Romain tells us more about his journey in LP4Y and his mission as PM Stars!
Romain Butticker, Project Manager Stars Club located in India
Hello everyone, I’m glad to share today with you my testimony about my current position and the different actions related to the Stars Clubs.
I’m currently 30 years old and this is my fourth year in LP4Y.
For me, immersing myself in the life of international volunteering was obvious, I had applied and chosen only one organization at the time, because LP4Y was in perfect harmony with my values, on how to contribute usefully and have a strong impact on our environment.
I was coach during my 2 first years, started with the program in Jail, Lapu lapu city in the Philippines, then a year in Paharganj center in Delhi, India, few months as a GV Leader in the Green Village Chhattisgarh and now I’m continuing for the second year as the Project Manager Stars Clubs - South & South East Asia.
The “Stars Club” is an organization composed by the Youth alumni of the PTE, reaching at the end of 2021 more than 1285 active members divided between 27 different Stars Clubs.
“Each LP4Y Center has its own STARS Club. Managed by the STARS themselves, it plays an empowering role. It also provides professional exposure since the STARS represent LP4Y in their professional and personal environment. They thus contribute to the LP4Y ecosystem.”
My responsibilities actually are to coordinate all the Stars Clubs activities and projects, create innovations and find solutions, make a precise follow-up and constant diagnostics of the different centers, support the Stars and their catalysts referent daily, participate to their job insertion, boost the mobilization, anticipate the budget and also review the guidelines & rules.
My mission is not only to execute my work well but also to maintain & develop relationships with various of our collaborators that promote unity in our action.
It allows me and gives me the chance to interact with many people all around the world. Partners, NGOs, Youth, Stars and Catalysts, all working together for one goal, unleash the potential of each other by supporting our different goals.
2020 marked a very intense year with the arrival of the pandemic and the closure of the centers, symbolizing an overhaul of the operating structure, calling for our constant resilience and adaptation.
Many actions have been implemented during this time, with the launch of different Task Forces, mobilizing many Stars, proposing them to help via digital, stories & mobilization and a weekly follow-up for them, providing close support regarding their needs and difficulties when they were facing the lockdown.
2021 was a year full of innovations and challenges. The importance of reconnection and mobilization with the different Stars Clubs was crucial.
Following the project “ From Star to Catalyst “ which is intended to give more responsibilities and opportunities for the Stars in the long term, developing structures, processes and tools to increase STARS’ commitment to their role as Catalysts. A lot of achievements were accomplished like the creation of new Star Digital positions ( helping for the follow up, the professional insertion, the digital events, posting job offers and creating links with corporations ), the update of all the guidelines, the Stars seminars, the pilot project mentoring Star 4 Youth and many events.
The perspectives in 2022 are clear, we need to consolidate our pillars and continue to increase the interaction between the Stars Clubs and the centers by organizing events and continue to implement in each center the different Stars positions, tools and activities; increase their interactions by further developing mentorship, as Youth mentored by a Star, Star mentored by Partners, connect with some organization outside LP4Y, like the mentoring program with HEC Paris who pair Stars and students in France and follow workshops about the personal and professional development by sharing their experiences, or Yunus project, who give the possibility for groups of Stars to create their own NGO around 3 topics : climate, fight against poverty and the social inclusion/employment.
We need to continue to push on their professional insertion and increase the general mobilization.
It is impossible here to share all the experiences I have had since I joined LP4Y, as they are so numerous and so impactful.
I can only say that in 3 completed years, I feel like I have lived several lives!
This life opportunity helped me find and confirm my way, to share a multitude of human moments with people from all walks of life, cultures and religions.
It pushed me to question myself, to shake my beliefs, to improve my resilience, not to mention the enormous professional lift.
I have developed many skills, in communication, in pedagogy, in event management, finance, organization , in leading multiple projects etc etc
I knew how to push my limits day after day, to have more self-confidence and to feel accomplished, cultivating joy and being at peace with my soul.
I do not regret at any time having plunged into this unique adventure by following my instinct, agreeing perfectly with the benevolent fraternal values towards which our world must tend.
I would like to thank all the team of LP4Y, the Youths and all of our collaborators to make this possible and to offer a chance to everyone to find an inner balance and a decent life.
I’m feeling grateful daily.
Comments