By way of introduction, we asked EAPA-SA Board member Jimmy John Lenong to provide members with insights into his role on the EAPA-SA Board in management of the Marketing portfolio, along with his thoughts on goals pertaining to membership involvement and EAPA-SA’s plans; and key focus areas over the next five years as a leading industry association.

Since 2007, Jimmy has held the position of Deputy Director Employee Health and Wellness at the Department of Correctional Services.  His involvement in the EAP field began in 2001, while employed as a Social Worker at the G4S Private Prison, when his employer drafted him into a task team that initiated and crafted the Employee Wellness Service for the organisation’s employees.  In 2003 he was employed by Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) to create their EAP component from scratch.  The Department of Correctional Services employed Jimmy as a Deputy Director to initiate, coordinate and manage the employee health and wellness services for the Free State and Northern Cape Region.

Jimmy is a founder member of the EAPA-SA Free State chapter and presided over the chapter as the Chairperson for just over two years from 2015 to 2018, a period during which the chapter won Chapter of the Year twice.  He is one of the two longest serving EAPA-SA committee members, serving in various capacities from 2008 to date.

Q: What are Marketing Portfolio key goals over the next three to five year term?

A: Marketing portfolio is primarily responsible for marketing EAPA-SA as a leading industry association and thought leader in the field of EAP, its offerings and events, as well as overseeing EAPA-SA’s public relations initiatives to key stakeholders, customers, clients, and partners through various platforms. Therefore, the key goals of the portfolio in the next three to five years are to continue to  commission and publish, on various platforms, fresh, current, and well researched articles on topical EAP related issues as a value-add to our members; to exploit the advertising potential of the association on the social media platforms, EASA App, and website as another income generating stream in  line with the overarching goal of ensuring organisational sustainability; market and showcase the Board’s and chapter activities and events,  such as EAPA-SA Eduweek,  as well as safeguard the association’s brand integrity and visibility through exploiting marketing platforms offered by other credible industry players and partners!

Q: What role does marketing portfolio play in the EAPA-SA’s overall growth and goals?

A: Emerging from the strategic session that the Association had at the beginning of the tenure of the current Board, there are four (4) clear strategic goals directing the efforts of every portfolio as well as chapters in the next five years, namely pursuing the attainment of statutory status with added impetus, ensuring organisational sustainability through stabilising and growing both our finances and membership base, tightening governance protocols and oversight over the association’s operations, as well as cementing and growing our stakeholder management footprint.  These goals are underpinned by specific milestones and action; and were assigned champions to drive.

Therefore, as a support function, the marketing portfolio holder will be showcasing, publicising, and communicating the attainment of all milestones by the Board and the Chapters to our membership, partners, and stakeholders on various marketing platforms.

Q: How do you intend to grow EAPA-SA’s impact on the EAP industry through your portfolio?

A: Whilst acknowledging that EAPA-SA is a leading industry association in the field of EAP, our overarching goal is to become a statutory council with an express intention to have a greater impact and say on EAP curricula in South Africa, standards of practice in the field, Board Exam for new entrants into the field, CPD offerings, accreditation and certification of membership categories in line with SAQA designations. Therefore, this portfolio stands ready to communicate every progress made, achievements attained, and bottlenecks (if any) towards having a greater pronounced impact on the industry.

Secondly, the Board has been championing and spearheading the EAP for Africa project, which is a drive to establish EAP branches in Africa and well as forging strong partnerships with stakeholders and our fellow African EAP cohort.  Even in this instance, the marketing portfolio has an integral role in growing the EAPA-SA footprint beyond the borders of South Africa.

Q: How do you think EAPA-SA members can also contribute to the growth of the industry?

A: For EAPA-SA to grow, it needs to retain existing members, whilst attracting new members from a captive audience of professionals in the field of EAP and wellness.  Therefore, current members must continue renewing their yearly membership because of the value embedded in their belonging, act as ambassadors, recruiters, and advocates of the good work done by the Board and its Chapters.  To this end, the marketing portfolio encourages current members to stand ready to market the activities, achievements, offerings, and exciting developments by the association to their employer organisations and their peers in the field through various marketing platforms at their disposal.