Guest Blogs

Knowitall.ch often invites local experts in their field to contribute to their own blogs on our site. This means not only you will benefit from the useful recommendations that we make on our News pages, but you can also profit from some of the great advice and tips that these experts have to make on their favorite subjects. Whilst each of these bloggers has been recommended to us at some point during the evolution of Know-it-all passport and knowitall.ch, obviously we are not able to test out all the suggestions they make on their blogs, nor do we necessarily agree with all their opinions. So if you do find one of their tips useful (or not!), do let us know!

To make these blogs more accessible to you, we have now decided to group them altogether in one section, entitled Guest Blogs, accessible from our main menu bar. We will also post the most recent blogs on the home page of our site in the right hand column.

We are still building up this area of the site, and are looking for bloggers in a number of sections, including Your Home, Travel, and Leisure, so if you feel you have a useful contribution to make in either of these areas, and have the time to submit blog entries approximately every month, then please get in touch!

: Published: 13 March 2025

By Claire Doole, www.doolecommunications.com

“Organising an event can be a lot of work for little return” is increasingly the refrain I hear from communication and marketing teams.

They take up a lot of time and resources to prepare and publicize but fail to attract commensurate audiences.

For some, there are just too many side events in competition with each other for audiences and even for speakers. This was certainly the case at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, and at the AI summit in Paris – where I am told some events attracted as few as 15 attendees.

In Europe budgets are tight, and cuts in US funding are making international and non-governmental organizations reassess their priorities.

Some events previously considered a nice to have but not essential may now be shelved. Others, such as annual congresses, assemblies or UN World Days marking the goals of the organization, may have to statutorily go ahead.

So how do you get more bang for your buck in these economically challenging times?

This month I was asked to give a talk in London to members of the Global Communications Development Network about the secret of engaging events.

: Published: 10 March 2025

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By Sabine Hutcheson, Director of Marketing & Head of Secondary Admissions at Geneva English School

What is Outdoor Education?

The term Outdoor Education encompasses a broad range of activities, topics and skills. From learning about nature, to planning and taking part in an expedition in the mountains, it is an opportunity to get young people away from their phones and laptops and out into the great outdoors.

How does it fit into a school's curriculum?

For decades in the UK, teachers have been trained to deliver the Duke of Edinburgh Award in Secondary schools. The programme consists of a series of challenges that lead to three levels of certification for young people between the ages of 14 and 18: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Challenges range from setting up camp to planning and leading expeditions, increasing in duration and difficulty.

Local schools such as Geneva English School offer a broader range of opportunities leading to the Duke of Edinburgh Award to ensure students of all ages, starting with Early Years and Primary, experience life outdoors and develop essential life skills, including problem-solving, working as a team, resilience and managing stressful situations. Physical activity outdoors helps the mind focus on the here and now, which ultimately contributes to greater focus and discipline both in and out of school.

: Published: 17 February 2025

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Photos from GAOS shows: Twenty, High School Musical, and Aladdin

by Jo Beveridge, GAOS

Chairing the largest English-speaking musical theatre group in the Romandie, I am sometimes asked why do people get involved in musical theatre groups?

The most obvious reasons of course, is love of music or dance or acting and the sheer fun it!

On stage

But, for some, it is the first step on careers in the performing arts. This could be on the creative or performing side or the technical and production side. Where better to get pre-professional experience than in a good amateur theatre group? We have had young people start in our youth shows go on to study the technical side of theatre and work in production. For example, Owen Donkin spent many a Summer on stage with us then went onto to study Theatre Practice, Technical and Production Management at Central School of Speech and Drama then worked at Covent Garden Opera House, The Vaults and The National Theatre.

Others have stayed on the performing side and appeared on stage or made dance or music their profession. Sha Dessi appeared in many of our shows, starting with panto, then went to theatre school and went on to star in the West End as Eponine in Les Misérables in 2022. Gareth Donkin was 9 years old when he first took part in a GAOS Youth show and went on to appear in many shows and then gaining a degree in music production from the Leeds Conservatoire. His debut album was released last year.

Off stage

Other have become events managers (a skill very closely linked to stage management), opened dance schools, become drama teachers, or become choreographers.

: Published: 09 January 2025

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By Claire Doole, www.doolecommunications.com

At the end of last year, I coached the finalists for the Geneva Challenge – an annual global contest under the patronage of the late UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan organized by the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

Five teams, each representing a continent, had to convince a jury of high-level policymakers that their project offered the best solutions to the challenges of youth empowerment.

They were master’s students from some of the world’s most prestigious universities.

But their task went beyond explaining their ideas. They had to persuade the jury that their proposal would effect change. Not an easy task given that they were not development policy experts.

Each five-member team delivered the first draft of their 15-minute presentation for me to review and propose changes to make it more impactful.

: Published: 19 December 2024

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By Philippa Dobree-Carey, From High School to Uni

As college application season approaches, students and parents face the pivotal question: "What's next?" While university has traditionally been the standard route, it's not the only route to a successful career and fulfilling life. Here are some alternative options for you to consider that may better suit your child's aspirations and learning style.

A Gap Year: A Journey of Discovery

A gap year offers students great opportunities for personal growth and time to gain clarity about future goals. This can include:

Travel and culture experiences
Volunteer work for a cause they’re passionate about
Developing new skills, languages or hobbies

Young adults can build confidence and real-world experience that will be invaluable in the future workplace and give them a sense of renewed focus and motivation.

Apprenticeships: Learning and Earning