aiesec canada alumni impact study 2010
DESCRIPTION
Conducted in 2010TRANSCRIPT
ALUMNI IMPACT STUDY
This study was conducted
by AIESEC Canada*
between June 2010 and
August 2010, with the aim
to determine the impact that
AIESEC Canada has in its
members. The following
summary gives an overview
of the main results.
INTRODUCTION
RESEARCH DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS
The world is changing and facing new challenges, therefore a
new generation of leaders capable of overcoming them is
needed.
With over three billion of the globe’s population under the age of
30, there is a strong need to invest in globally-minded youth to
lead the change the world hopes to see.
AIESEC is the world’s largest student-driven organization.
Present in over 107 countries, the organization has been
preparing leaders to overcome different challenges for the past 60
years.
Through cultural experiences and leadership roles, AIESEC has
managed to impact society on many levels through its various
programs.
This is a qualitative and quantitative study. The quantitative section was analyzed through an online survey, and the qualitative features were extracted from interviews. The participants from the online survey and interviews were alumni from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s. Altogether, 234 alumni participated in the evaluation.
Getting to know the past to understand the present and plan for the future
STUDY SUMMARY
PARTICIPANTS BACKGROUND
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
AIESEC started as a n association of s tudents of
economic a nd c ommercial sciences; h owever, as a
result o f the organization’s s ignificant m embership
growth, it expanded into an organization for students of
all disciplines.
Some a cademic institutions s till refer to A IESEC as a business-oriented organization. Results show that 14% of participants are interested in accounting, finance, a nd i nsurance, and 1 2% a re i nterested in t he c ommunications field and the marketing industry. It was difficult to find any representation from the health, arts, fashion, and film industries.
GENERAL BACKGROUND
General background i nformation w as c ompiled in a ddition to
information related to t he A IESEC Experience. H owever, it i s
important to point out that for basic information, participants were
given the choice t o answer t he q uestionnaire a nonymously a nd,
as a r esult, t he i nformation r egarding “ basic background” is n ot
completely known.
AIESEC BACKGROUND
DECADE OF AIESEC An example of the importance and impact of AIESEC’s leadership roles is illustrated in this testimonial:
“I manage 18 stores employing about a hundred people, and the way we work with them is quite similar to the way we used to motivate members in my Local Committee in terms of training delivery and controlling and improving processes. We set individual time targets and goals, and this is very similar to what we did in AIESEC. I would say I use the skills I learned from performing these tasks in AIESEC on a daily basis.”
Mathew Meldensohn, ‘00s alumnus
AIESECers have the opportunity to develop
their leadership potential according to their
personal needs. They have the chance to take
responsibility and ownership over their own
learning and the learning of others to ensure
that everyone in the organization gets the most
out of their experience.
DURATION IN AIESEC
“AIESEC is a life-changing organization. The more you invest in it the more you get back. I
was a committed member for five years and will remain a committed alumna and ally for life.”
Irena Kahn, ‘90s alumna
Cultural understanding, global mindset, new
language skills, awareness of global
issues, community involvement, and crisis
management are some of the topics that
members feel they can learn through
international internships.
The cultural experience exchanges or professional
international exchange internships last between 6 weeks and
18 months. The majority of participants (18%) took
internships that lasted between 6 and 12 months, and 17%
took internships that lasted between three to six months.
While there is a small percentage (9%) of alumni who took
internships lasting less than 3 months, a smaller group (4%)
of participants who went on international internships lasting
18 months were given extended contracts to continue
working in the company after their terms ended.
A member can have several travel
opportunities throughout his/her
AIESEC experience. In this study,
56% of participants went on an
international internship, 55% of
that total attended an international
conference, 32% went on a
CEED, 12% had other kinds of
international experience, and 12%
did not travel abroad through
AIESEC.
Some members who went on a
CEED also went on an
international internship or
conference. It is important to note
that over 80% of AIESEC alumni
took travel opportunities through
the organization.
Travel Opportunities with AIESEC
INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS
CIDA
For several years AIESEC Canada received funds from The
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). During
this time 1 out of 4 or 26% of Canadian AIESECers received
support from the AIESEC ADAPT funding program (CIDA
funding) in order to contribute a positive impact in developing
communities
The majority of participants in this study (97%) attended an AIESEC conference.
AIESEC CONFERENCES
POTENTIAL AREAS OF IMPACT
LEADERSHIP
Leadership development has become increasingly important
and is a growing trend in many organizations. According to
Bersin & Associates, organizations spent up to 30% of their
learning and development budget on leadership
development, in order to build the foundation for
management training, succession planning, executive
education, and other critical management responsibilities.
When asked if they believe in “socially responsible
leadership” (the framework aligning internal beliefs and
values with the external behaviours), 95% of alumni
answered “yes” against a 5% who didn’t know, and 0%
answering “no”.
Determining the importance of “socially responsible
leadership” is to outline whether alumni feel that AIESEC
develops this type of leadership not only in Canada but also
around the world. So, when participants were asked if they
believe that AIESEC develops socially responsible leaders
around the world, 89% answered “affirmative”, 9% answered
“don’t know,” and 1% answered “do not believe so”.
“AIESEC gave me pure leadership experience and I really became more sensitive to global
and national issues. That's important in a large country like Canada.”
Francois Pintal, alumnus from the ‘80s
“Primarily through
conferences, AIESEC opened
my eyes to CSR/sustainability
issues and I am still working
with these issues in
Bangladesh with MicroEdit and
sustainability programs. I am
now a partner of an
organization which works on
addressing complex social
programs and setting up
businesses to promote
sustainable baby products.”
Christen Schotlen,
alumna from the ‘90s
When given the opportunity to rate the importance of
“socially responsible leadership” in their everyday life,
on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 meaning none at all and 10
being extremely important), 55% of alumni answered
between 8 and 10, 39% situated their ratings between
5 and 7, and 6% rated less than 5.
We have gathered that 86% of members who have
gone through the entire AIESEC cycle rated the
importance of “socially responsible leadership” from 6
and above.
Statements about what a person believes and rates in
certain topic are important to determine attitudes and
behaviours towards certain matters.
When alumni were asked, “How often do you assume
a leadership role in your work life or community?”, 7
out of 10 claim that they either “always” or “often”
assume a leadership role in their work life or
community while 21% do it sometimes, and 8% rarely
or never take a leadership role.
Members were asked to rate their interest in taking
leadership roles in their communities PRIOR and
AFTER their AIESEC experiences. On a scale from
1 to 10, 64% of alumni rated their interest as 6 or
above prior to joining AIESEC. This figure jumps to
91% after taking part in an AIESEC experience.
LEADERSHIP
How would you rate the importance of “Socially
Responsible Leadership” in your everyday life?
How frequently do you assume a leadership role in your work life or
within the local community?
How has your level of interest in assuming a leadership role in your community changed
since your experience in AIESEC?
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AIESEC provides its members with an integrated
experience comprised of leadership opportunities,
international internships, and participation in a
global learning environment. Each member’s
experience develops skills that could be useful in
their professional lives.
When past members were asked to rate the
impact that they felt AIESEC had on their
professional lives on a scale of 1 to 10, 74% of
alumni gave ratings between 8 and 10 and 4%
gave ratings of 4 and below.
“The work that I did as an AIESECer
determined the career path I followed in my
professional life.”
Francis Prevost, Alumni 00’s
It was also relevant to determine the skills
that alumni felt they had developed from
joining the organization, which could be
useful in their professional lives.
At all stages of their experiences,
AIESEC members should be able to
increase their theoretical knowledge of
functional and interpersonal skills, and
put that knowledge into practice. The
survey gave the participants the option to
select which skills alumni had prior to and
after AIESEC.
It is important to highlight the growth in the number of members who experienced an increase in certain
competencies. Our results show that the surveyed alumni believe that their networking skills increased 55%,
project management skills increased 42%, strategic thinking skills had a 41% increase, and leadership skills
improved by 35%.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Languages Learning another language is always an asset as
the world is reflecting greater need for multicultural
accommodation and international business.
As a result we included a second list of skills that
alumni felt could be acquired through working with
AIESEC. Approximately 37% of alumni
participating in the survey learned or developed
further a new language after joining AIESEC.
Entrepreneurship
Having entrepreneurial skills was another asset
that alumni felt they acquired through AIESEC.
Approximately 24% of AIESEC alumni had, at
some point in their lives, started a company.
Non-Profit Sector
Starting a not-for-profit organization is an
activity which requires strong leadership, a
clear vision, passion and commitment.
For this reason, the option of starting an NFP
was included among the list of activities alumni
describe for their lives after AIESEC.
Responses showed that 7% of past members
started an NGO or project focused on giving
back to the community.
International Aspect
Gaining an international mentality is vital in a
world which is rapidly becoming globalized, yet
maintaining its stereotypes and cultural
barriers.
This international orientation can be acquired
through experiences working with international
students or going abroad for a conference,
CEED, or internship
About 35% of alumni started or joined an
organization with an international component
while 41% are currently working or have
worked previously for an international
organization.
“Since AIESEC, I’ve worked with Amnesty international, Engineers Without Borders, the Engineering Student Society,and the Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada. AIESEC has contributed to my pursuit to be active in the communities in which I’m a part”
Jomar Manzano, alumni ‘00s
WORKPLACE
In many organizations, development of the talent
pipeline is key to eventual and sustained growth.
Consequently, companies tend to hire candidates
with leadership skills who might be able to take
on more responsibilities and overcome new
challenges.
Therefore when alumni were asked when they
received their first promotion, the most frequent
answer was “in less than a year after being
hired.” Thirty-one percent chose “between 1 and 2 years after being hired”. These results show that a
significant number of AIESECers are perceived as contributors of value. More than half of the
AIESEC alumni are likely to be promoted to a higher position within 2 years.
These promotions in the working environment are also related to
the level where alumni began their professional careers; for this
reason a question aiming to find out at what level they began a
professional career was added into the survey. The results show
that 54% started as an employee, 19% as a Project Manager,
11% in Middle Management, 2% Senior Manager, 5%
Entrepreneur*, 9% other.
Seeking to have a better
understanding of the context
of their career path, alumni
were also asked about the
types of organizations they
started working for post
AIESEC. Responses show
that 53% started in large
organizations (more than 500
employees), 15% started in
medium-sized organizations,
and 22% joined small
organizations.
“The results of your AIESEC experience will show in your professional career as they did mine and many of my fellow graduates. Being involved on an international level creates an incredible opportunity to learn how
differences can be overcome as we head towards a common goal.”
Murtaza Albiz, ‘00s alumnus
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
AIESEC creates an
environment in which
members can clarify
and expand their
ambitions. Throughout
their experience,
members engage in
mentorship, personal
planning, and goal-
setting allowing for
greater awareness of
the opportunities for
contribution in the
world.
Being an outstanding
member in local
communities or at work
drives activities that
help those who are
less fortunate and
contribute towards the
common good.
AIESEC works to make a positive impact on society, and it also has a
unique way of achieving impact. One of them is to develop positive values
that will stay with its members
for life.
To measure the strength of the
organization’s values, alumni
were asked which of the
AIESEC values they felt they
most identified with. About 83%
feel they indentify with “Striving for Excellence”.
AIESEC’s core values also link with taking
action in response to global issues. We
wanted to know if alumni found increased
global awareness as a result of their
experience in AIESEC. Approximately
89% of alumni felt that their awareness
did increase, 7% don’t believe so, and 3%
don’t know.
Being aware of global issues is relevant to working with communities, therefore when asked if they were more involved in their local community as a result of their
involvement with the organization, 60% of alumni believe so, 31% do not believe so, and 9% don’t know.
“I volunteer organizing different things with my family. We organize internationally themed dinners, and we
help new immigrants to get settled in the community. Talking to Canadians about immigrants and getting
immigrants more comfortable with the Canadian culture is something I’m very passionate about.” Robin Rooke, ‘80s alumna
AIESEC members develop competencies through the different learning experiences that AIESEC offers.
Our analysis shows that 76% of alumni feel they developed or acquired a global mindset, 74% feel they became aware of global issues, 70% feel they developed the ability to adapt to change, 68% feel they developed a sense of social responsibility, 68% mentioned becoming more proactive when learning, 56% feel they acquired a developmental/philanthropic inclination, 49% feel they developed emotional intelligence, 44% mentioned they developed an entrepreneurial outlook, and 43% felt they were more inclined to responsible risk taking after joining AIESEC.
A study published for an international exchange
program revealed that 57% of North Americans felt
they could identify more with their home country
than anywhere else after going abroad.
Our results show that 50% of past members feel
like they are citizens of the world, 38% feel they
identify more with their own country, 7% felt they
identify most with their city or province, and 2% feel
they identify most with another continent.
“AIESEC took me out of my box. I thought I was globally aware, but I truly wasn’t until I lived and
worked somewhere else, particularly somewhere less advantaged than where I grew up.”
Heather Campbell, ‘90s alumna
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Regarding AIESEC’s
influence on alumni’s
interest in global
issues, alumni were
asked to rate, on a
scale of 1 to 10 their
interest in global issues
prior to their
involvement in
AIESEC. 30% rated
their interest between a
5 and 7, while 15%
rated 4 and below. A
majority of 81% rated
their interest between 8
and 10.
There is a significant
difference between
alumni’s interest in
global issues before
and after joining
AIESEC. It is important
to note that zero alumni
gave ratings below five
regarding their interest
in global issues after
having worked with
AIESEC.
Of the alumni surveyed, 71% have
spent time promoting awareness about
global issues. Among that number, 41%
spent time promoting awareness about
environmental issues, 32% about
universal education, 29% about gender
inequality, 28% about both health issues
and poverty/hunger, 25% about human
rights, 17% about violence/war, 7%
about other issues, and 6% promoted
awareness about substance abuse.
“AIESEC opened a whole world of possibilities for me. I met many people of different
backgrounds and had a better connection and understanding of what life is like around the world.”
Mark Vreugdenhill, ‘90s alumnus
Interest in global issues PRIOR/AFTER their experience in AIESEC
Do you currently/have you previously spent time promoting awareness about
any of the following global issues?Poverty and Hunger
Violation of Human Rights
Gender Inequality
Health Issues
Environmental Issues
Violence/War
Universal Eduaction
Substance Abuse
None of the Above
Other
Volunteering for different non-profit
organizations is a way to give back to the
community; therefore, we included a
question in the survey to find out how often
alumni participate in volunteer activities.
According to Human Resources and Skills
Development Canada, in 2004, 45% of
adult Canadians (15 years and over) give
up some of their time to volunteer for not-
for-profit organizations.
When AIESEC alumni were asked, “How
often do you participate in volunteer activities?” 45% often or always volunteer, 41% sometimes
participate in charity work, and 14% rarely or never
volunteer. This means that 86% of AIESEC alumni
devote some significant measure of time to volunteer
activities.
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Another way of giving back to the community and
generating awareness about global issues is through
getting involved with non-governmental organizations.
Results show that 33% of AIESEC alumni are currently
involved with an NGO.
“ I’m involved with five not-for-profit organizations: AIESEC Laurier, my Church, and three
disability-related charities and am simultaneously an advisor, board member, finance member,
fundraising member, and volunteer.”
Mike Simpson, ‘80s alumnus
IMPACT ON PERSONAL LIFE
The organization is well known for positively contributing to
students’ careers by strengthening skills and developing global
mindsets, cultural understanding, and social responsibility.
There are many different ways in which AIESEC can positively
impact members’ personal lives such as expanding their global
network, creating life-long friendships, and future business
partners.
When asked to rate the impact that the organization had on
their personal lives, on a scale from 1 to 10, 84% of AIESEC
alumni rated between 8 and 10, with only 3% rating 4 and
below.
“I had an excellent experience on
many different ways. The first, I
think, was that it increased my
interest in the Canadian Foreign
Service. I think the assignments I
had abroad with AIESEC and the
work I did for AIESEC had a
positive contribution toward my
interview for the Foreign Service;
they saw that I had a certain
amount of experience that might
be useful to them.”
Jason Reiskind,
‘60s alumnus
“I met wonderful, fabulous people,
I got to express my interest in
internationalism, I got to travel the
world, I was given management
and executive responsibility miles
ahead of where I would have been
in other organizations, and it was a
wonderful experience. I highly
recommend everybody to get
AIESEC exposure.”
Theresa Kane, ‘70s alumna
“AIESEC provided me with life-long connections and lasting friendships which have sustained for more than 10
years, and many of us are now married, have careers, and have children. I think the best thing that AIESEC
does is open the eyes of youth to the broader world outside of their own universities, cities, and countries.
This perspective is very valuable.” Lena Jerabek ‘90s alumna
As previously stated, some AIESEC alumni received funding from
CIDA, which helped them to go abroad and live the AIESEC
Exchange Experience. AIESEC’s exchange programs took Canadian
students to countries to work on specific projects related to helping
the development of communities.
These high-impact experiences gave members the opportunity to
travel and develop a strong sense of commitment to the
development of their respective communities.
With the aim to get a closer look at the impact of the CIDA program,
we observed that 25% of alumni were able to benefit from the
program. Results show that from the list of alumni who received
ADAPT funding
56.6% are or have previously worked in an NGO or project
focused on giving back to the community
8.3% at some point in their lives started their own company
41.6% are currently working for an NGO
91.6% sometimes, often or always volunteer in their
communities and;
93.3% sometimes, often, or always assume a leadership role
in their community or work life
CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency)
“I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford my whole internship if I didn’t receive the ADAPT funding, so without it I
wouldn’t have gone on an internship, I wouldn’t have worked abroad, and I wouldn’t have found a newfound understanding
of Chinese culture. Because my parents didn’t fund my education I had to shell out for everything. I had to pay for food,
textbooks, housing, and tuition fees so I didn’t have anything left by the end of my university career. The ADAPT funding I
received was very critical to my voyage on an internship.”
Kyle Burgess, ‘00s alumnus
“[ADAPT funding] helped so
much; I had just finished
university before going
abroad, and I had no
money. CIDA helped get
me the funding I needed to
go to a lesser-developed
country.
Receiving ADAPT funding
was very useful, especially
right after having graduated
from university.”
Thierry Kbeya, ‘00s
alumnus
AIESEC helps young professionals develop skills, positives attitudes and needed competencies. Its many programs can help Canadian members work in developing communities around the world. There is significant growth in the skills and positive behaviour of students and recent graduates who have gone through the AIESEC Experience in AIESEC Canada.
AIESEC alumni tend to be active members in their community after they complete the AIESEC Experience.
AIESEC alumni care deeply about global issues. AIESEC alumni strongly believe in responsible leadership. AIESEC alumni are more likely to pursuit a career in the non-profit sector AIESEC alumni are likely to start their own business. AIESEC members are likely to get promoted by a company within two years of
being hired. AIESEC alumni are active in international environments. AIESEC alumni have a strong sense of cultural understanding. AIESEC develops globally minded responsible leaders who become involved in
their communities.
AIESEC is an organization that has a strong impact in its member’s lives, both personally
and professionally. Even though AIESEC is fairly strong in developing skills and positive
attitudes, programs like ADAPT foster lasting impact for both the individual and community
by providing the opportunity to go abroad for development initiatives.
CONCLUSIONS
AIESEC CANADA Phone: (416) 368-1001 Fax: (416) 368-4490 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.aiesec.ca Registered Charity # 129835872 RR000
*This study was created and conducted by Danhalit Zamalloa for AIESEC Canada