A personal reflection of the REIGNITE International Conference

I have worked within Education for 13 years. I have been a ‘School Secretary / Desktop Publisher’ (yes, one title!), an ‘Event Administrator’, and a ‘Communications Coordinator’ with an increasing side of ‘all things Marketing’. In every iteration, my work has been conducted as a ‘team-of-one’; my non-teaching colleagues each wearing a distinctly different hat.

It was this sense of operating within one’s own ecosystem that motivated my request to attend the Ignite International Conference. I’ve been a member of Educate Plus for two years and following my participation in 2021’s Advancement Practitioner Training, knew that this conference would provide an unparalleled opportunity to explore best practice and build networks within my field.

The first keynote set the tone; the personable Sir Ian Taylor’s energised presentation reminding us of the magic that can happen if we love our work and meet challenges head on. Andrew Gossen’s recount, of how Cornell University transitioned its Alumni publications from print to digital during the height of COVID, reflected challenges I could directly relate to. Today, I can’t accept an AirDrop of candid pics from a teacher, without imparting some of Jason van Genderen’s tips on how to (better) use a smartphone camera. My reports are flavoured with Cameron Pegg’s tips on data-driven storytelling. Future initiatives, whether a new array of graduate gifts, a virtual tour, or data management system, may be directly driven by the options uncovered within the Conference’s Marketplace (which was also the place to be for free coffee and office swag). And my forays into Marketing Strategy and Social Media management are emboldened by the knowledge and assurances imparted by the likes of Mel Deacon, Natalie Khoo and Claire O’Connell. I could go on: each session I attended had some measure of value and relevance to my work.

Ultimately, I learned that whilst my tertiary degree in Communications instilled me with the foundation to navigate my way in my current career, it takes regular, industry-specific insight to put that knowledge into context and keep up to date with best practice. Returning to my workplace, I no longer felt like a team-of-one. The challenges and triumphs that make up my days are experiences shared by many, across different schools, and the network of fellow Advancement Professionals across the chapters are friendly, open, and ‘get it’.

If you’re a Member who has been on the fence about attending, or a School reluctant to see key staff – plural – out of the office for 3-5 days… it is well worth the imposition. Block out the time in your calendars. Include projected attendance costs into the base line of your next 2 year budget plan. I hope to see you in Perth in 2024.

Danielle Nicolas

Communications Coordinator | St Dominic’s Priory College