JCI wants more men involved

The Junior Chamber International (JCI) Antigua group is encouraging men in the society to come forward and join the organisation as it noted that the males are no longer gravitating toward service oriented activities.
Executive Vice President Andrea Smithen said men play an important role in building society and the association needs their involvement, particularly for them to start taking leadership roles.
According to Smithen, the organisation offers a range of opportunities from which all groups of people can benefit.
“What’s happening now in JCI is a reflection of what is happening in the wider society and as executive VP my mandate for the year, I have an all-male project so the male members of JCI are going to have to come together and they will decide what project they want to execute. We females will step aside and they will be the front runners and we are hoping that in so doing it will inspire more men in the community to come and be part of something wonderful, service to humanity,” she said.
She said JCI helps to build socialisation skills among other things.
Vice President of Public Relations, Business and Chapter Development, Dr Nneka Hull-James elaborated, “JCI helps you to develop not only on a level to give back to your country and it not only allows you an outlet for community service but what I also find is that it offers personal development and professional development.”
Other benefits of joining the group include the opportunity to broaden one’s network; exposure to different cultures and improving the way of doing things and it “really pushes people to do better, be better to serve their community”, Dr Hull-James said.