Latest news with #communitybuilding
Associated Press
26-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Dr. Eve Kedar Unveils Transformative Community-Building Frameworks Through EKConsulting
Dr. Eve Kedar of EKConsulting offers proven methodologies in strategic community building, sales enablement, and inclusive leadership to deliver measurable organizational transformation. United States, May 26, 2025 -- Building Communities that Drive Business Transformation In today's fast-paced, increasingly digital world, organizations face the challenge of fostering real human connection within their communities. Dr. Eve Kedar, an authority in sales enablement and community development, addresses this challenge through EKConsulting. By blending evidence-based strategies with an authentic, human-centered approach, Dr. Kedar helps companies build vibrant, engaged communities that foster sustainable growth. Through EKConsulting, Dr. Kedar offers strategic consulting services in community architecture, sales enablement, leadership development, and community-driven growth. With over 15 years of experience and a robust track record of success with leading organizations like Apple, Seagate, and Gainsight, Dr. Kedar provides a unique blend of strategy and practical implementation that ensures measurable outcomes for her clients. Driving Results with Strategic Community Building Dr. Kedar's expertise lies in developing strategic frameworks for building high-engagement communities. Her approach doesn't just focus on gathering people; it focuses on creating spaces where members can truly connect, grow, and support each other. The result is communities that are not only thriving but driving long-term business value. One of her hallmark methodologies, SEID, focuses on sales enablement that encourages active participation and ownership, fostering a sense of belonging and deep engagement among members. By focusing on the lifecycle of the community, from foundation to scaling, Dr. Kedar ensures that her frameworks create sustainable engagement and are designed to grow with the organization. Sales Enablement Excellence Dr. Kedar's consulting goes beyond traditional sales enablement. She has developed scalable training programs and certification pathways that measurably improve performance metrics. Her renowned work with Seagate's Systems Selling Academy serves as a prime example, where the program achieved an industry-leading 80% completion rate and contributed to a 20% increase in sales growth. These results were driven by her focus on structured engagement, cross-functional alignment, and robust communication systems that ensure teams are not only trained but equipped to succeed. Dr. Kedar's proprietary frameworks, SCALE and SEID, integrate strategy with action, providing businesses with practical, results-driven approaches that enhance team capability while fostering inclusive growth. Recognized as Best Sales Enablement Consultant in the United States of 2025 In recognition of her significant contributions and measurable impact in the field of sales enablement, Dr. Eve Kedar was awarded Best Sales Enablement Consultant in the United States of 2025. This prestigious accolade highlights her innovation, leadership, and proven results in driving business transformation through community building and sales excellence. Her groundbreaking work with global tech leaders and agile startups, combined with her forward-thinking integration of generative AI into sales and community frameworks, positioned her at the forefront of her profession. The award underscores Dr. Kedar's commitment to creating scalable, human-centered strategies that deliver sustained growth and engagement. A Leadership Philosophy that Empowers Others One of the defining aspects of Dr. Kedar's methodology is her commitment to inclusive leadership. She believes that the most successful organizations are those that decentralize authority and empower individuals at all levels. By fostering an environment of distributed leadership, organizations can scale effectively while maintaining a cohesive culture. Dr. Kedar's leadership principles are grounded in her academic background, having earned a doctorate in Education and Leadership for Change from Fielding Graduate University. She draws from this academic foundation, along with her real-world experience, to create resilient organizational structures that support long-term success. Pioneering the Integration of Generative AI in Community Building As one of the first experts to integrate generative AI tools into community-building processes, Dr. Kedar stays at the forefront of technological innovation. By using AI-powered engagement systems, she helps organizations scale authentically while maintaining genuine human connection. This forward-looking approach enables companies to stay competitive while preserving the core human elements of community-building. Dr. Kedar's efforts have not gone unnoticed; her recognition as a Top 100 Customer Success Influencer by MindTouch further validates her innovative approach to sales enablement and community-building. Authoring Best-Selling Books on Sales and Community Building In addition to her consulting work, Dr. Kedar is the author of two highly regarded books: Build a Kicka$$ Sales Team: Practical Sales Tactics and Build a Kicka$$ Online Community: Practical Engagement Tactics. Both offer actionable insights for leaders looking to strengthen their teams and communities, blending Dr. Kedar's industry expertise with her passion for community-driven success. These books have become valuable resources for business leaders and sales professionals seeking practical, real-world solutions. About EKConsulting EKConsulting, founded by Dr. Eve Kedar, specializes in helping organizations build vibrant, sustainable communities, optimize sales enablement programs, and foster inclusive leadership practices. Through her unique methodologies, Dr. Kedar has worked with organizations across industries, including global tech leaders and agile startups, helping them achieve tangible business results and sustainable growth. Media Contact: Dr. Eve Kedar EKConsulting Phone: 408-646-4599 Email: [email protected] Contact Info: Name: Dr. Eve Kedar Email: Send Email Organization: EKConsulting Website: Release ID: 89160893 Should any problems, inaccuracies, or doubts arise from the content contained within this press release, we kindly request that you inform us immediately by contacting [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our dedicated team will promptly address your concerns within 8 hours, taking necessary steps to rectify identified issues or assist with the removal process. Providing accurate and dependable information is at the core of our commitment to our readers.
South China Morning Post
25-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong village church members wonder where next after relocation order
Followers of a rural Hong Kong village church have expressed concerns over the loss of their community building set to be demolished for the government's ambitious Northern Metropolis project. About 100 Christians, who gathered at the Communion Lutheran Church – the only church in the Kwu Tung North area – for the Sunday service wrote petition letters on the spot to express their concerns about the relocation arrangement. The church is located in the Kwu Tung North village slated for redevelopment into a new town centre, which is expected to house 131,600 people and provide 38,700 job opportunities. Reverend Andrew Luk Chun-yiu of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong said it had yet to receive an exact date on the relocation or demolition and residents in the area were only told they needed to move as early as May this year. He said the government offered HK$12 million (US$1.53 million) in compensation for the plot of land, along with HK$400,000 roughly in ex gratia compensation. But the church rejected the offer and asked for a relocation site instead. 'HK$12 million can be used to buy a small flat in Hong Kong. How can we house around 100 people for a worship service? … We hope to have a new site to establish a church,' he said.
Malay Mail
12-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Volunteering is not free labour — Sadina Suffian
MAY 12 — Volunteerism, in Malaysia, is often praised in speeches and government initiatives. It's seen as a vital part of building communities and empowering youth. But behind the appreciation lies a harder truth: volunteerism is often misunderstood, undervalued, and sometimes misused. Too often, volunteers — especially young ones — are expected to give their time and skills without proper guidance, recognition, or support. Their effort is taken for granted, their motivation assumed, and their well-being overlooked. This mindset risks turning a meaningful act of service into unpaid work with little value placed on growth or care. Volunteers are not just extra hands. They are engaged individuals who choose to help because they believe in a better future. Whether clearing homes after floods, running donation drives, or teaching children, they offer more than effort — they offer their values, time, and hopes. Yet, their contributions are often ignored. Tasks are given without purpose. No one asks what they learned, how they coped, or what it meant to them. Volunteers are seen as replaceable instead of individuals who are learning and growing through service. This must change. Fair treatment in volunteerism doesn't mean payment — it means respect, structure, and care. Volunteerism, when planned and supported, helps people grow. They learn leadership, responsibility, teamwork, and how to think through problems. It's more than just helping — it shapes how someone sees the world. Malaysia has started to move in this direction. The MyCorps initiative from the Ministry of Youth and Sports sends young people on local and overseas missions, helping them develop new skills and understanding. The Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa (YSS) under the Ministry of Higher Education gives university students the chance to contribute to community efforts in a more structured way. Apps like MySukarela are starting to make volunteer matching easier. But it's not enough to have programs. We need them to be active, accessible, and supported by a culture that values them — not just on paper, but in practice. Volunteerism, when planned and supported, helps people grow. — Picture from Facebook/ A key part of any volunteer journey is the time to reflect on what was done and how it affected the people involved. Too often, young volunteers face stressful or emotional situations, then go home with no one asking how they feel. At Team Selangor, every project ends with a compulsory debriefing. This is part of how we take care of our volunteers. After the recent Putra Heights gas pipeline explosion, our youth worked closely with rescue teams, local authorities, and other organisations. It was a high-pressure, emotionally demanding environment. After the work was done, we held a proper session for volunteers to talk about what happened. We asked what went well, what could be done better, and how they were feeling. This step is just as important as the action itself. It helps young people process what they saw, make sense of it, and continue volunteering with a stronger, clearer mind. Respecting volunteers means more than a thank-you note. It means giving them proper roles, offering support, and showing that their time matters. Schools and employers need to recognise volunteer work as something that builds character, skills, and understanding. In countries like Canada and the UK, volunteering is counted in student records and job applications. We can do the same. A national volunteer portfolio would let young people track their hours, list their contributions, and reflect on what they've learned. This could then be included in scholarship forms, interviews, or university applications. When we treat volunteering as part of a young person's growth, it stops being an extra task. It becomes a part of who they are becoming. Some organisations see volunteers as cheap help. Tasks meant for trained staff are handed to young people with little instruction. These same young volunteers may agree out of eagerness or pressure, not realising that they're being put in unfair situations. That's why we need to be clear about the way we support and protect those who choose to serve. Volunteers must be given defined roles, so they understand what is expected of them and why their work matters. They must be offered proper training and someone they can turn to for guidance throughout their involvement. Their safety and wellbeing must always be a priority, especially when working in physically or emotionally demanding situations. Just as important, they should have access to emotional support, particularly after dealing with distressing events or intense collaboration. And when they are ready, they should be encouraged to take on leadership roles — not just as followers, but as decision-makers in their own right. These steps are how we respect those who give their time. They help ensure that volunteerism is not taken for granted or used unfairly, but seen as a serious and valued contribution to society. Volunteering should not be about filling gaps. It should be about building a stronger, kinder country. When done right, it shapes the person giving their time, just as it helps the people receiving it. Let's stop treating volunteers as a resource to be used. Let's start treating them as citizens building a better Malaysia. Their time, effort, and care matter — and they deserve a system that treats them that way. * Sadina Suffian is Treasurer of Bersih, and COO of Team Selangor — an outfit under the Menteri Besar's office focusing on youth empowerment and volunteerism. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Promoting Collective Effervescence And A Sense Of Belonging On Campus
A group of college students getty According to a 2024 report by Inside Higer Ed, a sense of belonging is a key factor in student retention. A 2025 report on also suggested that a sense of community is a potent source of health and well-being for many students. Because of such findings, many colleges and universities invest in ways to enhance a sense of community and belonging on campus. There are perceived barriers to establishing a sense of belonging and community on campus. As explained in another 2025 report on DEI bans often prevent public schools from reaching out to specific communities of students, and these bans even limit mental health professionals. Furthermore, the size of some campuses mirrors the sizes of cities, making community building appear to be a difficult task. However, research on collective effervescence suggests that promoting belonging among students does not require an extraordinary community building event, or a shared relationship history, and might even occur while interacting with strangers. Dr. Shira Gabriel is a Professor of Psychology at The State University of New York at Buffalo and the current president of the Midwestern Psychological Association. She has authored numerous publications on the concept of collective effervescence and is currently writing a book on this topic. According to Gabriel, 'Collective effervescence is the psychological experience that we sometimes have when we are in a crowd of people — often a crowd with strangers. For example, people often report it at concerts, or protests, or sporting events.' A 2022 report by Frontiers in Psychology states that the term collective effervescence was coined by Emile Durkheim and refers to the shared emotional experience and sense of connection that individuals feel when they participate in a collective activity. Gabriel stated, 'We have done a lot of research on this and found that there are two things that happen that define collective effervescence. The first is that we feel a sense of connection to other people. We don't think these strangers next to us at a concert are going to become our best friends. This isn't the kind of connection we feel with close friends and family and romantic partners. Instead, they remind us that we are socially embedded. They remind us that we have a place in our society and that is a primal and important human need.' In 2020, Gabriel co-authored an article in the Journal of Positive Psychology, which argued that there's an enhanced survival value of a collective life, resulting in people having internal mechanisms that naturally propel them into collectives. These mechanisms allow people to assimilate quickly to groups and to experience pleasure, increase life satisfaction, and positive emotions from a collective, even without a shared relational history. The researcher continued, 'The second component of collective effervescence is a feeling that something sacred is happening. We feel like the moment transcends the ordinary day-by-day and is special. We may feel connected to something bigger than ourselves. We may lose our sense of time passing. And that is another human need — we want life to have meaning. We want it to feel special. Collective effervescence gives us that.' Gabriel explained the possible mental health benefits for collective effervescence. 'We are finding that collective effervescence increases the feeling that our lives have meaning. It increases our feeling that we are thriving. It increases happiness. And it increases satisfaction with our lives. Some very new work in our lab suggests that a powerful collective effervescence experience can increase wellbeing for at least six months!' These benefits are consistent with a 2025 report by The New York Times, arguing that there is a significant association between feeling connected with others and happiness. According to this report, even fleeting social interactions can improve happiness. Thus, it's apparent that higher education has the potential to be a natural source of collective effervescence for many students, which could provide a sense of meaning and happiness. Gabriel's work suggests that schools don't need to spend a lot of money to promote belonging through collective effervescence. She said, 'You don't need to feel connected to the group beforehand. For example, some people feel it waiting in line or in an elevator. But there is a feeling that the group is not just strangers but instead community members or fellow members of society…' Most schools utilize mascots and messaging to symbolize how students are fellow members of a campus community. Gabriel gave other examples of how schools can promote collective effervescence on campus. 'Having events that students can attend may increase collective effervescence. Even small things like having students chat with one another before class starts.' The researcher also stated, 'It might help to encourage people to find collective events that work for them. Think about their interests and attend events related to those. Because this is a primitive need, people often don't realize that they have it and thus don't do things to fill it.' Not only do many people not realize their need for collective effervescence, but it also appears that many people don't realize or acknowledge that higher education can be a key source of collective effervescence for many emerging adults.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Upshur Leadership graduating class holds Community Skills Share event
BUCKHANNON, (WBOY) — A Community Skills Share event was brought to the Upshur Parish House for the first time on Wednesday. This event was put on by Leadership Upshur Class of 2025, a cohort that Parish House Executive Director Isaac Casto belongs to. Casto said that at the Upshur Parish House, they thought that this event would be a 'really cool opportunity.' He added that he thinks there's a lot of skills and knowledge out in the community, and they were looking for a way to pull all of that together. 'We were happy to be involved,' Casto stated. 'That's what our mission is here, is to work together as neighbors, and we thought that [this event] really aligned with our mission.' Ribbon-cutting held for Lewis-Upshur Community Recovery Center The event had a representative from Citizens Bank stop by to speak with attendees about how the banking system works. Casto stated that the representative went over things such as checking and savings accounts, as well as mortgages and loan applications. There was another panelist who spoke to the community about foraging for food. To go along with this portion of the event, the Upshur Parish House had stations set up for attendees to make salads and lavender lemonade. In addition to that, a photographer stopped by during the event to speak on photography basics and how to edit photos. 'What we were excited about is we really see this as a way to network and community-build,' said Casto. According to Casto, the Upshur Parish House is often concerned with issues such as food insecurity, housing instability, and similar community needs. 'So these sorts of things help our neighbors connect with one another, those maybe needing help, and those that just wanna be involved,' he added. Casto said that he personally felt that this event was a great opportunity for community-building, and the Upshur Parish House is excited to continue moving in that direction. He added that hopefully, they can make this an annual event, so don't worry too much if you missed it this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
