ANT newsletter help needed!

[chocolate]

I need your help again geeks, i have been asked to write the newsletters for the ANT, (im chuffed to bits actually!) and as i know many of you are members, i want this to be about you.

I need 3 questions from different members about anything you want to ask.

I need a member profile. Each newsletter will feature a nail tech, i need about 100 words about you, what got you into nails, what you love doing in nails, and any funny stories.

Any recommended websites. Must be non product related, just for info only, a bit like the geek site. For example, HSE for health and Safety, and HABIA for nvq info.

Thank you very much!

 

[Bryony]

I need your help again geeks, i have been asked to write the newsletters for the ANT, (im chuffed to bits actually!) and as i know many of you are members, i want this to be about you.
I need 3 questions from different members about anything you want to ask.
Thank you very much!

No offence personally Rachel but it's about bl**dy time ANT got round to this!

3 questions:
What progress has been made on a code of practice and when can we expect to see it (and I mean when are we REALLY going to see it)?

I gave some feedback to Kat a while ago on a couple of things about the introductory letter that she was going to bring up at a meeting but not heard what the outcome was. A couple that I can remeber off the top of my head... The intro letter mentions being able to advertise in Yellow Pages under the ANT banner but there is no information enclosed with the introduction letter about how to go about arranging this - has this been addressed?

What, if anything are the ANT doing about raising awareness of themselves and/or the importance of checking that technicians are properly qualifed to the general public?

Can I have a 4th? Numerous previous members have commented that they received no reminder that their membership was up for renewal, which showed a lack of concern from the ANT of it's members or that it was concerned about retaining them - has anything been done to address this?

Ohh and another??? (pushing it now I know) Is there going to a website? Is there somewhere members can access and post any questions they have that will be viewed and regularly answered by the ANT or the the newsletter be able to do this?

Thank you and eagerly await the first edition.

 

[Trinity]

ermm....

1) Training - Is it possible for the ANT to provide a database of training available nationally? This is part of the SAC details but an on-line reference would be helpful. Can they independently 'grade/score/mark/whatever' the courses in accordance with their usefullness for NVQ elements, or one-day refreshers, intensive beginner courses, etc.

2) Can they provide a Members Directory on-line (can you see a theme here?) No disrespect to Sean & Jackie's Nail Directory, it's fab BUT I would have expected our Association to provide a list of members, after all you have to provide a certificate of training before you can become a member so we're all legit!!

3) What are ANT doing to raise the profile of fully trained Techs over the NSS springing up everywhere? Ad campaigns, flyers, MP's, even articles in the industry press would help that we could reproduce for our clients to read and pass around

Not sure if these are the kinds of questions are you interested in?? if you want to use them, I'll do a biography for you to go with, but I won't bore everyone on here with it :o

HTH
Trin
xx

 

[chocolate]

This is a fab start, ta very much! I completely agree, the ant needs a kick up the **** and hopefully they will allow me to do it!!

At the mo i have only been asked to write a newsletter, but its a start. If i get the go ahead, should know very soon, i will sort out:

• a member helpline
• code of practice
• yellow pages
• insurance
• member packs
• reminder letters
• a website
• member list
• consumer profile
• nss issues
• health and safety

AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT!
Please do email me your member profiles to [email protected]
THANK YOU!

 

[naturalnails]

This is great news Rachel - it just proves that if you want something done, give it to a busy person LOL. My only worry is that you will be too busy to do it on a regular basis. We have been promised newsletters before but they have never materialised because no one had the time, money, inclination etc to do one. But hats off to you and I certainly will try and help where I can.

As to questions, why reinvent the wheel - since PN already do a tech talk, you could just use a selection of their questions.

One suggestion to start with would be for you to put maybe on your website a list of the standard questions then we could fill them out for you rather than everyone choosing different questions.

The Yellow Pages issue has been addressed - I got sent a letter either from ANT or Yellow Pages, not clear which and I made the arrangements to go ahead with it. However they called me and said that I could not go in the ad as my membership expired in February - doh - 1. they did not remind me and 2. my certificate says 22 March - not a good start LOL.

We need our Association to be about us, its members, not just a money making exercise to supply us with a Magazine, a coaster and a pen - sorry!

I would also like ANT to work towards getting licencing in the UK but not necessarily only making it compulsory to have our NVQ as we know already that the standard of NVQ training varies so much.

I think that training establishments should have to have stricter criteria for their training and it should be measurable - not just a certificate for atttendance.

I could go on at great length on this one but maybe once you get into it more - don't want to scare you off LOL.

 

[Sal]

If ANT were to offer the things suggested above, I would seriously consider becoming a member.

As it is, following comments I have read about ANT on this site, I can see no point in joining ANT!

Good on you Rachel for taking this task on, it sounds like you are going to be very busy!

 

[Bryony]

The Yellow Pages issue has been addressed - I got sent a letter either from ANT or Yellow Pages, not clear which and I made the arrangements to go ahead with it. However they called me and said that I could not go in the ad as my membership expired in February - doh - 1. they did not remind me and 2. my certificate says 22 March - not a good start LOL.

Fiona,

When was this? I've not received anything from either ANT or YP - and as the new one has just been issued for this year I don't expect YP to send anything out now!

 

[naturalnails]

Hi Bryony - my YP comes out in April so I got the flyer probably in January or thereabouts. It may be that they missed the deadline for your particular area.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Wow Rachel you're a brave girl and good on yer hun! Now I'm not the ANT's biggest fan for all the reasons that have been already mentioned in this thread. BUT, I work in a hair salon and they belong the the National Federation of Hairdressers (or something like that). Well what a difference, regular letters about updates in H&S, minimum wage limits, a whole booklet that could be given to staff about salon H&S policy, competitions, reductions with insurance, reductions with Barclays Merchant Service, the list is endless and very impressive. Whereas it's a naff coaster, pen that works if your lucky and a photocopied cert from ANT.

So maybe in your newsletter you could report on

• how the ANT is trying to tackle the MMA and NSS issue
• Where we can train for the new NVQ and what it entails
• Special Offers for ANT members
• Good and effective extraction for a nail salon
• H&S issues
• awards for the best nail salon / nail tech

Good luck Rachel