How to Start a Youth Board at Your Playhouse

Creating a Youth Board may seem like a challenging endeavor, but the rewards are truly remarkable. By bringing together a team of motivated and passionate young leaders, you gain not only additional support for events and activities but also fresh ideas and perspectives that can elevate your Playhouse to new levels of success. If you’re considering starting a Youth Board, here are some helpful resources to guide you:

1. Foster a Pipeline of Leadership

A Youth Board serves as a training ground for future leaders. By giving young people meaningful roles and responsibilities, you’re able to create a generation of advocates who can continue supporting your Playhouse and its mission in the years to come.

Here are examples of successful positions and roles seen in the past:

President:

• Develops and implements the board’s goals and vision to align with the Playhouse’s mission.
• Leads meetings, sets agendas, and ensures all members contribute effectively.
• Represents the Youth Board in public forums, events, and meetings with the Playhouse’s leadership.
• Acts as the primary point of contact between the Youth Board and adult leadership teams.

VP:

• Supports the President by managing board operations and ensuring smooth execution of initiatives.
• Oversees subcommittees or task forces to ensure progress on specific projects.
• Assists in resolving conflicts and fostering collaboration among members.
• Prepares to step into the President’s role if needed, ensuring continuity of leadership.

Secretary:

• Records and distributes detailed meeting minutes to all members and leadership.
• Maintains an organized archive of board activities, schedules, and key decisions.
• Sends reminders for meetings, deadlines, and upcoming events.
• Ensures effective communication by managing correspondence between members and executive roles.

Treasurer:

• Tracks the youth board’s finances, including income from fundraisers and expenses.
• Prepares and presents financial reports during meetings to maintain transparency.
• Plans and coordinates fundraising initiatives to support the Playhouse’s programs.
• Ensures proper use of funds, adhering to budgets and organizational guidelines.
• Works closely with the adult treasurer.

Marketing Officer:

• Creates and implements marketing campaigns to promote events and initiatives.
• Manages social media accounts to raise awareness about the Playhouse’s mission.
• Designs flyers, posts, and other promotional materials for outreach.
• Tracks engagement metrics to measure the impact of marketing efforts and adjust strategies accordingly.

The process for selecting Youth Board members varies depending on the Playhouse and its specific needs. While elections are often the preferred method within Youth Boards, an advisor may step in to select individuals they believe are the best fit if elections aren’t feasible.

2. Finding The Right Advisor

Finding the right advisor is crucial to the success of a Youth Board. An ideal advisor should be passionate about the Playhouse’s mission and have experience working with youth or nonprofit organizations. They provide guidance, ensure the board stays aligned with the Playhouse’s goals, and serve as a bridge between youth leaders and adult board members. Advisors should be approachable, supportive, and skilled at mentoring young leaders as they develop their advocacy and organizational skills. Their expertise and encouragement help foster a productive and inspiring environment for the Youth Board to thrive. We would advise for Co-Advisors (2 advisors) to ensure

We would advise Co-Advisors (2 advisors) to ensure balanced mentorship, diverse perspectives, and consistent support for the Youth Board, while sharing responsibilities to better guide the team in achieving its goals.

3. How To Get Members?

It is important to bring in individuals from diverse parts of your community to ensure a wide range of skills and perspectives. Rather than focusing solely on one high school, connect with multiple schools in your area, including public, private, and charter schools. Partner with guidance counselors, student clubs, or honor societies, such as Key Club or National Honor Society, which often encourage volunteerism.

In addition to schools, reach out to local religious organizations like churches, mosques, synagogues, or temples, as they often have youth groups or service programs with members who are eager to give back. Similarly, connect with community organizations like food banks, shelters, or other nonprofits, as these places often have teenage volunteers who already have experience and a demonstrated commitment to helping others.

To attract volunteers, use a variety of marketing strategies. Create visually engaging flyers and post them on school bulletin boards or in community centers. Leverage social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to share inspiring stories about your organization and showcase the impact volunteers can make. Email campaigns targeting parents, schools, and local community groups can also be effective. Consider hosting a “Volunteer Info Night” to present your organization’s mission and opportunities, allowing potential volunteers to meet your team and learn how they can get involved.

 A great way to select volunteers would be through an online form with the following format:

1. First Name, Last Name
2. Email (Not School)
3. Phone Number
4. How old are you? (Drop down option of 13-18)
5. What grade are you in? (Drop down option of 8-12)
6. What township do you live in?
7. Do you have prior experience of volunteering at Gigi’s Playhouse? (Yes or No)
8. Why are you interested in joining the youth board? (200 words max)
9. What specific skills or experiences do you have that qualify you for a position on the board? (200 word max)
10. Do you have any suggestions or ideas for projects or initiatives that our youth board could undertake to enhance our organization and community? (200 words max)
11. Have you read the attached Mission Statement and agree to the terms and conditions? (Link is at the top of the form)
12. Is there anything else you would like to share?
13. Then end the form with “Thank you for your interest!”

If you have a large volume of applicants, you could split the selection process into two phases: a form and an interview, weeding out some applicants after reviewing the form responses.

Finding committed teenage volunteers can be challenging. This thorough selection process ensures that the volunteers chosen are genuinely passionate about supporting the organization, rather than solely focused on fulfilling service hour requirements.

4. Flexibility

While the specific steps to form a Youth Board may vary depending on your Playhouse’s unique needs, the benefits are universal and far-reaching. Please reach out to phalani@gigisplayhouse.organd mananp4267@gmail.com.