Planning a National Youth Service Day project
Abstract
National Youth Service Day provides an opportunity for organizations to recognize the service efforts of youth, recruit additional youth to volunteer, build support for youth service organizations, and promote youth as resources in their communities. The National Youth Service Day toolkit by Youth Service America provides strategies to help recruit volunteers, incorporate service-learning, receive media coverage, raise funds, and build partnerships. Also included are sample forms, examples of past events, and contact information for national partner organizations. Access the toolkit at the Youth Service America website .Issue
Recruiting youth to serve while building community support for youth volunteers can be challenging, but National Youth Service Day (NYSD) events can be small or large and don't have to cost a lot of money. Events can focus on one single activity for the whole community to engage in, or there can be multiple activities throughout the community. Activities can involve community service, recognition, education, or a combination of all three.Action
The National Youth Service Day toolkit assists organizations in the planning and preparation of a National Youth Service Day project.
Overall Planning for National Youth Service Day
- Create a planning committee. Forge new service-based relationships by creating a diverse list of community stakeholders that goes beyond the usual participants.
- Create a common vision and purpose. Discuss the vision of this event with the planning committee and with young people outside the committee.
- Engage young people as planners. Take advantage of their skills and enthusiasm. Make this an event developed by and for young people.
- Set specific and realistic goals. Try to pick just three major goals.
- Choose projects based on the vision and goals determined in the planning committee.
- Develop a planning structure with clear expectations of who will do what and when they will do it. Establish a structure allowing for youth voice.
- Create a realistic timeline and budget. Create one master timeline for everyone to follow, as well as internal timelines specific to each sub-committee. Work from the event backwards when setting deadlines. Maintain regular evaluation and accountability.
- Consider ways to involve young people with disabilities. Information on how to assess facilities and personnel with respect to volunteers with disabilities can be found in the Youth Volunteer Corps Training Manual for Working with Youth Volunteers Who Have Disabilities.
For more information, contact:
Youth Volunteer Corps of America
6310 Lamar Avenue, Suite 145
Overland Park, KS 66202
Phone: (913) 432-9822
Fax: (913) 432-3313
Plan a Community Service Project
It is important to provide an environment where participants can learn and grow. Make this a meaningful experience for young people as it will likely influence future decisions about community service. Choose project sites according to the following criteria:
- Issues: Social issues that address relevant community concerns will attract the most interest from volunteers, sponsors, and media.
- Size: Will there be one large project or several smaller ones? Will there be enough work for everyone? What if less/more volunteers show up than expected?
- Type of service: Choose projects that enable volunteers to experience a direct impact in their community. Cleanup, construction and renovation projects allow volunteers to see the results of their service in the form of finished products. Volunteers may also enjoy personal interaction with recipients of service activities, such as visiting residents of a senior home or helping with a kids' carnival.
- Communication and Expectations: Even with simple things, details become important to make sure the day runs smoothly. Find out what equipment and support is required and who will provide it. Work with agencies that have realistic expectations and are familiar working with young people. If an agency is very difficult to contact, consider choosing another site.
- Logistics: Is the site easy to locate and is it accessible by public transportation? Will additional transportation need to be provided? Are there lunch and washroom facilities? Is the site wheelchair accessible? Is there an alternative plan in case of bad weather?
Incorporate Service-Learning
Reflection provides the link between the learning process and the service experience. This can occur in preparation of a service project, during service, or as a post-service wrap-up. Pose questions that challenge participants to think about service in new ways, but are within the context of the program. The full text includes examples of effective service-learning activities. For more service-learning information, contact:
National Youth Leadership Council
1910 West County Road B
St. Paul, MN 55113
Phone: (612) 631-3672
Fax: (612) 631-2955
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse
ETR Associates
4 Carbonero Way
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Phone: 1-866-245-SERV (7378)
Email: info@servicelearning.org
TTY: (831) 461-0205
Fax: (831) 430-9471
Web: http://www.servicelearning.org
Prepare Team Leaders
Team leaders are the primary communicators between the agencies being served, the event planning committee, and the volunteers providing service. The volunteer experience will be better if team leaders are attuned to the mission and services provided by partner agencies. Plan to have one team leader for every 10-15 volunteers. If teams consist of young people under the age of 12 there may need to be more leaders per team. Having a young person as a co-captain with an adult is often very effective. Detailed training for team leaders is very important and should be held at least one week prior to the event. They should meet again the day or morning before the kick-off to run through the activities for the day. After team leaders are trained, they will train their volunteers on the day of the project.
All team leaders should be aware of the following:
- How to facilitate reflection and "on site" learning
- How to implement evaluations with volunteers and the site agencies
- How to plan an orientation for volunteers
- Any important safety and liability issues
National Youth Service Day Kick-Off
- The kick-off is an opportunity to create the spirit of National Youth Service Day.
- Schedule it in the morning before volunteers leave for the project sites.
- It should be no more than twenty minutes and must run on schedule.
- Create the "feel" of excitement with appropriate decorations, music, and notable personalities.
- Have a special check-in area for media with media kits ready to distribute.
- All transportation to project sites should be coordinated from kick-off site.
- At the end of the day, everyone should return to the kick-off site to celebrate with food, music, and reflection.
Day of Event Activities
On the day of the event there are many details that will need attention and a lot of people will have questions; the more people who know what is going on, the more likely things will run smoothly.
- Make a list of all organizers and their responsibilities.
- Talk through everyone's roles to maximize efficiency.
- Organizers should wear distinctive clothing to stand out among the crowds.
- Checklists and written instructions are a must.
Follow Up
Hold a meeting for organizers to discuss wrap-up details and to share experiences from the project. Delegate follow-up assignments; make sure to include:
- Compiling evaluations from volunteers and partner agencies
- Writing a final report
- Sending thank you letters
- Returning equipment
Recruit Volunteers for National Youth Service Day
- Make people feel important. Suggest specific tasks they would be good at. Let people know why they are needed and how National Youth Service Day can benefit them.
- Give details. Prepare an information sheet that includes project goals, dates of planning meetings, important phone numbers, and maps.
- Encourage positive gossip. Ask everybody to spread the word. If some people can't help, maybe their friends and neighbors can.
- Put them to work. People will not stay involved if they don't feel needed. Have tasks ready as soon as they get involved. Stay in touch with volunteers and check on their progress.
Raise Funds and Build Support
Before fundraising begins, design an itemized budget. Include the cost of any equipment and materials that will need to be rented or purchased, as well as incidental supplies such as stationery, postage, film, food, and decorations.
- Fundraising events: opportunities to publicize events, establish community contacts for later support, and encourage a large number of individuals to make small financial contributions.
- Soliciting local business support: involve local businesses and corporations in supporting youth service. Present businesses with a list of all needed services and materials then ask for "in-kind" contributions such as food, office supplies, decorations, or staff time and experience. Let them know how they will benefit from public recognition.
- Sponsorship: think of potential business supporters who would benefit from public relations through National Youth Service Day. Also note that schools and local government agencies have available funds to sponsor special events like National Youth Service Day.
Take Care of Sponsors
- Write follow-up letters to thank sponsors for their valued support.
- Send letters from staff as well as from volunteers.
- Give sponsors as much publicity and recognition as possible.
- Honor sponsors at a special dinner or awards ceremony. Ask them to be guest speakers.
- The people and organizations involved with NYSD can be potential sponsors for future initiatives, solidify those relationships immediately.
Make an Impact with Public Relations
NYSD offers an important opportunity to educate American people about the magnitude of youth service in the United States. Complete the questionnaire and send it to Youth Serve America to take advantage of their national media relations.
Compile a media list: include all daily and weekly newspapers, local magazines, TV and radio stations (broadcast and cable/satellite), and wire services. Other local non-profits may already have a list to reference, and the local library will also have media directories available.
Contact the media. Follow these guidelines to get the most effective media exposure:
- Develop a relationship: get to know key members of the local media. Ask to meet personally to describe National Youth Service Day goals and plans.
- Meet deadlines: respect the fact that reporters and editors work under tight deadlines; contact them accordingly.
- Be strategic: target select reporters from major local media sources to give advance coverage of the National Youth Service Day event. Interest from smaller media sources will likely follow.
- Timeliness: this event is part of an annual national day of recognition, which coincides with National Volunteer Week.
- Human interest: tie this local event to a larger news issue of interest.
- Unique: what makes this event different or outstanding?
- Impact: does it have an effect on individual young people? Does this story affect a large number of people in the community?
- Prominence: Involvement from celebrities and local VIPs increases news value.