targeting the faith community. programs of religious activities with youth nonprofit organization ...
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome Programs of
Religious Activities with Youth
Nonprofit organization
“Building Faith in Youth”
Mark Hazlewood, CEO
30+ years experience
Faith-Based Initiatives (FBI) Membership Plan for GSUSAToday’s webinar: Articulate what GSUSA and faith communities
have in common Discover how the religious recognition programs
can be the LINCHPIN for membership growth Learn the rationale and benefits for collaborating
with the faith community.
What is the F.B.I.? The Faith Based Initiative is a comprehensive plan
to BUILD AND STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIPS between Girl Scout Councils and the faith community
It’s all about WHY councils should work with the faith community and HOW to approach them
The goal of the FBI is increased membership The F.B.I. takes the My Promise, My Faith pin and
the Religious Recognitions out of programming and leverages them as MEMBERSHIP tools
The answer is YOURS Membership growth Membership Retention Program Money Trained Volunteers
But they’re not only your needs, they are also the needs of every CONGREGATION
The faith community shares your same needs. We need to work together!
What do we know about faith communities?
Respected in the community 50% of all adults are active workers
in faith communities Looking to reach out to the
community Will consider opening their facilities
to outside groups
What do we know about faith communities?
A place to find girls! A place to find more
leaders Open all year Don’t graduate from faith
communities When residents move,
faith communities do not
What’s in it for faith communities?
Partnerships need to be mutually beneficial.
Show congregations WHY they need Girl Scouting
Stop selling Troops Start selling
SOLUTIONS to congregations and their needs
Congregations benefit: Program
Girl Scouts have high brand recognition Proven youth program: leadership training,
values, life skills Enrich current program Outdoor resources
Congregations benefit: Trained Leaders
Religious organizations recommend the leadership from their congregation
Provides leadership training skills
Possibly open new leadership base (adults may volunteer to be leaders because they see it as service to their religious organization)
Congregations benefit: Faith Formation
Religious Recognitions Programs: Can supplement a congregation’s own religious
growth programs Are age specific Are developed by the national religious
organizations, not GSUSA Different from My Promise, My Faith Offer specific religious instruction
Congregations benefit: Membership
To the faith community, religious recognitions can be a tool to grow their own membership
Religious Recognitions as MEMBERSHIP
If a Troop has 10-12 girls 50 to 60% of girls in a Troop may not have a
current faith home Parents are pre-qualified as looking for values for
their children 5-6 families already in your building without a faith
home
Religious Recognitions as MEMBERSHIP
If the congregation offers a religious recognition class to the girls in their Troops
The congregation expands its membership potential in close geographic area
Religious Recognitions as MEMBERSHIP
Use the Religious Recognitions classes as an opportunity for the members of congregation to interact with Girl Scout families.
Use people from the congregation (i.e. religious school teachers, clergy, parents, etc.) to teach the classes so that Girl Scout families can get to know members of the congregation.
Continue to find ways to connect Girl Scout families with the congregation (i.e. service projects)
Plan the award ceremony during a regular worship service and invite the families.
Religious Recognitions as MEMBERSHIP
A Religious Recognitions class is a non-threatening way for families to connect with the faith community.
Religious awards become more than just a program; they have the potential to increase membership
Then the faith community will open its doors to Girl Scouting
What do faith communities know about Girl Scouts?
Need places to meet Scouting program Teach life skills
From GSUSA: Q: Does Girl Scouting support families of faith?
A: Yes. Girl Scouting supports girls from all backgrounds and beliefs. While we are a secular organization that refrains from teaching religious or spiritual beliefs or practices, we believe that the motivating force in Girl Scouting is a spiritual one, and we greatly value our longstanding partnerships with religious organizations across many faiths that share the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
We encourage girls to develop connections to their own spiritual and religious beliefs by earning recognitions provided by their faith communities and by earning the My Promise, My Faith pin, which helps a girl deepen the connection between the Girl Scout Law and her faith. We support the right of faith leaders to verify that program delivered to girls in their places of worship is consistent with their faith's teachings.
http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_central/mpmf/faqs.asp
What faith communities DON’T know about Girl Scouts
Outreach potential Adult training Life skills and
leadership training can transfer to faith communities
Do your homework Be strategic in selecting the
religious institutions to approach
Do online research Gather “cultural informants” -
Council Staff, Board, Religious Relationships Committee
To open doors, teach/speak the language
Put together profiles on the congregation as well as on the denomination/religion
Do your homework Become familiar with the
religious recognition for that particular faith
“Foot in the door” versus “foot in your mouth”
Become familiar with the religious recognitions program before visiting a congregation
Each religion creates its own program
Eligibility requirements will differ from religion to religion
Know the difference between Religious Recognitions and the My Promise, My Faith pin
Congregations benefit, but what about the GS
Council? Why should Girl Scout Councils promote religious
recognitions? Are religious recognitions just an optional
program (like swimming or horseback riding)? How does the GS Council benefit?
Whose Needs Are These?
Membership growth Membership Retention Program Money Trained Volunteers
Are these needs likely to change I the next 3-5 years? Ever?
New Recruiting Model First recruit the congregation (i.e. place to meet,
adult leaders) Then recruit the girls
Remember:o Bigger pool (in the congregation) to recruit adult leaderso Tenure – the organization will last longer than an
individualo The tenure of the Troop will be longer and the girls will
stay longer
GS Councils benefit: Membership
Youth membershipo Parents are looking for valueso Religious organizations share common
goals Adult leaders
o Improve retention of leaderso Religiously based individuals are more
likely to volunteer Target underserved populations
GS Councils benefit: Program
Religious organizations can teach the religious recognitions programs
Religious awards reinforce Girl Scout Values
GS Councils benefit: Membership
It’s strategic:o More girls and troopso More volunteerso Improve relations with sponsorso Balanced Growth
More girls, more troops, more families, more money
Wrap up: Why Collaborate?
• Win-win-win situation• Collaboration results in:
• Stronger girls and families• Stronger congregations• Stronger councils
Religious Recognitions = Linchpin
A linchpin is used to keep the wheels from falling off an axle. It enables the vehicle to move forward. Similarly religious recognitions can be the linchpin that
enables the faith-based organization to move forward with Girl Scouting.
Religious Recognitions
Faith Community
Girl Scouting
Summary:
Articulate what GSUSA and faith communities have in common
Discover how the religious recognition programs can be the LINCHPIN for membership growth
Learn the rationale and benefits for collaborating with the faith community.
Resources
http://www.praypub.org/partner_gsusa.htm Learning center Future webinars
o My Promise, My Faith: Best Practiceso It Takes a Council to Increase Membershipo Selecting the Faith Groups o Preparing for and Making the Call
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Thank you!
Join me on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/markhazlewood/
Website: www.praypub.org Email: [email protected]