“A year at the KY Board is an excellent way to give back.” This sentence is often visible when talking about what inspires KY members to spend a year like no other at the KY Board, and I also find it relatable. My year at the Board has been about giving back. Giving back by utilizing all the skills I’ve learned for doing good. Giving back by letting my motivation, passion and love shine to make KY more sustainable and equal and enhancing the sense of community. However, I feel that KY still keeps on giving a lot to me in return – new experiences, new skills and insights that I didn’t fully expect to encounter during this year. New tools to manage under the pressure and new viewpoints through which to look at KY and the world. And last but definitely not least, a bunch of new people that I am now happy to call my close friends.
When I started my year at the KY Board, two emotions, uncertainty and excitement, were mostly present in my daily work. Uncertainty of how many updates to restrictions regarding event organization and common gatherings I would still need to publish at KY Today because of you-know-what was still a visible part of our daily life. And excitement complemented with hope when it became clear that the entire KY community can once again gather to celebrate Wappu, KY’s 111th Annual Ball and other unforgettable events together. For me, the year has mostly been about new beginnings and building the KY community stronger than perhaps ever before – couldn't imagine a better way for KY to still give back to me and it motivates me in my daily work as well!
Speaking of the daily work and routines at the KY Office aka Espilä, my most typical routine has been to adapt the daily routines to fit each week, as during the year, no week has been similar to another. Usually, the most permanent routines in my week include meetings such as the KY Board’s morning schools and meetings with KY’s Communications Sector. In addition to this, my responsibility areas, Communications and Strategy, bring the planning and execution of various projects, such as the renewal of ky.fi website, KY Sustainability Week and planning of the meetings of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, to my work table. Last but not least, representing in various events, all the way from Annual Ball brunch and Dogs & Chill to Sillis, is also among my favorite activities in board work!
Perhaps the most important single thing to me in my daily work is to have discussions with multiple people. Discussions by the coffee machine at Espilä, discussions with the volunteers at trainings and events, meeting new and old faces at the Wappu Parade. These help me to shape my understanding which direction KY is going to - and so far the direction is looking pretty good! I hope that the next year will bring similar experiences for the KY Board and my successor(s) as well!
Never stopping the madness and with love,
Laura Nikola
Communications & Strategy