New OCA chair

OBSERVATORY has been taken by storm by Emile Young, an Obs resident of six years who, in the space of a few months, has become chair of the Observatory Improvement District's (Obsid's) HR committee, deputy chair on the Woodstock Community Police Forum (CPF), and most recently the chair of the Observatory Civic Association (OCA).
Emile, 55, a project management consultant with a varied career, has not been active in Obs community structures until this year.
Emile says that she was urged to get involved by the 96-year-old with whom she lives in Arnold Street. Her “Gogo”, as she calls her “adopted grandmother”, told her to use her extensive experience to become active in Observatory. Her experience includes local government economic planning and public administration.
Because of Emile's financial background, and expertise in the business field, she aims to bring these skills into the OCA, by taking on a business approach to running the civic. Her first priority is to come up with a strategy to turn around the ailing organisation. The OCA has suffered a loss of membership ever since the establishment of the Observatory Improvement District. Emile believes that this is because of confusion in the minds of Obs residents over the functions of the OCA on the one hand and the Obsid on the other.
The danger is that the Obsid may wipe out the OCA as it dominates the issues which were once dealt with by the OCA. A strategy is needed to clarify the roles and enliven the OCA once more. She says that one meeting will be held before the end of the year, and she is planning a strategy workshop early next year.
Apart from her OCA plans, Emile oversees HR, auditing and governance of the Obsid as one of seven board members.
Concerning her work at the Woodstock CPF, she describes her role as one of monitoring and raising Obs issues at the forum. She says the fact that the Woodstock Police seldom attend the Obs Community Police subforum meetings is a serious problem.
Emile now considers Observatory to be her home. She studied numerous degrees at Stellenbosch University, ranging from anthropology to African studies. Emile said she has never stopped studying.
After a stint as a teacher in Bishop Lavis and Belhar, she became an economic town planner for various coastal towns. She also designed a performance-management system for the North West Province.
Emile's reason for choosing Obs was "because I like it." So much so, that she would only live in Cape Town if she could live in Observatory, "the best suburb in Cape Town." Emile said she wants to keep the village atmosphere and keep the close-knit community in Obs.