YPF and me – Q&A with Laura Tait, YPF chair

Tell us about the Newcastle Young Professionals Forum and its mission?

Newcastle Young Professionals Forum is a networking group which aims to provide an opportunity for those in the earlier stages of their careers in professional services to meet their counterparts across different sectors in the city. We operate a board or ‘committee’ of member firms (currently 11) who are responsible for organising the event calendar, however this does not limit who can attend as its open to everyone, with events often selling out for over 100 people. We want to create a safe environment for people to begin building their own networks, fostering lasting connections to see them through their careers.

How did you get involved in the YPF?

When I started in my client facing role at RBC Brewin Dolphin, I was encouraged by my colleagues to start attending YPF events as a good way to learn and develop networking skills and meet new people, which was great given I had not long since moved to Newcastle. A lot of the faces I met at those first few events are now my friends! Flash forward six years and I have managed to not only end up on the committee but am now the YPF Chair. I now try and replicate my experiences for new junior colleagues into the business, encouraging them to come along to the YPF events as I did.

What does your role as chair entail?

As chair, I host the monthly catch ups between the representatives of the 11 member firms on the committee. My role centres on ensuring the event pipeline remains consistent and exciting and it’s also my responsibility to keep up to date with invoices and legal documents as part of being a registered company. I don’t do it all by myself though and often lean on my vice chair and other company directors to offer their expertise, we are a good team!

What has been the most rewarding aspect of leading the YPF?

It’s been great to learn new skills relating to event organisation, and it’s always fun to come up with new and exciting styles of events to keep things fresh. The most rewarding part though is seeing the enjoyment and value which members and attendees get from the events. The feedback we get is really great and makes me very proud with how the YPF continues to go from strength to strength.

What are the biggest challenges young professionals face today, and how does the YPF address them?

I’d say that one big challenge for young professionals is the changed dynamic of events in a post-COVID landscape. Events are often hosted virtually online, which can make it really difficult to meet new people, particularly early on in your career. The YPF puts emphasis on hosting a packed calendar of in-person events to overcome this, with a specific focus on the variety of events to cater to different preferences such as theme and style of event.

How does the YPF support networking and mentorship opportunities for their members?

In organising large and frequent events, including those which are hosted in partnership with other membership organisations, the YPF is a great place to become exposed to a large network of different people from differing backgrounds and industries. We always aim to keep this as mixed and diverse as possible, arranging ways for people to mix with those at different stages of their career for example through things like seating plans and the old favourite of “forced networking” games and the like.

Who can join the YPF?

Anybody! Okay so not quite anyone, we wouldn’t expect to see directors or partners at our events as such, but we certainly don’t put an age limit on the “young” part of the YPF. It’s for those at the earlier stages of their career in various professional services, all welcome!

Finally, why should people join the YPF?

It’s a really fun way to meet new people and practice crucial networking skills in a safe and friendly environment. The events vary to meet different people’s preferences and the YPF has a proven track record of making lasting, worthwhile connections between professionals across industries in the North East.