YES Alumni Associations Where to start & How to Grow

Why is a YES Alumni Association (AA) important?  Unification between alumni within country & across all YES countries.  Build stronger relationships.  Ensure that all YES alumni continue to benefit from their involvement in the program.  Provide support & mentorship for alumni.  Central organizing body to increase impact.  The ideas of many can be combined to form one great idea!

Getting started! The initial process of starting an association or a regional chapter can be lengthy and rigorous but with a strong team of leaders it can also be a lot of fun.

Step 1. Find your leaders  Through dialogue, annual alumni meetings, orientations, etc. identify alumni who are interested in leading  Leadership structure can vary:  Indonesia = board members & community coordinators  Bangladesh = General Secretary, Treasurer, Reporting, Outreach, etc.  West Bank = Alumni coordinator selected through application

Charters & By-laws  The constitution or charter states the vision & principles of the AA that will guide you in your plans and growth.  By-laws guide an organization in its operations & activities.  Should be simple yet comprehensive, clearly worded & regularly updated.  Don’t stress! You do not need to write by-laws until your AA is more established.

Include the vision for your association. Will you have representatives from each region or just one executive board? Describe that structure here. What leadership positions will you have in your association? What will they be responsible for? How & when will you choose the leaders of your AA? What will happen if someone has to step down? Define the requirements for membership in the AA. How often will you meet? What are the guidelines for changing the charter? Add your own logo too!

Goals & Vision  Vision = a statement that defines what the organization will ultimately be & achieve. The larger & long term goal. EXAMPLE: The Alumni Association of Bangladesh shall render services to the community, promote the ideals of civic engagement, democratic and basic human rights, volunteerism, youth leadership, global awareness and peace.  Create goals for your AA!  SMART  S pecific  M easurable  A chieveable  R ealistic  T ime Bound

To engage 140 alumni in community projects by GYSD Create project planning guide for alumni.

Member Engagement  Facebook & Twitter accounts  LinkedIn & State Department Networking tools  Blogs  Give members tasks so they feel ownership  Recruit members during re-entry & pre- departure orientations  Hold regular meetings  Mentoring & conflict resolution programs  Encourage them & their ideas  Plan for social time to have some fun!

Funding?! Did you know that every country office has money to fund alumni activities?

Challenges. What are some of the challenges that alumni in your country face that prevent them from actively participating in alumni activities?

Create a brand. Manage a reputation. Building a reputation for the YES program in your community is important for the success of your AA and for the success of YES. Here are some ways to do that: foster relationships with community leaders design a unique logo for your AA start a publication! (e-newsletter, blog, website) plan the same event every year so that organizations & community members can get excited about getting involved (Example: Indonesia’s national book drive or Bangladesh’s winter clothes drive) Check out Bangladesh’s YES Alumni Association logo!

Reporting & Tracking Photos & videos Social media Find local media coverage Submit reports to country office & alumni coordinator Build a website Inform local leaders

What makes an AA successful?  Support from country office  Constitution/charter with clear leadership structure  Clear & achievable goals (SMART goals)  Close relationships between board & members to create a sense of belonging within the AA  Clear guides to help alumni organize projects  Open dialogue between members & leadership team  Commitment  Planning ahead for events & activities  Teamwork

Questions??

Review! 1. identify alumni who are interested in leading an alumni association or local chapter 2. choose/elect leadership team 3. write a charter/constitution that defines your organization 4. create a vision & goals that will guide you 5. begin planning events 6. eventually write by-laws & build a database of alumni 7. watch your alumni network grow!

For any further questions about this webinar… Christine McCaleb YES Alumni Coordinator, iEARN USA