There is no doubt that we need to encourage young people to participate in
ICOM's activities. 
Whether "Young Groups" are the solution, however, remains to be seen.
I see other probably more effective possibilities, like:
- introducing a student membership for all students that study museology
and/or use museums for their education
- stimulating (PhD) students to participate in annual conferences and
present their research.

UMAC has already done so successfully during its first conference in
Barcelona 2001, when it was first acknowledged as an IC. The draft for a PhD
research on university museums and collections in Europe presented during
that meeting is now completed and the date for the exam is set (20 October).
This student corresponded with other PhD students on aspects of u-museology.
Two of then will be presented during the UMAC-2005 conference in Uppsala,
where also Swedish/Scandinavian students will attend.

I am sure that all 'old and settled' professionals, as well as the field
itself benefit immensely from such input and active participation of the
younger generation!

ICOM-Netherlands knows some kind of student membership. I find it impossible
to explain why 60+ professionals pay a lesser membership fee than students?!

So let us start to do the obvious things: easy and low membership for
students and encouragement (including searching for grants) of the young
generation to participate in ongoing activities.

This does not imply that I would wish to discourage (young) people to set up
an IC for the innovation of museology. On the contrary!

Best regards,


Steven W.G. de Clercq

Vice-Chair of UMAC, ICOM's International Committee for University Museums &
Collections 
website: <http://umac.icom.museum>
Straatweg 17,  3603 CV MAARSSEN,  the Netherlands
Tel:  OO31-(0)346-567.573;  Fax:  0031-(0)346-578.843
E-mail:  [log in to unmask]



On 09-08-2005 12:35, "Widar Halén" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Yes, I fully support this suggestion,- but the reason why many younger people
> can not attend Icom meetings is the cost of travelling. Therefore ICDAD has
> launched scholarships for young members. This year we give two scholarships at
> EUR 350 to two young Italians. Yours sincerely, Widar Halén president of ICDAD
> 
> -----Opprinnelig melding-----
> Fra: International Council of Museums Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]På vegne av Mario Bucolo
> Sendt: 8. august 2005 18:26
> Til: [log in to unmask]
> Emne: ICOM Young Group proposal
> 
> 
> A proposal to create youth groups.
> 
> I¹d like to put forward the idea of creating youth groups of ICOM
> associates.
> This idea stems from the fact that many under-40 colleagues that I met all
> over the world don¹t feel part of ICOM and maybe are not enough involved in
> it, although they are very fond of museums.
> The world of museums itself needs renewing. We especially need to encourage
> young professionals and give them operational jobs/positions.
> How many young people are ICOM¹s members? How many of them do actually take
> part in the activities of the various National Committees?
> Following the path of many associations in the world, such as, primarily,
> the various club services (Rotary, Lions etc), why don¹t create youth groups
> within ICOM, with the task, among the others, of involving other young
> colleagues?
> In order to be effective, national groups (inside National Committees)
> should be implemented at least at an earlier stage, in order to promote
> co-operation on a territorial base. At a later stage, an international youth
> group or committee might be also implemented.
> I strongly believe that young people may become a vehicle for ICOM and the
> world of museums, provided that we trust them and get them truly involved.
> 
> Mario Bucolo
> 
> PS: I send this post originally on july 30 to this list but probably it was
> lost in the cyberspace. On august 5 I send the same message to the
> international museums list Museum-L and from there I receive many positive
> response about the idea, so that now we still work on a "manifesto" to
> propose at ICOM with the signature of at least 10 ICOM members to delivery
> to the General Secretary to propose the Young Professionals Committee (YPC)
> I hope that this idea will be appreciate from ICOM management and from all
> ICOM members, young...and..."not more young" ;-)

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