Panel - During this session, a panel of young professionals from several geographic regions provides insight and shares information about current issues and activities related to young professionals across the Alliance. After the panel discussion, a networking brunch is scheduled during which young professionals can meet and network with select industry leaders.

Flyer Language for Recruitment to ELYPN

The Alliance for Nonprofit Management is providing a unique forum for student leaders and younger professionals, entitled the Emerging Leaders and Young Professionals Network (ELYPN) to engage in discussion about issues in nonprofit management and foster an understanding of the importance of capacity building in the nonprofit sector. The ELYPN is search for members and leadership that organize regular discussions and grow attendance at the Alliance annual conference, developing an ELYPN calendar for updated event information.

ELYPN will be a diverse group of individuals who share a passion for the nonprofit sector and an interest in the work of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. The Alliance organizes a variety of events throughout the year in order to create an active dialogue and connect leaders and practitioners around nonprofit management and capacity building issues.

ELPYN will provide an exciting opportunity to interact with like-minded individuals and gives young professionals from all walks of life a unique forum in which to learn more about nonprofit management and capacity building issues and the work of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management.

We are looking for national founding chairs and vice-chairs of ELYPN and are accepting resumes for consideration for these important positions. For more information about this engagement, e-mail Meagan Root at Mroot@raffa.com or Mroot@allianceonline.org or John Brothers at john@cuidiuconsulting.com.

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