Location

North West

When did you first join the RTPI?

I joined the RTPI whilst I was a student at Manchester University.

When did you first get actively involved as a volunteer?

I joined the north-west regional activity group (NW RAC) at the same time as I started working as a planner in my first job, in Manchester. I also started a north-west young planners group around the same time on discovering that the north-west young planners group had become inactive and no events had taken place recently.

Can you tell us more about your experience as a volunteer since then?

Having got the north-west young planners group active again, and meeting on a regular basis, I also helped to organise the National Young Planners Conferences in Liverpool and Manchester. I was also elected as the Young Planners Representative on the Board of Trustees, and was involved in the introduction of the APC process. I have long since stood down from the Young Planners Task Group but the group continues and it has grown and evolved and continues to provide a useful service to our young planners.

My other RTPI experiences in the north-west region have included being the Chair, the Honorary Secretary and the CPD task group lead. I have helped to organise numerous CPD events, helped with social events, supported RTPI Research, attended careers events, written articles for the newsletter and annual review and worked closely with the other northern regions to produce research and events.

On a national level I am an APC assessor, I am a member of the General Assembly, and I am on the Membership and Ethics Committee. I have also been on the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee, and served as a judge for the national awards.

What have you gained by volunteering with the RTPI?

I have:

• met a lot of people who I may not have met in my everyday job.
• learnt about areas of planning that I may not otherwise have had the opportunity to learn about.
• been able to see and share best practice from across the region and nations.
• Been able to shape the way the RTPI in the north west operates and supports our members.
• Been able to provide research on a key area of concern for our members in our LPA Resources Research.
• Supported people in learning more, meeting new people and finding out about planning.
• Opportunity to celebrate all that is good with planning.

What is the best thing about volunteering with the RTPI?

Meeting new people and having the opportunity to make friends with people.

For anyone considering volunteering, what advice would you give them?

Give it a go.