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Chance to win: Call for professional development topic suggestions

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Attention CPRS Toronto members! We would much appreciate your feedback about topics of interest for professional development this year.

CPRS Toronto is offering members an exclusive chance to win one free pass to the next CPRS Toronto PD event for those who submit their suggestions to the following questions:

1. Which professional development topics are of most interest to you?
2. Do you have any recommendations for esteemed public relations/communications practitioners located in the Toronto-area to lead a PD event this fall?

Please submit your suggestions to Christina Stefanski, CPRS Toronto Professional Development Chair at christina_stefanski@sony.ca by July 31, 2012 to be entered for your chance to win one free pass to the next CPRS Toronto PD event in the fall.

Do you ever question the value of your membership?

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If you’re like most members of voluntary professional associations, you question the value of your membership when you get your annual renewal notice. You also take some measure of value every time you interact with the association.

This is all well and good since the volunteer leaders of CPRS Toronto are accountable to the members for responding to your expressed needs and interests, delivering relevant programs and services, and advancing the profession of public relations.

Another fundamental fact about associations is that members derive more value by getting involved than they do by being passive.

Our member surveys show time and again that individuals who take advantage of networking, professional development programs, awards, accreditation, volunteer opportunities, etc. are much more satisfied with the value of their association than those who do not.

This fact will come as no surprise to public relations practitioners who communicate daily with active and latent publics. This widely-cited article describes the multiple stages of latency, Inactive Publics: The Forgotten Publics in Public Relations, finding among other things that there is a direct correlation between an individual’s perception of an organization’s relevance and their degree of personal involvement.

If you are not involved or you need a reason to re-engage, here are a few ideas to get you started:

New professionals

Intermediate practitioners

Senior practitioners

  • Help us to shore up the public relations brand by bringing slander to our attention – both CPRS Toronto and CPRS National are engaging media and other stakeholders who make inappropriate references to public relations practice.
  • Lead the way by volunteering for local, national or international initiatives.
  • Share your experience and knowledge as a guest lecturer at a public relations degree-granting institution in the GTA.
All members
  • Consume every free professional development program that we offer and attend in person those PD events that are relevant to your practice.
  • Read the annual report to the members and exercise your member vote.
  • Come out to our celebrations. Never miss a free event!

Please also give us feedback. Be specific about what’s working and what’s not. Contact any of your volunteer board members directly or write to our helpful staff.