Double delegations are not always easy but with planning and a few tricks it can be very successful!
Every time I walk into committee, I feel like I am on this quest. My mission is to embark on this journey to get my solutions in a resolution. My goal is to lead everyone to creating the best possible resolution to solving the problem within our world. But sometimes, you do not have to go on this mission by yourself. In countless cases, you have someone on your team who will be the second half to your nation.
It’s true: walking into a committee with a co-delegates does alleviate stress because you are not on this mission alone, but more having to people represent one does lead to different internal battles. I hope to provide tips for doing well in a dual delegate committee.
Prior to the Conference
1. Pick a partner who you know is dedicated and will help you. Although it may be fin to have a friend as your partner, find someone who shares the same passion for Model UN as you do. Within a conference, you need to ensure yourself that the person you are choosing as your partner will do his or her part. That said, also pick a topic that you both want to do. Trust me: it is more fun if both delegates like the committee and both topics.
2. Make sure to get your position papers in on time. In my past, every time that I have taken part in a dual delegate committee, there were always two position papers that we had to finish. We, to alleviate inconsistencies in writing on the same position paper, would split up the work. In other words, I would write one position paper, and my co-delegate would write the other position paper. Before submitting our final work, we would collaborate to ensure that our work cited and notations were uniformed.
3. Make sure that you partner knows the other topic if you split the work. If you are similar to I and you split the work, do not, under any circumstance, act as if you can cover one your topic within the conference, and your partner can cover his or her topic for the conference. As you both represent one nation, it is absolutely important you both of your guys to understand both topics. After finish and submitting position papers, I always try to organize a day in which my partner can tell me about his or her topic while I do likewise. Then, we would both research both topics up until the conference.
4. Do not act like you are on a jumper by jumping back and forth within a, at most, two minute speech. I have noticed that the best speeches come from delegates whom only switch a few times. Try to keep your speech concise and clear by not switching speakers within every ten seconds.
During the Conference
4. Do not stand next to your co delegate during caucuses. Take the advantage of being able to spread your solutions with other nations by splitting up. You will cover more ground this way. You do not need two people advocating the same ideas within one caucus circle. Reconvene with your co-delegate only after you start forming a resolution group.
5. Minimize talking during speeches because it is rude and your chair will hear you. During speeches, my co delegate and I will write on a piece of paper that lies between us. It is the more proper way of communication during speeches because it is less distracting.
6. I appreciate my co-delegate the most when we are writing the Resolution. In a recent conference, while our resolution group began to write the resolution, I asked my co-delegate to write about certain topics while I stayed within the caucus group so that we could situate who would write which operatives.
All is all, use your co-delegate as an advantage within any Model UN Committee because that is truly the key to doing well on this quest.
