JCI Members Past and President tell us their experiences of being a JCI Member

Alastair Davis

How long were you a member of JCI Edinburgh and what positions have you held?

I was a member of JCI for 15 years. I joined in 2005 when I moved to Edinburgh and have just turned 40 so have therefore ‘aged out’. I’ve held a number of positions in JCI Edinburgh and JCI Scotland including Communities Director and then Senior Vice President, President and Immediate Past President in 2007-2008-2009. I then spent some time on the National Board as a development director.

What was it that first interested you in joining JCI?

I had moved to Edinburgh from Glasgow with work and joined JCI as a way to get to know more people in Edinburgh. Quite simple, but then the full opportunities of the organisation became apparent.

What surprised you about being a member?

It bagged me a husband! ????

How has JCI helped you in your personal development and in you career?

There is rarely a week that goes by that I don’t reflect on how being a member of JCI has helped my career. I am now CEO of Social Investment Scotland, a funder of charities and social enterprises in Scotland with 20 staff. The biggest skill has been confidence with public speaking. I used to hate it and was pretty shy- but I’m now able to speak confidently, off the cuff, to large groups of people and there is no way I would have been as comfortable doing that without the training in JCI- particularly debating.

Tell us about your favourite memory during your time in JCI?

There are so, so many. But I think my favourite was my first JCI European Conference in Tallin, Estonia. It just blew my mind to have thousands of people like me in the same place at the same time having a good time. Another highlight was winning the Most Outstanding President in Europe in 2009 at conference in Budapest. Many special memories. The worst was breaking my ankle at a JCI dinner in Glasgow!