You’ve probably seen tons of young people in your neighborhood or city participate in various community service activities, such as delivering gifts to patients, tutoring children after school, donating baby clothes to new parents, cleaning up a local park etc. Or a group of teenagers that meet often to discuss and address various issues in the community. These are examples of youth group organizations—which exist to increase participation in civic life, foster a strong sense of community, and promote long-lasting societal change.
Sure, complaining about the issues in your community may sometimes work, but it certainly won’t have the impact that an organized youth group organization has. Simply put, a youth group organization is a type of organization that teaches life skills, fosters a love of community, and provides socialization opportunities for young people, allowing them to give their skills, talent, and time to create societal change and improve their communities.
By joining a youth organization, young people develop a strong support network of other youth, enhance their individual development, develop important personal and interpersonal skills, and gain self-confidence and self-esteem. CityKids, Boys Scouts of America, American Youth Hostels, Arsalyn Program, and College Republicans are some of the successful youth organizations in the U.S today.
While setting up a youth group organization is a lot of work, and can be challenging, it can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling enterprises you ever undertake. With that in mind, here’s how you can make your dream of setting up a youth organization a reality:
Determine Legal Needs
Don’t be quick to open a bank account or launch programs in the name of your youth organization before you check and comply with your main legal obligations. First, you need to come up with a constitution or written documentation that gives your organization some form of structure and can help avoid unnecessary disputes and confusion. Keep in mind that most funding organizations tend to ask for a copy of the constitution when organizations apply for funding.
Secondly, you must become a legal entity by incorporating your youth organization. Check with your local authorities to find out which licenses you’re required to have to start and operate a youth organization. If you’re planning to recruit paid employees, you must comply with employment regulations as well.
According to The Barnes Firm, a personal injury lawyer in Brooklyn, you should also need to make sure your youth organization is properly insured and protected against potential personal liability. In an unfortunate circumstance, a youth could get injured on your premises during your program, so proper protocols need to be set to protect the organization as a whole. The best option would be to seek advice from a legal professional when in doubt about your legal obligations.
Define Scope and Goals
There’s no doubt you’re fully aware of the problems and issues within your community and are committed to creating long-lasting societal change. However, you want to make sure the youth organization you’re just about to start will cater for the specific wants and needs within the community— not what you think will be valuable to the community. Identifying these needs should be the first step you take before anything else. This is what will help you define your organization’s mission and goals.
While some youth group organizations focus their programs on a local level, others operate on a national level, with branches across the country. There are many others that choose to go international and have branches in different countries. So, it’s important to define the level at which your youth organization will operate. You also need to determine how the youth organization will be run. Will you have a youth advisory board? Will you join a larger existing youth group and run as a branch? These are just the different forms a youth organization can take, and it’s up to you to decide what will work for you.
Consider Funding Sources
Every organization, regardless of its size or mission, needs money to stay afloat. Youth group organizations are no exception to this rule. Starting and operating a youth organization is not as easy as you might think. However, things tend to become a lot easier when you have enough money to run your programs. You, therefore, need to determine how much funding your youth organization will need and where you’re going to source those funds.
Individual donations account for 70 percent of all charitable giving in the U.S. This essentially means millions of people out there are open and willing to give their time and money to make a difference in society. The good thing is that you don’t have to look so far. Simply reach out to friends, family, and people in your neighborhood and community for donations. Online fundraising through crowdfunding or a website could also work. You could also resort to phone solicitations, door-to-door fundraising, or even apply for grants from government agencies and community foundations.
Whichever funding source you opt for, make sure you’re clear about the organization’s mission and objectives, as well as exactly how much funding you require, and how you’re going to use the money should you receive it.
Spread the Word
Once you’ve clearly set out the scope of your youth organization and considered your funding sources, it’s time to get the word out. Never underestimate the power of “word-of-mouth” when it comes to publicizing your organization and gaining your community’s attention. Chances are you already have a few people on board and each one of you can simply reach out to people you already know and see if they might be willing and interested in joining your youth organization.
Since your organization is geared towards young people, schools and community centers can offer another way to spread the word about your youth organization. Reach out to the principal of a local learning institution or the in-charge of a local community center to get approval on promoting your organization within the school or center.
Other avenues for spreading the word include posting on social media platforms, using community media outlets, connecting with faith-based organizations, and putting up posters in local shops and on bulletin boards in public places. You should make it as easy as possible for young people who may be interested in joining the organization to get into contact with you or someone from your core group.
Put Together a Management Team
Without a proper management team in place, you’re likely to have a hard time keeping the youth organization functioning. It’s important that you first develop a structure for your youth organization and establish an initial steering committee that will get things started. Chances are your steering committee will comprise the core group which will come up with the goals of the organization, create plans for funding, and generate by-laws.
However, once things start moving, you’ll need to recruit trustees and volunteers and nominate a chairperson whose role will be to set the agenda and lead the organization. Make sure everyone in the management team has a clearly defined role and responsibilities to ensure everything works smoothly and efficiently. It’s also important that the management team is in touch with the young people and community you serve. And be sure to provide management training and support whenever necessary.