Introducing the new CIEEM Freelance Practitioners SIG!

We are very excited to announce the official launch of the CIEEM Freelance Practitioners Special Interest Group. There are many freelance / self-employed CIEEM members and non-members who work in the sector. While working in this way provides lots of opportunities and flexibility, there are challenges too. The exciting new CIEEM Freelance Practitioners SIG (FPSIG) is here to help…

What is the Freelance Practitioners Special Interest Group (FPSIG)?

This brand-new SIG aims to be a welcoming platform for freelancing and sub-contracting CIEEM members to network together through online events (and potentially in-person events as the SIG grows), exchange knowledge of this side of the sector, create best practice guidance and provide crucial peer support where needed. This SIG will be relevant to both independent freelancers as well as those working as part of a very small team.

There are many highs and lows freelancing in the sector, as brilliantly described by FPSIG committee member Di Clark MCIEEM in her recent blog post for the Institute. This new SIG aims to iron out the challenges that come with the territory of being freelance and give CIEEM members the best chance of being successful in this venture.

How do I get involved with the SIG?

If you are a CIEEM member, you can sign up to the FPSIG mailing list by updating your preferences on the My CIEEM area of the website. This will mean that you will normally be first to hear about events and news from the group.

The SIG are hosting a free lunchtime Welcome Workshop on 19 April. This session will feature introductions from committee members and offer a chance to take questions from the audience about the committee members’ own career journeys in the freelance world. This event will be an opportunity for the SIG committee also to discuss with attendees what they would like to see from the SIG in future.

CIEEM Members can also become further involved as a committee volunteer…

What volunteering opportunities are available on the committee?

The SIG currently has an engaged and knowledgeable team of six volunteer committee members closely supported by the Volunteer Engagement Officer at the CIEEM Secretariat. However, this SIG is in search of a volunteer to take on the key role of Convenor, who would be responsible for leading and inspiring the SIG committee with their enthusiasm for the group’s objectives. They will be required to delegate tasks to committee members and ensure these are kept on track. They will chair bi-monthly committee meetings and aid the SIG’s volunteers in creating and running exiting, interesting topical events as well as networking opportunities and creating best practice guidance primarily for CIEEM members but also the wider sector. There are also a few routine annual tasks needed from the Convenor including the completion of an annual activity report from the SIG.

Benefits of undertaking this role on the committee include becoming a champion for the freelancing world within our sector! The Convenor would be a crucial part of CIEEM’s efforts to support its freelancing members. There will be opportunities to work with many friendly and knowledgeable people who themselves work freelance in the sector, and you will be able to maintain organisational skills that are vital for this role. Volunteering for a SIG contributes greatly to continued professional development (CPD), and provides opportunities to branch out and learn new skills and develop existing ones too.

Volunteers for SIG committee roles can be co-opted onto a committee at any time. This role comes with full inductions from the CIEEM Secretariat and lots of support from the current SIG committee members too. To apply for the role of Freelance Practitioner SIG Convenor, email us at membernetworks@cieem.net.

Thank you in advance for any enquiries and applications to take on this exciting role.