Having been involved in Scouting and Guiding for “as long as [she] can remember!”, Lisa Dickinson is no stranger to organising events to put smiles on the faces of young adventurers. But at an event the scale of Essex International Jamboree, and as Joint Director of Programme, how did Lisa find her time in the role?
Speaking about the joys of her role, Lisa explained how being part of “the inner workings” of the Jamboree was a highlight of her time organising EIJ 2024.
“You get a high level understanding of what every team is doing and get a full appreciation for the amount of time and effort that goes in to such an amazing event [...] we had to keep everyone entertained through the week!”
Despite having lots of relevant experience prior to coming into her role, Lisa feels that the role was “an opportunity to build on [her] skills” in a range of fields, including “supplier management, leadership, communication, influencing and strategy/planning”.
“You get to set the strategy for your team and lead a team to achieve that. You also get a chance to develop your skills when things don’t go quite to plan either!”
But the Jamboree is not all work, and seeing the final product is a moment to reflect on everything that has gone into the event. And it’s not just for the young people, or leaders - staff feel it too!
“My favourite memory was one of the first nights of Jamboree. I’d been running around all day. I took a moment to stand in front of the stage whilst there was what felt like a full on party going on. For as far as I could see, there were young people jumping up and down, singing their hearts out with huge smiles on their faces”.
“No matter how hard the days had been, that moment reminded me why we were there and recharged my batteries in a single moment”.
Whilst 2024 was great, Essex International Jamboree are determined for 2028 to be even better! As the Camp Chiefs again begin their search for the next top team, including a Programme Director, what advice would Lisa give to potential applicants, looking for a new challenge?
“If you’re not sure”, she told me, “reach out to someone for a chat. And don’t assume a role will be already taken by someone else. Life changes for everyone over the years, so some of us may decide to move around and take different roles.”
“The reality is, being a Director is time consuming but it’s worth it”.
Applications to join Essex International Jamboree 2028’s Executive Team as Programme Director, or in another role, are open until June 30th. Applications can be submitted here
