I wanted to share with you the outcomes of a couple of recent conversations that I have had regarding the value of membership within the CSSE and whether CSSE was meeting people’s needs. Maybe I just want to poke a couple of bears with a stick today to see what comments I get – see if anyone is really reading the blog.
As President sometimes people call or email me and want to talk about the CSSE and what they think it should be. In the last 2 weeks I have had 3 conversations to the effect where the CSSE - at the chapter level - was not meeting the person’s needs or wants. After some discussion all three conversations lead to a few choices that the individuals would need to make.
Choice # 1 – quit.
Choice # 2 – tell someone within the chapter level about their thoughts & concerns. We can learn from each other and need to try new things on all levels of the organization to keep things fresh and interesting. Needs within our chapter and regional membership may and will change and we need to keep open lines of communication to ensure that we at least feel heard. I know at the board level we are trying to get a pulse of what the needs are by performing needs surveys, communicating with regional and chapter executive etc… but that does not mean that everyone has participated and stated their opinion.
Choice # 3 – keep the membership because it looks good on a wall or helps with the CRSP maintenance points and do not attend meetings or activities – while still complaining; or
Choice # 4 – get involved. I like this one the best. In the 1990’s – not sure what year it was now – but I remember that I had a choice with the CSSE. It was an organization that was in trouble and I had to make a choice – go somewhere else or get involved and make a difference. I feel I made the right choice – I am proud to be a CSSE member. There are different ways of being involved and I think that we are seeing the fruits of those labours and how others in the profession are affected, especially with the numbers we are seeing with new membership. Or maybe this Gandhi quote is one that would be more appropriate when it comes to involvement. “We must be the change we wish to see in the world”,.. or in our case, the CSSE.
I encourage each one of you to get what you want and need out of the CSSE by being an active member. I am not sure who said this quote but I think it is a good one for volunteer not-for-profit organizations and their memberships – “you get out of it, what you put in to it!”
What do you think?
About Me
- CSSE President
- Eldeen, a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), a Certified Health and Safety Consultant (CHSC), and a Certified Health and Safety Management System Auditor (CHSMSA), has a diverse educational background. She holds both a BA and a BSc from the University of Saskatchewan and has completed her Ergonomics Professional Residency Program. Eldeen is committed to Occupational Health and Safety Concepts and Standards, which is demonstrated by her involvement as an advisor and consultant to various government, businesses, and industry sectors. Her numerous memberships and positions in safety and health related associations such as: the Saskatchewan Safety Council (Industrial Safety Conference Committee) and Minerva (Board Member) further demonstrate her commitment to safety. Eldeen is also the current President of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE). Her consistent attendance at safety seminars and continued education provides further opportunity to present and share her extensive knowledge base and focus on continuous learning of the most current information and concepts.
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2 comments:
Been a member since 89, know of a few instances of infighting etc. and thought a couple of times of saving my membership fees by dropping out.
But I gotta say I like where we are headed: CHSC, numerous courses, more on the way, the web site, products, careers, advocacy and more.
Great stuff ...from a noise maker in the west.
Does anyone have thoughts about what is appropriate for a designation - you know - those letters we put after our names. Are there any hard and fast rules about what is considered a legitimate designation?
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