10 reasons why you should join our community

Why should you join our community? We’re still something of the new kid on the block as an organisation. We’re still telling our story and helping people understand the vision. So at such an early stage of our journey, why join now? Aren’t there plenty of rugby clubs and tourism agencies doing the same thing as we’re doing?

Not quite.

For many years, other countries have been actively re-connecting, networking and building relationships with their ‘diaspora’: those who could play an important role in bringing knowledge, expertise and opportunities back to Wales. In other words – each and every one of our community members knows something or knows someone that could have value for someone else in the community.

Here are ten reasons why joining GlobalWelsh is a tidy idea…

1. A place to celebrate Wales

Wales has no shortage of fans, followers and friends and there are dozens of sites and channels dedicated to all manner of Welsh interests. But our community is a place to celebrate Wales’ contribution to the world, tell the story of Wales and inspire people reach out and help others through the network. We’re always looking for stories about growth, success and our place in the world.

2. A place to belong

Sometimes it’s just about finding your tribe. The GlobalWelsh community is a place you can feel a sense of belonging - no matter what your link to Wales is. Welsh speaker or non-Welsh speaking, sporty or un-sporty, business or individual – we all share love for and pride in Wales. We’re here because we love Wales. That’s it.

3. A place to ease symptoms of hiraeth

Moving away from Wales or even having ancestry here can cause hiraeth to creep in from time to time. What is hiraeth exactly? It’s perhaps best described as a curious mix of homesickness, longing, mourning for what could have been. Nothing can take it away, but rather than feel sad or homesick, we share stories that help you to feel proud and rejuvenated.

4. A place to reach out and connect

We’re building a platform that will enable you to reach and access other community members, no matter where they are in the world. Community members tell us when they travel, they instinctively reach out to other Welsh communities and networks – ether for business or social/emotional reasons. This is a great way to access a ready-made network of passionate, enthusiastic people who ‘get’ you.

5. A place to help others

The very best networks are those that nurture and develop relationships with their community members. We know that when people share a common bond or shared sense of history, they are more inclined to help others. We’re building a community we can all be proud of, one in which our community members share and exchange ideas and opportunities with each other. We know that those coming to the end of their career trajectories are typically looking for opportunities to give something back to Wales or help people ‘on the up’. GlobalWelsh can help match people looking to gain knowledge and expertise from other community members who are in unique position to help. We want to be the context for these great exchanges and opportunities to take shape

6. A string to your bow

Help us grow, nurture and develop GlobalWelsh by offering your skills and expertise and in turn – let us help you move towards your goals. We’ve been lucky enough to have worked with professionals from all walks of life in the last few years – and we’ve always helped them move one step closer to their unfulfilled ambitions. A simple gesture, introduction or open door can create incredible impact.

7. A place to call in a favour

Do you have access to something or someone which could be of benefit to someone else. And what better way to solve a problem than by asking a network of invested, connected people? Our old stomping grounds, our school/college networks, our work places can actually help us reach our goals, whether that involves accessing more social connections in your new host countries or reaching out to someone who can help open a door for you.

8. A place to reach an expert

Our community members and pioneers represent a variety of interests and geographic locations. If you’re a community member or a pioneer, we can help you find an expert in a particular sector by issuing a call out or searching our database for leads.

9. A place to build a legacy

This isn’t a flash in the pan idea, we’ve been steadily increasing our capacity, support base and financing to officially launch back in May and we’re growing our community, our collective of patrons and inviting people to become pioneers to help fund the next phase of our development. We think Wales needs all the help it can get to truly reach its potential. We want to create the mechanism for Welsh people to help each other, to allow us to compete on a world stage and promote even more opportunities that will have a tangible impact on Wales.

10. A place to identify and champion our World Class Welsh

As part of our community building efforts and planning for the future, we’re building the mechanism for a small inner network of World Class Welsh. We’d also like to create an award for a small group of Welsh people/friends of Wales who are doing amazing things around the world and give then an accolade to show them Wales is proud of their efforts. We see this as a great way to showcase Wales’ ingenuity, innovation, achievement and contribution to the wider world. There are no better people to identify these than our community members, who represent a cross-section of sectors. So….who would you choose for one of these accolades?

Join the GlobalWelsh family here - either as a community member of a pioneer.