LOC Engagement and Succession Planning

2 October 2023

 

LOCs thrive when there is a diverse mix of active members and good engagement with the wider community. Looking to the future and considering how to reach and recruit members from different audiences is an important LOC activity. One of the most important groups is university students and early career optometrists.

LOCSU’s Digital Learning Officer, Simone Mason, was recently invited by Avon LOC member and Eye Clinic Resident Optometrist at the University of the West of England Mona Thacker to attend the UWE Optometry Program’s first “Optometry Freshers Fair”.

Avon LOC member Amy Hughes also attended and together she and Simone spoke to around 60 students about the work of LOCs and LOCSU. Amy encouraged the students to sign up to the LOC mailing list to keep up to date with activities, as well as checking out the Avon LOC website, which is hosted by LOCSU.

The event was also an excellent opportunity to learn about today’s student community, particularly through talking to committee members of the UWE ‘Eye Society’, which supports students studying optometry, handling questions and course feedback, as well as connecting students with one another.

Simone’s presentation on ‘Who is LOCSU?’ and Amy’s on ‘What is the work of an LOC?’ were well-attended, meaning a new cohort of young eye professionals will start their career well-informed on how LOCs and LOCSU support the profession as a whole and individual optometrists and dispensing opticians.

One student attendee underlined this point, saying that the event was a: “Fantastic opportunity to network with local and national Optometry groups, a brilliant way to set a solid foundation of knowledge and contacts to help you through both your studies and future career!”

Simone agreed that it was a valuable “opportunity to directly engage with the Optometry student population, raise the profile of the LOC, and give the students the opportunity to gain an insight into the broader profession and be able to network, and Mona agreed, adding: “I am hoping that following this event they will start to build a professional identity and take on a more proactive role in their professional journey.”

Mona was one of the candidates in the most recent LOCSU Leadership Skills for Optical Professionals Course, and the UWE Optometry Freshers Fair saw her bring the subject of her essay to life. We’ll be catching up with Mona in the New Year for a more in-depth look at her reflections on the leadership course and how she is applying what she learned.

Tips for Engaging With Different Audiences

LOCSU is keen to support LOC engagement with different audiences with the goal of ensuring LOCs have a strong pipeline of members and partners into the future. The next in our virtual bite-size training sessions is ‘Engaging LOCs’ and will take place on Wednesday 11 October at 7pm.

This session will be a facilitated discussion and sharing opportunity where we will hear from the experience of LOC and LOCSU colleagues who will identify and share strategies and actions that prove and promote successful LOC engagement and share how to circumnavigate and overcome challenges, amongst other engagement topics.

You can register for this session by completing this form no later than Friday 6 October. Spaces are filling quickly and are on a first come first served basis so do book your slot. It will be a valuable interactive session.

Some of the ideas and techniques that will be discussed are previewed in the “ten quick tips” below, which have been curated by LOCSU’s Project Support Officer Enny Aghadiuno:

• Be transparent: showcase the activities of the LOC and take opportunities to underline how it adds value.
• Be community/locally focused: work to identify and highlight matters that are local and unique to the community and act as a forum for proposing solutions.
• Be publicly collaborative: showcase partnerships with other healthcare sectors, such as GPs and pharmacists, and work to strengthen relationships and develop joint initiatives.
• Be consistent: keep showing up at regional events and forums to ensure the LOC has a voice and is seen to be participating. Engage and lead with integrity.
• Be social: make life easier with better social media interaction, but don’t exclude the older generation who still prefer traditional media campaigns.
• Manage expectations: LOCs can’t solve all problems, so be positive but realistic about what is achievable when engaging with wider audiences.
• Build coalition: build trust with stakeholders across the healthcare network, establish and maintain relationships.
• Feedback: listen to views shared back to the LOC. Take input on board and undertake actionable steps where appropriate.
• Buddying and mentoring: ensure that newer LOC members are nurtured with support from experienced members. Offer and share lessons and skills developed over time so the generation coming through feels confident.
• Embrace new member ideas: new perspectives bring new opportunities so make sure you encourage all LOC members to be forthcoming with ideas and supportive of rolling them out.

These are just a few ways LOCs can amplify engagement to recruit the new members and partners that are crucial to a thriving, future-ready LOC. Sign up for the bite-size training to hear how LOCs are putting these into practice.