I don't know about you, but I am addicted to Channel 4's new programme, Hidden Talent. The series helps people to unlock their previously hidden talents and skills, by exploring how far natural talent can really go and if it has the potential to change your life. Participants were randomly selected and put through a series of tests to identify those with hidden abilities, and nine will now discover if they can go from being a total novice to a top-class performer in record time. Gripping stuff! 0 comments(s)
Baguettes, beer, macaroons, hot chocolate, champagne, bread…. Yes, it is a list of everything you shouldn’t have if you’re on a diet, but also a summary of what was consumed on our belated Christmas trip to Lille!
Some very tired but excited Mangoes boarded the Eurostar to Lille at 8am on Friday morning, eager to see what Lille had to offer. After a relatively short train ride - just over an hour - we arrived in Lille; the weather wasn’t quite what we hoped (it was pretty miserable unfortunately) but we managed to find our hotel, drop our bags, and wake ourselves up with a large café au lait (that’s coffee with milk to you and me).
To give you a picture of Lille, it is a bustling city full of cobbled streets lined with cake shops, cafes and book stores, all coming off of one central square (with a really good Zara by the way, not that we were only there for the shopping)! After a few hours wandering around it was time for lunch… then afternoon tea… then dinner… ok, ok, we did eat our bodyweight in food but that is what you are supposed to do in the food capital that is France, isn’t it?!
Ultimately we had a wonderful time and it really brought to light the importance of team work and the positive relationship we have as a team at Mango.
We believe that the key to a successful business is a positive working environment where we can learn from each other. The French language has an excellent expression for teamwork: ‘esprit de corps’. This means a sense of unity and enthusiasm for common interests. Teamwork has the potential to underpin so much of what is valuable in work. Here are some reasons why we believe it is important:
As us Mangos were in full Bett mode in the run-up to Christmas, we decided to delay our festivities until things had calmed down a little. So, tomorrow we are all off to the French city of Lille for the night, on the Eurostar, and the excitement has certainly started to kick in ! Despite a very early start we are looking forward to gathering at St Pancras first thing tomorrow where we plan to buy every single gossip magazine available, and of course a selection of tasty snacks for the journey.
We can’t wait to see what Lille has to offer, and we plan to spend the day finding out. Having done some background reading about the city, I found out a few interesting facts:
Lille was first noted in the history books in 1066. Its name derives from the Latin 'insula' meaning island. This is because the city rose up from the marshlands.
The first railway from Lille to Paris was completed in 1846.
Charles de Gaulle, who led the French forces in World War II, was born in Lille.
Lille has been home to many famous Frenchmen including Louis Pasteur, Henri Matisse, Charles de Gaulle and Antoine Watteau.
During la Braderie, which is Europe’s largest flea market, more than 200km of streets and sidewalks are covered in stalls
The famous Lille bookshop, Le Furet du Nord, is one of the largest bookshops in the world covering over 8000 square feet
The famous Lille citadel (fortress protecting the city) has a circumference of 2200 metres. Building it required sixty million bricks, the quarrying of three million stone blocks and seventy thousand sandstone foundation
A visit to the cathedral is on the cards, as well as a stroll around some traditional shops and markets; we are also really keen to check out some of the stunning art and architecture. During the evening we have booked a table at a restaurant in the old town and will probably follow that with a trip to a bar…or two (it would be rude not to try some French beer wouldn’t it?!)
We are keeping everything crossed for a little bit of sunshine, but then again, the weather can’t really be much worse than it is here, so we’ll happily settle for no rain!
Sean Coughlan’s report from the BBC today on work experience has given me the opportunity to air my concerns over the lack of a standard practice for work experience.
Over the years we have had many students at Mango on a work experience basis. Originally I accepted anyone who could write a good letter of application, today I am a little more selective.
We have had some excellent candidates; in fact, we offered a full time position to one of them – she worked here for three years before heading off travelling. We have also had a few ‘not so good’ examples.
However I feel that there should be an agreement of the way companies manage students on work experience.
Ethically, I insist that we balance their time with us between odd jobs that we need doing and helping them with developmental tasks such as writing a basic press release or planning a PR campaign for an imaginary product launch.
I also believe that if they have made an effort and shown a level of enthusiasm companies should pay their expenses – travel and subsistence.
A few years ago we interviewed a young lady for a full time post with us. She had spent the past two years solely on work experience. The positions ranged in length from a week to a month but what bothered me most was that none of the companies had paid her a penny.
I understand that if a company has had to give up valuable employee time in supporting these work experience students, they are not going to want to pay them but if you can balance their work between helping them and them helping you, surely companies can pay a little towards their expenses.
Going back to my comment on being selective with the students, it is often surprising the calibre out there and it is not age related. Last summer we had a GCSE student, Joe, with us for a week. He was from the local school and was probably the most competent and polite student we have had; he has recently spent another few days with us.
I therefore don’t believe that the opportunity for getting work experience is down to who your parents know. If students can produce a well written letter tailored to each organisation, showing that they have taken the time to understand the company and its business operation, they should have a good chance of getting a position.
So come on companies, let’s all be fair to these students who are desperate to get a head start on their career path.
Here at Mango, we are avid supporters of the many education charities that are doing their best to help children and young people from around the world access education, information and make contact with educators and peers.
Because of this, over the course of the past year, we have offered our PR services to education charity Gemin-i free of charge. The team at Mango were keen to help support their mission to educate young people on the important issues affecting them, and the challenges faced by peers around the world.
Gemin-i’s work is done principally through two learning communities for young people – Rafik.ki (for secondary students aged 11-18), and Rafi.ki Kidogo (for primary level).
Rafi.ki and Rafi.ki Kidogo are safe, moderated online environments which allow users to communicate internationally, sharing work on special projects and ideas between schools and youth groups. Through this collaborative work young people learn, connect with each other and take action to influence policy makers around the world.
The past few weeks have focused on the launch of a particular project hosted by Rafk.ki - the HIV360º Project, and the 3 Zeros campaign for 2012. According to UNAIDS, fewer than 40 per cent of young people today have even a basic information of HIV. To help combat this shocking statistic, the year-long 3 Zeros campaign will revolve around the theme of UNAIDS' 3 Zeros: Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS-Related Deaths. It is designed to help educators incorporate HIV education into teaching, and to inspire young people through youth-friendly resources, games and activities to gain understanding of the issues surrounding the HIV and AIDS epidemic through cross-cultural communications.
Over the coming months, Rafi.ki will announce three exciting challenges for young people, giving them the chance to make their knowledge, ideas and opinions on the HIV crisis heard through creative outlets such as writing, art and photography. Keep an eye out for announcements of the details soon!
Earlier this week The Independent published the article ‘I blame the parents,’ says chief schools inspector’, which focused on the harsh criticism Sir Michael Wilshaw faced from headteachers over the tough stance he has taken on raising school standards. Speaking at the annual conference of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Sir Michael blamed slack parenting and unrealistic quests for instant gratification promoted by reality shows such as The X Factor, for forcing schools to act as ‘surrogate parents’ for many students.
It’s not the first time parenting standards in the UK have been scrutinised and the demise of ‘family values’ blamed for social disorder and criminal activity carried out by young people; all we have to do is think back to the London riots last year. Parents were blamed for failing to instil proper moral standards and respect for authority in their children, which was subsequently seen as the linchpin in escalating the scale of the riots.
What seemed to go slightly under the radar however, was the number of parents who, faced with an almost impossible task, decided to hand their own children over to the authorities for punishment on realising their involvement.
The finger of blame was also pointed at the government, which was accused of failing to provide adequate incentives, and not creating exciting yet attainable career prospects for young people. Providing tax credits and increased benefits was seen as encouraging a lack of drive or aspirations amongst young people.
So who is really to blame; the parents, schools, the government? It seems as though the scapegoat can be anyone, as long as they detract blame from the young people themselves? At what age are we able to tell the difference between right and wrong? At what age should we be accountable for our own actions? While I believe that parents, teachers and governments undoubtedly influence the young people in their care, young people do have some say in the adults they become...the adults they choose to be. What do you think?
I’ve just returned from the Surrey Business Enterprise event where Rt Hon Michael Gove, secretary of state for education was the guest speaker.
The phrase that was repeatedly banded around was that we must all agree to ‘Chatham House Rule.’
Gove’s speech was actually very interesting and although comments said by others during the luncheon should probably not be repeated outside I am sure Gove would be very happy for me to share his comments. However this got me thinking about the origin of ‘Chatham House rule.’
Back in 1919 British and American delegates to the Paris Peace Conference, under the leadership of Lionel Curtis, conceived the idea of an Anglo-American Institute of foreign affairs to study international problems with a view to preventing future wars. In the event, the British Institute of International Affairs was founded separately in London in July 1920 and received its Royal Charter in 1926 to become The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) is an independent international affairs think-tank and membership organization. It is precluded by its Charter from expressing any institutional view or policy on any aspect of international affairs. It does not receive any statutory government funding and is not a government organization, although some government departments are corporate members of Chatham House and may fund specific projects
The Chatham House Rule originated at Chatham House with the aim of providing anonymity to speakers and to encourage openness and the sharing of information. It is now used throughout the world as an aid to free discussion. So what is the rule?
When a meeting or part thereof, is held under the Chatham House Rule, participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.
And this rule does appear to be one that still holds power, as Chatham House can take disciplinary action against one of its members who breaks the Rule
So back to Michael Gove’s speech.
In summary he suggested that the world has changed and in Britain we needed to move with it or we’d be left behind. In fact we are slipping behind already. I imagine he was referring to the PISA rankings when he said that we used to be fourth in the world for science, we are now 16th. Similarly we used to be in seventh place for literacy but today we sit in 25th place and finally in maths we have slipped from eighth place to 28th. However it was his comment on the growing divide between the rich and poor that gave me greatest solace. He said that this global decline has happened at the same time as the gulf between rich and poor; every year 600,000 children start school in England. Out of these, 120,000 are eligible for free school meals. And how many of these 120,000 go on to attend University? The answer, a staggeringly and alarmingly low 40!
The organisers of the event may have asked for Chatham House Rules but I am pleased that Gove recognises this as an issue that needs addressing and feel that he should be pleased to openly air his opinion.
If you’ve visited our ‘meet the team’ page, you may have noticed that Mango are a currently a female only team. Although we have had male Mangoes it is interesting to note that in an industry once dominated by men, PR women now outnumber their male colleagues and the trend shows no signs of abating.
Women have definitely made their mark in the PR business over the last 20 years, to the extent that there is now a major shortage of men coming into the profession, and that's official. According to latest membership figures released by the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), women now outnumber men by 60:40 - a massive swing since 1987, when figures highlighted the opposite at 20:80.
Whether it is our supposed natural ability to multi-task, keep calm in a stressful situation, or add that ‘sparkle’ to a rather dull story, there is no denying we are high on adrenaline, quick in wits and capable of anything in the world of PR! (…or so we love to think!)
So to celebrate our female status, in a very 90s spice ‘girl power’ way, we’ve been following International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day is marked on 8th March every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women’s economic, political and social achievements. It is also regarded as a day for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day.
So, sorry fellas, but as much as you are brilliant too we were just that little bit smug yesterday.
Today we celebrate Saint David's Day! This day of celebration for St.David, the patron saint of Wales, falls on 1 March each year. Cryptically this was not a day of celebration for St. David, as it actually marks the day he died in 589. 0 comments(s)
It's tradition! With Valentine's day, Shrove Tuesday and Leap Day all falling this month, it made me wonder where the traditions, that are so heavily embedded in our society, all began? I decided to look at some of the most popular traditions, still common today, and explore the reasoning behind them: Shrove Tuesday: Also known as Pancake Day, this marks the first day of Lent. Pancakes are eaten as they are made out of the main foods that were available - sugar, fat, flour and eggs, whose consumption was traditionally restricted during the fasting period. So basically, people indulged on the treats of the day before having to give them up. I imagine it would be like indulging in whiskey right before prohibition was introduced...except with flour?! Leap Day: According to an old Irish legend, St Bridget made a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men - and not just the other way around - every four years, in an attempt to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how February 29th balances the calendar. If the man refused the proposal, he had to pay the lady a penalty such as a gown or money, or in some societies, buy her 12 pairs of gloves to hide her embarrassment of not having an engagement ring. I wonder, could I swap the gloves for a killer pair of peep-toe heels instead? Suddenly I am tempted to find out (to hide my embarrassment, of course!). Bless you!: There are a number of possibilities behind this particular tradition; one (my favourite) involves the belief that a human's soul might escape through a sneeze, and saying ‘God bless you' wards off Satan while the soul is temporarily vulnerable. Another (less exciting) explanation stems from the belief that when you sneeze, your heart momentarily stops, and ‘God bless you' is a way of kick starting it again (before the days of defibrillation paddles, I am guessing). White Rabbit: Saying ‘white rabbit' on the first of each month is traditionally thought to bring the person good luck for the coming month. The belief comes from the superstition that rabbits are ‘lucky' animals and saying ‘white rabbit' represents jumping into the future and moving ahead with life and happiness. Engagement rings: These can be traced back to Anglo Saxon history, when the gift of a ring became a token of promised love. The circular band became a symbol of eternal love and unity, and in later years the diamond, because of its composition, became a sign of the strength of never-ending love. The third finger was chosen as it was believed that the vein in this finger ran directly to the heart. So the next time you ‘Pinch punch first of the month', throw salt over your left shoulder or channel your inner Beyonce and demand that your partner ‘Put a ring on it..oh oh oh..!', take a minute to ask yourself why? 0 comments(s)
