inCite : October 2006 : Energise, enthuse, inspire

NGAPG: Looking towards the future

Fiona Bradley, Adrianne Harris, Simone Hys and Kate Watson   New Generation Policy and Advisory Group

Almost four years after it was founded, the New Generation Policy and Advisory Group (NGAPG) has made important contributions to ALIA's direction. Over its most recent two-year term, NGPAG has made several recommendations to the ALIA Board that are now in place, including a scholarship to attend Aurora, a new position on the Research Committee until the end of 2006 and, in December, NLS2006 will welcome hundreds of delegates to Sydney.

We currently have proposals for a resumé review service and an ALIA FAQ in the works. The New Graduates Group is going from strength to strength with activities and co-ordinators in all states and many regional areas.

NGPAG began in 2002 after ALIA commissioned a group of recently graduated ALIA members to form an advisory group to assist in achieving ALIA's key initiative to develop and market new services for students/new professional members in the Association. This group became NGPAG. We meet monthly by teleconference and use an e-mail list to communicate.

NGPAG determines its priorities and work from surveys conducted at the New Librarians' Symposiums, suggestions from NGPAG committee members, and the ALIA Board. Being a committee member of NGPAG is a wonderful experience - you have the opportunity to work with passionate peers in the industry from all over the country. You have the chance to work on proposals that will positively benefit new grads and you have a direct influence on ALIA's strategic direction and activities. NGPAG is also a great place to start if you see yourself becoming involved with other Association committees in the future.

Simone Hys notes "I think it's amazing what the Group has come up with that has been approved and how these activities will make a difference to what the Association can do for its members. The fact that we have a Board that is open to our suggestions and willing to accept our proposals validated my faith that by getting involved you can make a difference."

Fiona Bradley agrees, "NGPAG has given me the chance to work on several issues that are important to me, and it's fantastic to see your ideas taken on by the ALIA Board and turned into action".

Adrianne Harris suggests that, "NGPAG has allowed me to be a part of a group that is suggesting new and innovative ways for the Association to engage with new information professionals. As part of a national group, the opportunity to brainstorm and suggest ideas for the ALIA board has been an exciting one - watching our ideas grow from loose concepts to full issue papers and reports for consideration by the Board."

If you are interested in becoming a part of NGPAG, now's your chance! Vacant committee spaces will be filled in November this year. Feel free to contact any committee member or Marie Murphy at ALIA for more information about what's involved.

For more about the New Grads Group and the committee members, go to http://alia.org.au/groups/newgrad/.

To contact Marie Murphy[please remove '.nospam' from address], phone 02 6215 8218.