THUNDER BAY -- Thunder Bay's Young Professionals Network is shifting into a new direction.
Shift, a non-profit organization known best for networking and collaborating with young professionals between the ages of 19 and 40, wants to become recognized more broadly as a community organization.
"The business perception is probably the biggest misconception for this organization," said Peter Marchl, president of Shift.
"People think of us as being a business organization or just a networking organization and that's something I'm trying to change."
In order to move Shift away from being viewed strictly as a business group, Marchl has been pushing the organization’s members to participate more in community outreach. This includes more community volunteering.
The organization isn’t abandoning its previous mandate, rather it is making a push to expand on it.
The group also wants young professionals to know that Shift isn’t an organization exclusively for the suit and tie.
"I want Shift to be a welcoming group," Marchl said, adding that the organization welcomes all professionals including people working in trades.
"I want new, young professionals coming in to the city to hear and know about Shift and come to all the events."
The president also wants Shift to be seen more as a one-stop shop for organizations to discover the pulse of young professionals in the city through community volunteer work, monthly events, and advocating more within the city.
"The community has really noticed the rising number of changes that Shift has made over the last two years," said Marchl.
The group’s efforts are paying off. Marchl said the organization’s appearances at city council meetings, among other initiatives, have led other community leaders to seek out and engage Shift for input on certain projects.
"It's kind of neat seeing all of these organizations approach us and ask us what we are thinking as well as involving us in their discussions.
"We are definitely a group to be watched and to be known about and I think that we are going to have increasingly more influence in the future."
