Step 2

Structuring your Group - Setting Up Student Boards

There are numerous ways to set up student boards, depending on the size of your group, implementation approach (in class or extracurricular club), student ages, ability to make site visits, timeline, etc... Information on how participating schools structured their student boards is shared at the teacher training session in September.

Examples:

Mount Notre Dame
MND's Youth Philanthropy Council consists of 60 members, which includes 6 young women from Starfire University. Five MND students serve on the Executive Board, and seven girls serve as group leaders. Each group consists of 6 to 8 girls, and each group sends RFPs to approximately ten to twelve agencies. This year, MND's theme is "Art", so all non-profits were asked if they had an art-related program they were interested in supporting.

Once RFPs are received (deadline is set one month after they are sent), small groups will review the RFPs they received back from the agencies they contacted, and determine which 2 or 3 or three agencies to visit.  During the site visits they meet with the director, learn about the program, take photos, and ask questions.  After site visits each group determines one agency to take to the next step - group presentation.

Each group presents their favorite agency to the larger group.  Voting take place (YPC members earn voting points for participating in meetings, site visits, and other group activities), and the top three agencies are given the opportunity to come in to present to the full Council.  The top three agencies do their presentations to the group, and students vote again for the winning agency.

More examples will be coming soon.