OSCA
GETTING OSCA THINGS DONE BY OSCA ’ S PEOPLE
Strengthening connections within and beyond our community
MR ANDREW WILSON (' 78 ) OSCA PRESIDENT
In 2019 OSCA Council adopted a strategy framed around three simple ideas – that OSCA provides reasons to connect , ways to connect and opportunities to give back . This has been reinforced many times , and it articulates what is to get done .
Then in 2020 Council described The Cardinal Thread , which is about the intangible and invisible force that draws the Scotch Family together . It ’ s about the feeling and emotion , or why things get done .
This year Council rounded out the ‘ what and why ’ by describing an Operating Model , which addresses ‘ how and who ’. In simple terms it says that OSCA things get done by OSCA ’ s people at large , whomever they may be . All are invited to widen and strengthen connections within and beyond our community . Within that mix the role for OSCA Council is not about being all things to all people , or telling others what to do , but instead about addressing governance , providing direction and guidelines , encouraging and supporting , and saying thank you .
The above ideas are not particularly new but it is hoped that putting them into words , and giving them names , will help reinforce the ways in which OSCA operates naturally . For example , they are helping OSCA consider the results of its survey of member views held earlier this year .
The survey results emphasised the importance of some themes that are already being addressed , and others that are opportunities . They also brought into focus the Operating Model question of by whom the actions might be taken .
Top of the list is support . A huge proportion ( 40 per cent ) of Old Boys would like ( or would have liked ) support as they transition from school to life afterwards – and 32 per cent would like ( or would have liked ) support in connecting with other undergraduate Old Boys at the same university .
Similar numbers would like ( or would have liked ) support in changing tertiary course or institution , finding a graduate or non-graduate ( e . g ., trade apprenticeship ) role and / or preparing for employment . The Young Old Boys have significantly increased OSCA ’ s contributions in these areas , but others are encouraged to chip in .
Significant numbers would like ( or would have liked ) help in changing or finding new jobs , changing career or vocation , moving a business to a new level and vocation-specific networking , accessing support in relation to mental or physical health , or transitioning to life beyond full-time work or retirement . The scale and dispersed nature of these needs is such that they are best addressed not by a central function , but instead by OSCA ’ s people at large ; keeping an eye out to see what they might reasonably be able to do . Another need is about OSCA improving its communications , and especially about telling more of its stories , such as about Old Boys contributing to ( or being successful in ) the community . The stories being told through Great Scot are valuable but there are many more stories out there , and mechanisms such as OSCAconnect and LinkedIn are under-used . Old Boys at large are encouraged to share more stories – but there is also a need for OSCA ’ s central functions to become stronger in this area . If you ’ d like to contribute then please reach out to OSCA Executive Director Scott Montgomery (’ 85 ). A third strong theme was about developing an OSCA club or enterprise that focuses on building the capacity of the community outside the Scotch Family . It fits perfectly with OSCA ’ s third strategy element , that of providing ways to give back . Harnessing this latent interest will again depend on some potential leaders coming forward .
Two other areas of strong interest were expressed : improving OSCA engagement ‘ out of Melbourne ’, and golf . If you ’ d like to lead in either of those areas then again please contact Scott , or simply see what you can achieve of your own initiative . The scope of ‘ out of Melbourne ’ need not be confined to the traditional paradigm of branch events , and it need not be location-centric .
In contrast , an OSCA resource that is inescapably centric to Melbourne is OSCA House . Due to the pandemic and its newness it is under-used , and 2022 should be the year to put it to work . It should be alive with Old Boys , of all ages , from dawn to dusk and beyond . This will take some organising , but should become a rich source of connection and of addressing some of the needs articulated above . I look forward to seeing you there ! www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 63