MEA's Deputy Chair says, "If you're busy, MEA needs you"

By Megan Peters, Deputy Chair of the MEA Board

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much – Helen Keller

Volunteering is the ultimate form of putting your money where your mouth is. In so many facets of life – the success of an activity relies on volunteers. Kids sport, charity, events – and associations.

Board Director elections are just around the corner for MEA – nominations are open now but close next Tuesday 3 October at 5pm AEDT. There is a lot of history and legacy in MEA – but its future relies on the people in our industry who are passionate, committed and willing to fight for what makes it fabulous. If you have the experience and capacity to nominate for Board, please contact our CEO as soon as possible via secretary@mea.org.au to request a nomination form and get it in before the closing deadline.  

Benjamin Franklin once said “If you want something done, ask a busy person” – and sometimes I feel like the entire event industry is built on this quote! One of the most common questions I have been asked over my 11 years of volunteering with MEA is “I don’t how you do it – how do you fit it all in?”

My response has always been that I get great enjoyment out of finding the time to do the things that I am passionate about. I have gotten a lot out of my time on MEA committees, NSW branch and Board.

I have made lifelong friends who started off as industry connections but have since become my tribe.

I have strengthened numerous working relationships which has enabled me to lean on my mates and get the best results for my events.

I have felt good about the contribution I have made to connecting the industry and helping others establish the same networks.

Although the official elections are for Board positions, there are three ways to get involved in MEA:

• State/Territory Branch committees – these are the backbone of the MEA body. I did 9 years on the NSW Branch before I was elected to Board, and it was highly rewarding. Standing in the middle of a ClubMEA event, knowing that it was our Branch team who made that event, created that environment, and connected the industry drove us to keep pushing and putting on events.
• State/Territory Branch sub-committees – these sub-committees look after the management of PD initiatives and ClubMEA networking events among other activities. Reporting to the state/territory branch, sub-committees are responsible for organising up to 4 events a year.
• Board – the day I was elected to Board was a great personal achievement for me. It was recognition of the things I had achieved at a Branch committee level, and being voted by my peers as a person they wanted representing them and leading their association was career-defining and incredibly rewarding.

Yes, volunteering takes time and commitment. But it also fills my cup every time I get on a Board meeting with my like-minded and equally as passionate colleagues. It enables me to have an opinion and vote on decisions that are shaping the future of our association. It means that I can genuinely say I am doing everything I can to support the organisation that has done so much and been a constant for me and my career.

I would encourage everyone to think about how they can support MEA. Renew your membership, join a State/Territory committee, get involved in events, or even nominate for Board if appropriate - and together, we can do so much.

For more information on how to become involved, give MEA head office a call at (02) 9929 5400 for a no-obligations chat.