Yes it's that time of the year again, we're accepting mentor applications for the 2011/2012 Young Leaders Mentorship Programme. We have a number of exciting things in store for you this year!
Firstly, the YLMP will be operating in two schools this year; both Kinbu Secondary Technical School and Accra High School. Secondly, for the first time we're looking at opening up our mentoring opportunities to university students outside Ghana!
We're really looking forward to seeing where this will take us. However, we'll only run the e-mentor scheme if we have enough potential e-mentors for every group to have at least one. That's where we're going to need your input. If you're interested leave a comment here, on our Facebook page or tweet us @infoYLMP with the hashtag #YLMPementor.
We're really excited about this project and would love to launch it this year along with our regular mentoring programme. We'd also love to hear any suggestions you might have.
For more information about our programme and what we do, have a look at our About Us page. You can also scoot around this blog for details of our past activities and events. You'll be able to find more titbits on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Mini Seminar: Career Development
Hi folks! Sorry this post has been rather a long time coming. On Friday the 15th of July, Felicia Ashley spoke to our mentees about Career Development. It being the last Mini Seminar of the term, we had some Form 1s join us in order for them to get a taste of what they'd be doing next year.
Felicia's objectives were to help mentees:
- Get thinking a lot more about what they want in life.
- Clarify your values as individuals
- Begin a process of self exploration
- Find the right resources that will assist in career development.
First of all, we discussed what career development is, and found that a career is not necessarily something that's constructed on a one-time basis, but through a series of decisions we make throughout our lives.
Felicia focused a lot on finding ways to answer the question "Who are you?". This is the starting point as a fulfilling career must be based and developed taking into account an individual's interests, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, values, abilities, etc. Knowing who you are and what you stand for might automatically lead you to certain career paths or away from others.
Most importantly, remember to seek out the purpose for which you were made. The One who created us knows us best, and it's important that we keep praying to be led in the right direction. God is the greatest counsellor. Speak to Him first.
Remember: the world is your oyster. Experience as much as you can now while you're young with (relatively) few responsibilities. Don't be picky - don't limit yourself to certain activities, try your hand at as much as you can. Sometimes, you won't know you enjoy something until you've tried. Keep your options open and have fun exploring them!
Check out pictures of this Mini Seminar on our Facebook page (and don't forget to like us if you haven't already)!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Visit our new fan page!
We've all experienced loosing track of time on the internet doing nothing in particular, especially on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. I'm glad to announce that now you can visit these sites (well... we're working on the YouTube channel) without the guilt trip - the YLMP now has a brand new fan page!
Many of you will know this already - especially if you've been looking at pictures of Mini Seminars etc . We find it's much more interactive than our group page; we can share so much more with you on there.
If you haven't already, you can check it out at www.facebook.com/infoYLMP (those who are familiar with our Twitter page will already know this username). It's got a mixture of old and new content we haven't released anywhere else yet so make sure you pass by!
We'd also love to hear your comments about the page; what you like and what you don't like etc... please drop us a comment on our wall or right here in the comments section.
Many of you will know this already - especially if you've been looking at pictures of Mini Seminars etc . We find it's much more interactive than our group page; we can share so much more with you on there.
If you haven't already, you can check it out at www.facebook.com/infoYLMP (those who are familiar with our Twitter page will already know this username). It's got a mixture of old and new content we haven't released anywhere else yet so make sure you pass by!
We'd also love to hear your comments about the page; what you like and what you don't like etc... please drop us a comment on our wall or right here in the comments section.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Final Mini Seminar
Sadly, we're fast approaching the last Mini Seminar of the term! On the 15th of July, we're going to be having our Career Development Mini Seminar. We'll have Felicia Ashley, head of Human Capital at Databank run the seminar. We'll also have various people forming a 'panel' of sorts who will be on hand to answer any questions you might have. As this is the last Mini Seminar, we'd love to see as many of you present as possible.
The YLMP Awards day will follow in the coming weeks, an exact date will be communicated to you once it has been finalised. We'll be providing certificates to all active mentors and mentees and of course we'll be handing out our usual Best Mentor and Mentee's Choice Awards.
We will also be scheduling a meeting with all mentors to discuss your thoughts and experiences over this past year (or more if you've been involved in the programme longer). Your suggestions about how we can improve the Programme will be much appreciated, especially given that we're aiming to expand to some other schools next academic year.
I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you so much for your involvement in the programme, we couldn't do anything without you! A thank you for the support to everyone who reads our blog too! Don't forget that even if you will not be involved with the programme after this year, you can still keep informed via our blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. Stay in touch!
The YLMP Awards day will follow in the coming weeks, an exact date will be communicated to you once it has been finalised. We'll be providing certificates to all active mentors and mentees and of course we'll be handing out our usual Best Mentor and Mentee's Choice Awards.
We will also be scheduling a meeting with all mentors to discuss your thoughts and experiences over this past year (or more if you've been involved in the programme longer). Your suggestions about how we can improve the Programme will be much appreciated, especially given that we're aiming to expand to some other schools next academic year.
I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you so much for your involvement in the programme, we couldn't do anything without you! A thank you for the support to everyone who reads our blog too! Don't forget that even if you will not be involved with the programme after this year, you can still keep informed via our blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. Stay in touch!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Mini Seminar: Personal Finance
On Friday, Nana Gyesie gave a Mini Seminar on Personal Finance: A Student's Guide to Financial Independence.
He started off with a very brief introduction to Databank and our 'LEap HIgh' value system; Leadership, Excellence, Humility and Integrity, and what that means to individuals as part of the firm. He spoke about Databank's vision and how our resources can help build wealth, manage and track financial progress.
We then had a discussion about why it's important to invest and how it can be more beneficial to invest rather than save.
Most importantly, we talked about how it's possible for anyone, no matter how much money they have to begin with, to invest. Simple things like cutting down on things like soft drinks, mobile credit and leisure activities mean that we can all put aside a little money to invest.
As the saying goes, "look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves". The time is now!
Pictures of this Mini Seminar (and others) are up on our Facebook page... have a look at them here!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
"Too Many Non-Africans Speaking for Africa"
Mark Dearn of Think Africa Press reports:
The Tony Elumelu Foundation was set up “to promote excellence in business leadership and entrepreneurship across Africa”. The Foundation wants African countries to be at the forefront of their own economic growth, a growth it wants to be driven by government and the private sector working together through a new generation of African-born and African-educated business leaders. Part of its philosophy involves promoting “impact investing” – investments that promote a social or environmental good alongside providing a financial return. Founder Tony Elumelu, from Nigeria, is one of the most recognisable faces in African business. He is a former chief executive of United Bank for Africa, chair of pan-African investment company Heirs Holdings Ltd and is on the board of Transcorp – the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria.
This month the Foundation consolidated its links with another new Africa-focused foundation led by another Tony: Tony Blair’s Africa Governance Initiative (AGI). The organisations will be joining their philosophies of boosting private sector investment to help the growth of African economies and enhancing governance. AGI currently focuses on Liberia, Sierra Leone and Rwanda, where both organisations will now work.
Tony Elumelu Foundation chief executive Wiebe Boer holds a PhD in African History from Yale University. He was born and raised in Jos, Nigeria, and has worked as a consultant with McKinsey & Company and an Associate Director at the Rockefeller Foundation. He told Think Africa Press about the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s vision for African growth and 21st century philanthropy.
What was the inspiration behind the Tony Elumelu Foundation?
After retiring from UBA Mr Elumelu wanted to give back something to the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in Africa. Tony’s story is the kind you don’t often hear. He was born and raised here in Nigeria, where he did all his education and has spent all his career, and he has still been able to be very successful and build a pan-African business that’s worth several billion. His vision is that if you can remove the obstacles that are preventing other African businesses from emerging, then a lot more companies like UBA can be built in Africa, become pan-African and help transform the continent.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation was set up “to promote excellence in business leadership and entrepreneurship across Africa”. The Foundation wants African countries to be at the forefront of their own economic growth, a growth it wants to be driven by government and the private sector working together through a new generation of African-born and African-educated business leaders. Part of its philosophy involves promoting “impact investing” – investments that promote a social or environmental good alongside providing a financial return. Founder Tony Elumelu, from Nigeria, is one of the most recognisable faces in African business. He is a former chief executive of United Bank for Africa, chair of pan-African investment company Heirs Holdings Ltd and is on the board of Transcorp – the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria.
This month the Foundation consolidated its links with another new Africa-focused foundation led by another Tony: Tony Blair’s Africa Governance Initiative (AGI). The organisations will be joining their philosophies of boosting private sector investment to help the growth of African economies and enhancing governance. AGI currently focuses on Liberia, Sierra Leone and Rwanda, where both organisations will now work.
Tony Elumelu Foundation chief executive Wiebe Boer holds a PhD in African History from Yale University. He was born and raised in Jos, Nigeria, and has worked as a consultant with McKinsey & Company and an Associate Director at the Rockefeller Foundation. He told Think Africa Press about the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s vision for African growth and 21st century philanthropy.
What was the inspiration behind the Tony Elumelu Foundation?
After retiring from UBA Mr Elumelu wanted to give back something to the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in Africa. Tony’s story is the kind you don’t often hear. He was born and raised here in Nigeria, where he did all his education and has spent all his career, and he has still been able to be very successful and build a pan-African business that’s worth several billion. His vision is that if you can remove the obstacles that are preventing other African businesses from emerging, then a lot more companies like UBA can be built in Africa, become pan-African and help transform the continent.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Overcoming Negativity
Six tips on overcoming negativity by Dan Rockwell:
A negative person says, “Things are great. I’m just waiting for something bad to happen.” The positive side of negativity is you’ll eventually be right. Bad things happen. Problems arise. Crisis is inevitable. Being right, however, doesn’t create success.
Negativity blocks your future, limits your potential, and stymies your achievement. Negativity creates paralyzing dead end thinking.
Your greatness depends on your ability to deal with your negative thoughts. All great leaders believe they can make a positive difference.
Dealing with negativity:
#1. Own your negativity. You can’t fix what you don’t own.
#2. Own your negativity but don’t excuse it. Get over saying, “I’m not a pessimist, I’m just a realist.”
#3. Not all negativity is bad. Anticipating problems, resistance, choke points, and other difficulties helps leaders devise strategies and solutions. The down-side is imagined problems block forward progress.
A negative person says, “Things are great. I’m just waiting for something bad to happen.” The positive side of negativity is you’ll eventually be right. Bad things happen. Problems arise. Crisis is inevitable. Being right, however, doesn’t create success.
Negativity blocks your future, limits your potential, and stymies your achievement. Negativity creates paralyzing dead end thinking.
Your greatness depends on your ability to deal with your negative thoughts. All great leaders believe they can make a positive difference.
Dealing with negativity:#1. Own your negativity. You can’t fix what you don’t own.
#2. Own your negativity but don’t excuse it. Get over saying, “I’m not a pessimist, I’m just a realist.”
#3. Not all negativity is bad. Anticipating problems, resistance, choke points, and other difficulties helps leaders devise strategies and solutions. The down-side is imagined problems block forward progress.
South African scientists find green method to purify toxic water
The article below is written by Kirstin Palitza of IPS News. While the discovery is certainly exciting, I hope it does not cause industrial firms to become complacent on the amount of waste they produce.
South African scientists have developed an environmentally friendly method to clean highly toxic water and convert it into drinkable water. Once available commercially, the method could drastically reduce the negative impact industry has on water pollution worldwide.
Called eutectic freeze crystallisation, the technique freezes acidic water – or brine – to produce potable or drinking water as well as useful salts, such as sodium and calcium sulphate.
Alison Lewis, professor for chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, who has led the research since 2007, claims 99.9 percent of the polluted water can be reused after applying the new technique. Unlike other water cleaning methods, it practically doesn’t produce any toxic waste.
"It’s an environmentally friendly and cost-effective technology that can be used pretty much in all industrial sectors that pollute water and thus produce brine," explains Lewis. This includes sectors like mining, the oil and gas industry, chemical industry, paper processing or sewerage.
The simultaneous separation and purification method is based on bringing the contaminated water temperature down to reach its eutectic point – the lowest possible temperature of solidification. At this point, toxins crystallise to form salts and sink to the ground, while the clean water turns into ice, floating on the surface.
"By its nature, ice is the purest form of water because it repels any impurities. It’s actually very simple," explains Lewis. "The method is ecologically significant because it can turn toxic waste into a useful product."
South African scientists have developed an environmentally friendly method to clean highly toxic water and convert it into drinkable water. Once available commercially, the method could drastically reduce the negative impact industry has on water pollution worldwide.
Called eutectic freeze crystallisation, the technique freezes acidic water – or brine – to produce potable or drinking water as well as useful salts, such as sodium and calcium sulphate.
Alison Lewis, professor for chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, who has led the research since 2007, claims 99.9 percent of the polluted water can be reused after applying the new technique. Unlike other water cleaning methods, it practically doesn’t produce any toxic waste.
"It’s an environmentally friendly and cost-effective technology that can be used pretty much in all industrial sectors that pollute water and thus produce brine," explains Lewis. This includes sectors like mining, the oil and gas industry, chemical industry, paper processing or sewerage.
The simultaneous separation and purification method is based on bringing the contaminated water temperature down to reach its eutectic point – the lowest possible temperature of solidification. At this point, toxins crystallise to form salts and sink to the ground, while the clean water turns into ice, floating on the surface.
"By its nature, ice is the purest form of water because it repels any impurities. It’s actually very simple," explains Lewis. "The method is ecologically significant because it can turn toxic waste into a useful product."
Mini Seminar this Friday!
We have a Mini Seminar coming up this Friday! Nana Gyesie of Databank Retail Services will be speaking on Personal Finance. As usual, we'll be meeting in 3D at 3pm.
We'll be collecting the remaining articles, poems, stories, jokes and anything else you have for the Newsletter, so please remember to bring those along.
We'll also be handing back Appraisal Forms so you can work on the final section.
See you there!
We'll be collecting the remaining articles, poems, stories, jokes and anything else you have for the Newsletter, so please remember to bring those along.
We'll also be handing back Appraisal Forms so you can work on the final section.
See you there!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)