How to volunteer

My time on the IATEFL BESIG committee gave me a birds-eye view of our industry, made my professional network truly global, opened my eyes to new directions for my career and helped me make friends for life. Most importantly, it also gave me a chance to give back to IATEFL BESIGers. All in all, it was a life-changer.

My years of volunteering for IATEFL BESIG were an exciting experience filled with challenges, learning moments, and the opportunity to connect with remarkable people. It allowed me to apply my management experience, business acumen, and technical skills while also finding fulfillment in the fact that it was voluntary. It was my way of giving back to the community that had helped me grow as a business English professional, as an individual, and as a lifelong learner.

Being a part of the IATEFL BESIG committee was not only an enjoyable experience, it was a good career move. I met amazing professionals at IATEFL and BESIG events and even gained a few clients from my time on the committee. As the SIG’s treasurer, I developed business-related skills that truly came in handy when developing my own freelance training services.

I thoroughly enjoyed working on the IATEFL BESIG committee in various positions between 2004 and 2009. It really helped me develop a range of skills including collaboration; events organisation; gathering feedback and implementing changes; and leadership. It was a great way to develop in my personal and professional lives within a supportive, constructive environment. I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants to grow beyond being a teacher or trainer.

In my experience volunteer work is extremely rewarding, not only in terms of the fellow practitioners you meet and get to work with, but also because of the friends you make and business contacts you develop. A great way to learn new skills too. Any member can volunteer – there is no need to be well known, or highly qualified, or even old. Strongly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed my work on the IATEFL BESIG committee as Events Coordinator. Not only was I able to hone the technical skills involved in organising international events, coordinating team members and assigning tasks, but my people skills improved immensely too, for example, in working virtually with colleagues across continents and being part of an effective team.

In addition to my own development, it was also a pleasure to be able to serve IATEFL BESIG members by providing a platform (i.e. a conference or other face-to-face event) to enable them to learn from and network with each other, to exchange ideas, to make new friends and cultivate long-standing relationships, and so much more. I’d recommend serving on a committee to anyone interested in making a difference to their community, as well as developing themselves personally and professionally.

Being part of the IATEFL BESIG committee is an opportunity that I would recommend to any active IATEFL BESIG member. It is not only a chance to give something back to the business English community, it is also way to develop new contacts — in the business English world and beyond – learn new skills, and make new friendships.

Little did I know when I replied to the call for committee members, what a rich and rewarding time would be ahead of me and how many wonderful people I would get to know along the way. The learning never stopped from day one – working with a talented international team of volunteers on important projects, such as organising the IATEFL BESIG annual conference, was a fulfilling experience for me personally and also considerably enhanced my business skill-set. A valuable experience that I highly recommend to all.

As a business English trainer, I can highly recommend the learning experience that being on the committee provides. As we teach both communication and business skills to our learners, the chance to work in a team to put on an event, set agendas, run efficient meetings, check minutes and submit budgets are invaluable. As my learners often say “You are not just an English teacher, you really understand what we do in our jobs.”

Being on the IATEFL BESIG committee was a great way to learn about the profession of Business English from behind the scenes and get to know who’s who in the all-important local and national teachers’ groups. Networking opportunities abound. I personally got several seminar bookings through connections made whilst on the committee.

IATEFL BESIG has given me the opportunity to work with committed professionals who are experts in their fields and has given me the chance of not only getting top-notch information on best practices, but also from the way they work. Both have enriched my career immensely. Attending and organizing webinars have given me the experience of working online with different technologies, fostering my presentation skills and experience hand on interactions in virtual environments.

Volunteering for IATEFL BESIG has given me a unique opportunity to broaden my horizons, master new skills, challenge myself, and connect with some of the most amazing people across many industries. An absolutely worthwhile experience I am grateful for.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the IATEFL BESIG committee. I did have a baptism of fire as Newsletter editor, making rather a mess of my first edition. Nevertheless, the committee helped and encouraged me. We learn from our mistakes and I went on to become the editor of the LT SIG CALL Review. The committee were really supportive; many thanks.

Being a part of the IATEFL BESIG committee was an enriching experience beyond measure. Collaborating with passionate professionals from diverse backgrounds, I witnessed the organization’s dedication to fostering excellence in Business English teaching. The dynamic discussions, innovative initiatives, and impactful events were a testament to the committee’s commitment. Together, we empowered educators worldwide, creating a vibrant community of learning and growth. IATEFL BESIG’s inclusive ethos and unwavering support made this journey truly wonderful, leaving an indelible mark on my professional life.

Sara has been teaching business English in Egypt for over 16 years to both university students and work trainees. She holds a PhD in linguistics (1st class honors), and is interested in computational, socio-cultural, anthropological linguistics and critical discourse analysis. In 2010, she won an IATEFL Africa scholarship to attend the IATEFL annual conference in Harrogate, and has been an enthusiastic supporter of IATEFL and BESIG ever since, contributing articles to both Voices and Business Issues. As Publications Coordinator she is particularly keen that IATEFL BESIG’s publications reflect the diversity of cultures, work contexts and perspectives which make IATEFL BESIG the successful SIG it is today.

My time on the BOT was an invaluable learning experience especially on how to deliver high quality content online. Strongly recommended!

This role not only enhanced my technical skills but more importantly, it honed my abilities in leading virtual teams, managing online projects, and navigating cross-cultural communications. The highlight of my volunteer term, without a doubt, was the opportunity to work with a group of extraordinary volunteers. Their support, dedication, and wealth of knowledge are the backbone of IATEFL BESIG’s success. Katrin Lichterfeld, Grace Alchini, Slobodan Kelecevic, Kirsten Waechter, Uma Tadema, Silke Riegler and Sue Annan, my utmost gratitude goes to each of you. As I move on to new challenges, I carry with me not only the skills and knowledge gained but also the invaluable friendships formed during this remarkable journey.