25 Sept, 2013

20/2020The ISC Internal Affairs Young Skål Taskforce has been asked to offer a few suggestions

to be presented at the plenary session of the IC meeting during the World Congress.

Which ones are your favourite? Your suggestions, thoughts, comments are most

welcome, and your advice is appreciated.

Topics of personal interest include; creating a budget for Young Skål initiatives, revising of

the Young Skål applications and the application process, creating Social Medias channels

to connect Young Skål clubs worldwide and much more.

The ISCIAYST (we need a better name) has embraced Brian Donnelleys’s of having the

Skål International membership consist of 20% Young Skål members by the year 2020.

Let’s work together and make it happen.

10 Big Ideas

Revise Membership Criteria

Update Application Process

Coordinate website and Social

Media Campaigns

Recruitment Toolkit

Academic Toolkit

Young SKÅL Congresses

Mentorships

Tips for Success Booklet

Professional Development Skill

Builders

Budget

1. Discounts for Skål Functions

In order to make Skål events accessible to

tomorrow’s tourism leaders, we must eliminate as

many of the obstacles as possible. The economic

barriers to Young Skål participation in many Skål

events should not be ignored and the timely

processing of applications is essential for successful

recruiting. Creating the opportunity for Skål members

to network with Young Skål members is mutually

beneficial to both parties. I encourage all Skål to

consider a comprehensive development strategy that

begins with building brand awareness among

tourism students and young professionals and thoughtfully considers membership

engagement and retention as the foundation of a vibrant Young Skål club. Most Skål

functions in Thailand offer discounted or fully sponsored admission to events. Young Skål

Thailand thankfully receives tremendous support from Skål members and tourism industry

leaders.

The Director of Events for Skål functions work with the host venues to provide a limited

number of discounted registration fees for Young Skål members and guests.

Complimentary admission on a limited basis should also be offered to educators at area

universities. If you can’t reach the teachers, you’ll never reach the students.

Young SKAL Buy One –Get One : Allow Young SKAL members to bring a

guest complimentary for a limited time

50% discount on Skål functions for full-time students

Complimentary admission in exchange for assisting with registration is also an

effective way to involve Young Skål members in club activities. I would

encourage clubs to treat these future leaders like the VIP’s that they are. Free

labor and second class citizens are comments I have heard from students

describing their experiences at other industry functions where they helped with

registration then didn’t even get a seat at the table. Indeed we have a higher

duty of care to these students and young professionals and should make all

efforts to ensure that their experience is an enjoyable one.

Discounted admission should not include alcoholic beverages. Providing

alcohol to this group can lead them to a slippery slope and could increase

liability.

2. Young Skål oriented events and outings

The challenge is to get young Skål members to attend Skål events but it also a challenge

to get classic Skål members to attend young Skål events.

3. Skål International Recruitment

Programs

This recruitment

program invites qualified candidates to

local Skål events. is targeted at Skål member organizations or

local universities offering tourism degrees or diplomas. 10

teams would be invited, each team consisting of a teacher

and 2 students. Note: The same formula could be used for

Skål member organizations with the team comprising 1

midlevel manager and 2 future leaders. The invitation to universities should reflect the

exclusivity that a Skål membership represents and include an introduction to Skål

International. The program can be designed to fit the schedule and the needs of the local

clubs. Topics could include; Creating an Effective CV, Interview Tips, Strategies for

Successful Networking, etc.

In addition to Skål members offering their secrets to success for future leaders, the

program would include an introduction of a Skål International Lesson Plan (SLIP) for

university teachers. The SLIP includes a video, PowerPoint presentation, activities and

questions for review and discussion.

4. Sponsor/Mentor a Young Skalleague

An official sponsorship/mentorship program should include regular

communication between the Young Skål and classic Skål members

and a formal agreement between sponsor/mentor and the Young

Skalleague.

5. Bring-a-Future Leader-to -Lunch

Encourage Skål members to bring a future leader from their organization to a regularly

scheduled Skål event. Some members may have difficulty choosing only one team

member to invite, but they could bring a different future leader to each event. It would be a

great way to reward and motivate outstanding team members. Perhaps an annual

Membership package for Mentors could be created which would include two vouchers for

attendance at Skål functions.

6. Young Skål CSR

Skål members often have resources for Corporate

Social Responsibility initiatives but seldom have the

time. By partnering with Young Skål members to

brainstorm ideas and organize initiatives Young Skål

and classic Skål members can work together to make

a better world.

7. Synergized Partnerships

Skål members receive many invitations to tourism

industry events. We can work together with professional

organizations to include Young Skål members in these

great networking events.

8. Young Skål Training programs and career development

seminars

The Skål Ladders for Leaders program is designed for management, supervisors and

future leaders. The seminar begins with a dynamic presentation regarding the

fundamentals of the Spirit of Hospitality and contains a

managing, leading and coaching workshop. The

program will include attendance at the local Skål

event, and could be a great opportunity to raise the

Skål profile and serve as a valuable recruitment tool

for Skål International and Young Skål.

9. Young Skål Internship and job board

Below are examples of internships offered on the Young Skål Thailand FaceBook page

10. Campaign to Build Brand Awareness of Skål

International and include templates for posters, brochures and presentations that

can be modified and localized. A limited number of promotional items (posters,

applications, handouts) are available from the secretariat but are in need of

updating. A recruitment toolkit would be an ideal way to introduce Young Skål to

tourism students and young professionals.

Are you on Pinterest? We are! Pinterest is a wonderful way to share inspiring images of

your club’s service, as well as find new ideas for future projects. The site allows you to

collect your favorite images from around the web into one place. Create Pinterest boards

for holiday projects, environmental service projects, inspirational quotes, youth activities,

disaster relief and even your own club’s projects. Follow other clubs and service

organizations to see what’s inspiring them to serve in their communities. Follow SKAL

Clubs on Pinterest and check out our many pin boards that focus on Skalleagues making

an impact across the globe. How does your club use social sharing sites like Pinterest? –

11. Community and Academic contest

Skål clubs could sponsor contests for tourism students and offer to judge the entries and

organize and award prizes (ie. 2 passes to a Skål lunch, hotel rooms, etc).

Contest themes could be as simple as “How to attract the best and brightest to a career in

tourism” or “Imagine you were in charge of the world’s largest tourism organization, What

issues would you focus on?”. Event Management students could prepare programs for

Skål congresses and other events. This is a subtle way of introducing students to the

world of Skål as they will have to do some research about their target market (Skål)

before designing the program.

Students may also prepare presentations about the “World’s leading tourism

organizations”.

12. Utilization of Websites and Social Media platforms

YOUNGSKAL.COM

The Youngskal.com is created and managed by the Young Skål Thailand club at this

time. The opportunity for sponsorships on the website would contribute to the

sustainability of the website. The cost of designing and maintaining the website has

prohibited this site from reaching it’s real potential. It is our sincere hope that we can

create an 'Online Clubhouse' where every Young Skål club can;

•Gather from all over the world and meet future leaders and young Skål

members doing amazing things in amazing places

•Link Facebook pages, tweets and blogs from Young Skål members

•Create and Control their own Young Skål (Your club) page

•Contribute to a Young Skål blog

•Download a Young Skål Toolkit that includes the very best templates for

banners, brochures, and business cards.

• Have a yourname@youngskal.com email address

• Shop online for high quality, innovative and interesting products with the

Skål/Young SKAL logo

13. University Student Internship &

Job Fair

SKAL clubs can organize industry recruiting days and job fairs at

local schools or off campus. Member organizations will work

together to attract the best and brightes

14. Guest Speaker

SKAL members taking time out to be guest lecturers or ‘Professors for a Day” is a great way to introduce SKAL to future leaders.

15. SI Young SKAL Budget

A request for a modest budget from the EC for Young SKAL development would be useful and your thoughts would be appreciated on this issue, too. A Young SKAL development toolkit could be created and there would be costs associated with this project, use of the youngskal.com website would have costs, too. Perhaps we could find a sponsor or request donations to offset some of the expenses

Thoughts from Across the Globe

I think that the most important items that can be captured from this current

momentum are:

1. The open sharing of successful YS Case Studies

2. The wide adoption of some Standard Best Practices ( SBP)

3. Focusing on what we already have and what we can do

4. Avoiding the dilution that fragmentation will bring to any programme

5. Minimising the negative impact of personal egos and emotional baggage

Best Wishes / Brian Donnelly, London

May I also suggest that the congress manual be modified to include a provision that x amount of YS attendees must be included. This will then be built into the budget process and distributed over all congress attendees in the congress fees." -John Ruzich's. 

UPDATE ON YOUNG SKÅL PROGRAM USA,

By Llana Smith, Committee Chairman

At the NAASC Congress in Sacramento, I presented a small seminar on the Young Skål Program

(YSP) that is currently in place within the structure of Skål International. Here is a brief recap of that seminar. I hope that some of this information will help you jump start your YSP at your own Club level. It has been proven over and over that YSP is a new frontier for gaining younger members and promoting the mentoring of YSP candidates throughout the beginning of their career, thus impressing upon them the importance of eventually being a member of Skål.

First, there are 900+ hospitality programs in the United States. They range from graduate programs at major universities to small for-profit programs that offer certificates. It's not realistic to think that Skål will have an active relationship with all of them. My suggestion, and again it's only a suggestion, is that we try to partner with these educational entities in some form or fashion. I suggest this for several reasons:

1. The quantity ofstudents. These schools have larger quantities of students that will obviously be graduating and moving directly into our very own travel and tourism

industry.2. Most schools have established students’ organizations. This is good since starting a

Young Skål program or relationship – when there is an existing student organization - will not be that big a leap.

3. Most of the larger programs also have dedicated individuals responsible for career services - internships, industry relationships, career guidance, etc...

For a continually updated list of organizations that offer certificates or degrees in hospitality, go to Hospitality-1st. (www.hospitality- 1st.com) located in Coral Gables, Florida. They have a great perception of what to do with up and coming new graduates from the hospitality programs. I researched their lists and I'd suggest reaching out to schools/programs they promote since they are some of the most established ones near your club.

Next, especially, there are several areas that need further discussion for rebranding YS.

First, discuss lowering the age to join Young Skål to 18, while keeping the upper age limit of membership at 29. By lowering the minimum age from 21 to 18, we effectively create a larger quantity of prospective Young Skål members. This is due, in large part, to the age at which students enroll in hospitality/tourism education programs. Most students are enrolled by the time they are 18, and waiting till they are 21 creates a scenario where we potentially have significantly reduced the time to have an impact on them during their education.

Second, there needs to be a rebranding of the YSP. The end results of this rebranding will ideally present a clearer picture of the Young Skål program, and how individual clubs can incorporate the program into their operations. We are seeking input from all members on how they feel their club views and implements Young Skål.

Next, there needs to be some recognition for “Young Skålleague of the Year” or similar. This would put the YSP in the forefront with many opportunities for publicity. Perhaps this award should be accompanied by a monetary assistance, scholarship or internship.

And lastly, speaking about internships .... We need to develop a document that defines “what is an internship”? To bring European YSP to US, for instance, is quite expensive if the YS do not already have the required J-1 Visa. A J-1 Visa costs money, has lots of paperwork and needs oversight and accountability.

We need to set the parameters for internships, where to find an internship (job bank w/in Skål) and the qualifications for the internship with a Skålleague.

Going forward, among other things, the following initiatives have been discussed as a part

of the rebranding process:

1. Redevelop a clear, concise, and easy to understand measurable objectives for Young Skål

2. Creation of standardized YSP events that all clubs can implement3. Develop ways in which all Skål members can learn about Young Skål and how it may

fit into their own clubs4. Create standardized policies and procedures for Young Skål scholarship distribution5. Develop stronger relationships with hospitality and tourism program educators

through partnerships with education associations such asthe International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education (I- CHRIE)

6. Create a mentor program for Skål members to serve as a mentor to a Young Skål members.

7. Reevaluate strategies for how to create, manage, and assess Young Skål internship opportunities that may exist in organizations current Skål members are associated with.

As many of you know, the YSP is one of the many steps clubs can take to boost their own membership in the short and long term, and we seek any and all feedback related to YSP and how we can improve the program. Mentoring and internships possibilities are of utmost importance.

There is a spread sheet of each SIUSA Club currently being compiled that includes each Club and how they are approaching the YSP. Please send a summary of your club’s YSP activities to me at llanas@bellsouth.net as soon as you can. Thank you to those Clubs who have already responded to my request for information at the seminar, but I would like to hear from all Clubs.

Have a terrific Skål Summer!

Summary of Young Skal activities in Australia, compiled by Mark Abercromby, President Skal International Perth on behalf of Skal

International Australia.

The following questions were circulated to all Skal International Clubs in Australia:

1) How many Young Skal Members are in your club

2) Any activities currently being undertaken by Australian clubs to foster the development of young professional in the travel and tourism industry (not members of Skal or Young Skal) - for example mentoring, support, education

3) Any support or recognition of students at education institutions

4) Any International opportunities for young professional

5) Past experience with Young Skal

6) Number of current Active Skal members under 29 years of age.

7) Any active plans to encourage Young Skal members to join any Skal club in Australia.

The results from the above questions can be summarised as follows:

1) How many Young Skal Members

As at March 2013 census date, there were eight (8) Young Skal members registered in Australia.

Albany (3), Broome (1), Hobart (1), Kununurra (2), Townsville (1).

2) Any activities currently being undertaken by Australian clubs to foster the development of young professional in the travel and tourism industry (not members of Skal or Young Skal) - for example mentoring, support, education

Ongoing on an informal basis by many members, but this is not a specific or active strategy at this stage

Skal International Hobart sponsors the “young tourism professional” award in the Tasmanian Tourism Awards. The recipient is rewarded through their international exchange program.

Skal Perth has a number of younger tourism professional as members. Similarly Skal Broome reported that they have many young members who are eligible

for active membership

3) Any support or recognition of students at education institutions

Skal International Perth, offers an annual Brian Philippson Memorial Award of $500 to each of the top graduating students in a travel or tourism stream at three education institutions in Western Australia: Curtin University, Edith Cowan University and Perth Central Institute. Murdoch University will be added in 2013. Total commitment $2,000 per annum.

Skal Perth provided an introduction to Skal New York in association with local President Lisa Conway, for one of the Award winners who was travelling to New York on a working holiday.

Skal Sunshine Coast reported that they have formerly provided a $500 and ten $1000 bursary for a tourism student at the local TAFE. This was challenging getting entrants to apply. The initial request is shown in the attached flyer, seeking applicants to complete an application form (attached). This resulted in no entries and we ended up awarding an outstanding student the prize. At the time we had a TAFE lecturer as a Skålleague. The recipient attended a couple of meetings (both executive and general) but lost interest after a while. He did achieve some part time work at a member hotel following his attendance. The Skålleague at TAFE has since moved from TAFE and the bursary hasn’t been continued. Our lesson from this is that a close involvement with the educational institution is essential for this to work.

Skal Sunshine Coast also used to use the TAFE catering students facility for one of our functions throughout the year as a TAFE project and to increase Skal’s profile to the students. This was initially successful (when we had a TAFE Skålleague), but has also since lapsed.

Skal North Sydney holds one of their monthly lunches at a hotel school in North Sydney and three hotel school principals. Directors are members of the club. This will assist to create exposure with the younger executives!

4) Any International opportunities for young professionals

Skal International Hobart have a formal exchange program in conjunction with Skal International Copenhagen.

Skal Sunshine Coast reported that they hosted a young Skålleague from Hawaii University as part of a University of Hawaii internship for about 3 months in 2011. While very keen initially, the trip turned out to be more of a holiday than an internship. They attempted to get the young person placed in other Skålleague properties but the interest waned when his girlfriend came out to join him and he soon returned to Hawaii. The structure was very informal with practically no involvement at all from the University of Hawaii, so our lesson from this is that a more defined structure of expectations and responsibilities is essential.

5) Past experience with Young Skal

About ten or so years ago, Skal International Perth fostered a separate Young Skal club but this was disbanded in the mid 2000’s and the remaining members were offered active membership of Skal Perth. No former members remain active with Skal International Perth.

Skal International Sydney strategy is to not have a specific Young SKAL “cell”, however they continue to apply a holistic strategy among all members to encourage membership growth of younger members across all age groups, in order to lower the average age of membership as quickly as possible.

6) Number of current Active Skal members under 29 years of age.

Apart from the Young Skal members there are about three (3) active Skal members under 29 years of age.

7) Any active plans to encourage Young Skal members to join any Skal Club in Australia.

There is a general strategy to increase Skal membership, not a specific or active strategy for Young Skal

Skal Sydney North have a more holistic approach encompassing all age groups Skal Sunshine Coast reported that they are keen to see more young Skal members.

While in Germany recently, the President met up with members from Skal Bielefeld. One of their young Skålleagues, will be coming to Australia in September on a 12 month working holiday, so I will pass on her details to relevant clubs.

Skal Brisbane have been in touch with a former student, who has professed an interest in joining as a Young Skal member. They struck an annual membership fee and invited her as a guest (on an FOC basis) to their last lunch. If she joins and enjoys the experience then she can "spread the word" to other young people who have completed a similar course to the one she has just done

Skal Kununurra notes that each month their young Skålleagues invite other young professionals from the tourism industry to attend the Skal meeting.