XIDP

IDP is a not-for-profit education consultancy institution which is owned by 38 Australian Universities to promote Australian education around the world and provide related services to the prospective students.

IDP informed in Dec, 2004 that they are facing severe cash-flows amounting to almost A$3.6 million. One of the decisions the board of IDP was to remove 60 of its employees in Australia and the rest of the world to help in this crisis.

John Hilvert was one of the them. Rather than getting depressed and sit at home, he saw change as an opportunity and started XIDP. A network for ex-IDP employees.

This is what John says :

About XIDP: "On 9 December IDP conducted some 60 or more extreme salary reviews 'to reinvigorate the network.' Some one in four of IDP's Australia staff and seven country offices and their services terminated, effectively within a few hours of their notice.

I'm over denial and flirting with anger. What I craved was a site and forum to reach out to all other staff and let them know change=opportunity.

The point of xidp.com is to keep the spirit of fun, adventure and professionalism alive with former idp staff. xidp is designed to provide networking and general support for those that would like to retain the global collegiate spirit that characterises the world class company."

In a short while, John has built a team of XIDPers working on the project. 70 XIDPers have joined the network. The network provides latest news, views on IDP, international education trends, suggestions for Australia. It also provides jobs for XIDPers through the XIDP Body Shop. This is great way to look at an crisis and create a opportunity out of it. We need to also remember the power of the Internet and content management software to aid the human spirit in making things happen.