Business View Oceania - June 2024

relevant to its members, fostering a strong sense of community. MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS MEA membership comes with many benefits designed to support and elevate its members within the industry. One of the highlights is the annual awards program, which recognizes the best in the industry. “It’s peer-judged and determined winners. Anybody who wins one of our awards has been recognized by others in the industry as the best for that year,” McDonald notes. “We have a mentor program, which we’re also in the throes of launching for 2024. People at any stage of their career can nominate themselves or a member of their team to be mentored,” McDonald explains. The program is tailored to address a wide range of professional needs, from preparing for board roles to managing difficult workplace conversations. The association also runs a registered training organization, offering a Diploma in Event Management. “We are a fully accredited deliverer of a Diploma of Event Management. Education by the industry for the industry,”McDonald emphasizes.This ensures that members have access to high-quality education and professional development tailored to the specific needs of the events industry. PARTNERSHIPS AND ADVOCACY MEA’s success is reinforced by strategic partnerships with various commercial entities and government bodies. The partnerships are essential for the growth and sustainability of the organization and the industry it represents.“We collaborate with different organizations as they best suit our members at a particular time. That could be another association, a government department, or commercial sponsors,” McDonald elaborates. Advocacy is another critical role that MEA plays. The association actively promotes the value of events and represents the industry’s interests to various stakeholders, including government bodies.“We are a voice for our members and the wider community to different parts of government, but we also publicly advocate the value of events,”McDonald asserts. The 49 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 06 MEET INGS AND EVENTS AUSTRAL IA (MEA)