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 2024

SwissChangeLisaCirieco

By Philippa Dobree-Carey, From High School to Uni

Have you started to search for the perfect student pad to suit your budget? Before you embark on the stressful hunt for rented accommodation, make sure you have the essential ammunition - knowledge of student rental scams.

If you're not planning on living in halls of residence, or if you're heading into your second or third year of university, finding a place to live can be a challenge.
Students are a prime target for rental scammers who exploit students’ newfound independence and panic about finding a place to live.

Imagine finding a place that looks fabulous, the rent is within your budget, and the location is close to town or university. Sounds Ideal, right? Scammers love to dangle the carrot of incredible deals in front of unsuspecting students.

Beware of these tempting but unrealistic offers that are too good to be true

In the age of online transactions, scammers prefer to stay in the shadows. If your potential landlord avoids face-to-face meetings and insists on doing everything online, pull the plug. Any reputable landlord will take the time to meet a prospective tenant. After all, they want to know that you will respect their property.

If you ask for a meeting and are met with excuses, drop it and keep looking

Have you ever experienced the fear of missing out? One of the most common tactics used in rental scams is for scammers to create a false sense of urgency and heighten a student's anxiety.
"Multiple offers are pouring in!" they claim. "You need to send your deposit to secure the tenancy". "If you can pay me a month's rent today, I can reserve the flat for you".

: Published: 28 February 2024

By Claire Doole, www.doolecommunications.com

When was the last time you heard a great keynote speech?

Many speakers use them to sell themselves or their organisation, neglecting to engage with the theme of the event.

Not so Dr Stephen Feeley, Chief Statistician at WHO, tasked with giving the keynote before a panel discussion I moderated on data governance and fake news at Davos last month.

A double-headed title for a panel discussion is always challenging as it can belie a lack of focus.

Dr Feeley took up the challenge and delivered a keynote that set up the panel discussion that was thought-provoking, entertaining and memorable.

So, what did he do?

He had a clear objective – to inspire and unify the audience around a common purpose.
He had a clear central argument – making the case for a global data governance framework.
He understood the audience – pitching the level correctly so they were not bored nor confused but engaged in his thinking.
He simplified the key message into a call to action so that the audience knew what was expected of them.
He structured the speech by first talking about the problem before going to the solution.
He hooked the audience with the specific – fake news – before going to the general – fake news as an example of the need for data governance.

: Published: 07 February 2024

rsz parents listening and comforting teenage son on park bench turned away from camera copy RESIZED

By Dr Mecky McNeil and Dr Michelle Wright from HealthFirst

There are so many things that our young people have on their mind these days; reasons why they might struggle with their mental health. But perhaps one of biggest stressors adolescents face is adolescence itself! Can you remember the rollercoaster of yours?

So much is going on for our young people during these formative years. There are changes in physical development, the main one being puberty itself - the development of secondary sex characteristics, starting periods, changes in height, weight, and appearance. All these impact body image and self-esteem. And then psychological and cognitive development - the development of abstract thinking and advanced reasoning. The development of knowledge, skills, and problem solving, which helps the young person understand the world around them and make sense of where they fit in. And of course, social development - the development of their personal identity and autonomy. Exploring and becoming comfortable with their sexuality. Forming important friendships and relationships and becoming independent from the family unit. Recognition in their peer group becomes important – what others think about them. And accompanying all of this are big developmental changes going on in the teenage brain which is not fully mature until the mid-20s.

The good news is that most young people get through these changes and master any challenges without too many hitches. But if a young person is struggling with their mental health during this important time, their development can be affected. So, picking up the signs that they may be struggling and intervening early is key.

: Published: 31 January 2024

SwissChangeLisaCirieco

Photo credit ©Lisa Cirieco Swiss Change

By Philippa Dobree-Carey, From High School to Uni

The first question every parent asks me, an experienced mum whose children have successfully navigated university with no student debt, is “how do you create a budget”?

A survey conducted amongst students in 2020 revealed that over 70% of them worried about making ends meet, and yet at least 10% of students had never even attempted to compile a budget.

If you don’t know how or where to start, read on. By following these tips and using the interactive budget calculator on my website, you will be able to calculate what works best for you, within your means, and learn how to budget successfully.

Why do you need a budget?

If you’re going to be receiving a scholarship or student loan – that means you have a bottomless pit of funds, right? WRONG! You need to make your finances stretch to cover all essentials, from rent to food, to mobile phone costs to socializing. It may be fun to have a night out clubbing, but if that means eating crackers and drinking water for the rest of the month, was it worth splurging on alcohol, or could you budget appropriately to make sure you know how much your social funds can cover?

: Published: 25 January 2024

MC high resolution copy

By Claire Doole, www.doolecommunications.com

The sense of smell, as I realized while preparing to moderate the Global Fragrance Summit last month, is one of the most powerful of the senses. It not only evokes memories and shapes emotion but also lowers stress. However, it is also one of the most underappreciated.

Preparing to moderate this event, as well as many recent engagements made me reflect that there is another sense that is also powerful but underused – the editorial sense.

It is a sense that is particularly useful when designing an event and vital when briefing a professional moderator. A professional moderator brings many skills to the table from stage/screen presence to an ability to engage with the audience and keep an event to time.

But if you want a professional panel moderator to steer the discussion, bring out insights from the speakers and to ensure the success of your event, you need to give them an in-depth editorial briefing as they are not subject experts.