Global Youth Service Days Lebanon
April 24-26, 2009

Guidelines for NGOs and Government Agencies

Can we reach our goal to mobilize 10,000 youths to engage in volunteer service during  Global Youth Service Days  ???

 With the Help of NGOs and Government Agencies Throughout Lebanon, We Can!

If you have a project that young people can do to help your organization or institution during Global Youth Service Days, please propose the project to a school or youth group you know or let AVS know as soon as possible so that we can help match a youth group to your volunteer opportunities. Whatever youth group agrees to do the project, should submit the GYSD Project Information Form to AVS in Arabic and English or French to be recognized officially as a GYSD project. 

WORKING WITH YOUTH GROUPS AND SCHOOLS
Many youth groups (like scouts) have service projects as an important part of their program.  Schools have three primary ways they engage students in service.
1)      School clubs (service club, environment club, human rights club, etc.).  This is usually by large groups 10-30.
2)      Graduation requirements that students do a certain number of hours of volunteering (this is usually as individuals,  pairs, or small groups of 3-5)
3)      Service-learning which connects service to the curriculum (this may be for individuals, pairs, small groups or large groups)

To help schools and youth groups engage in service projects (GYSD and beyond) we need as many youth volunteer opportunities as possible. 

WHY INVOLVE YOUNG VOLUNTEERS WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION?
            You make them, their friends, and their families more aware of your cause
            You get more done through their help
            You help develop caring, committed future volunteers and donors
            You help develop a society of active citizens
            You feel younger and can have fun working with them

BE CREATIVE – and don’t underestimate their abilities – if you train them.  Keep in mind that if it takes as long to train them as it does to do it yourself, then you have lost nothing and you have helped develop caring citizens.  If it takes less time to train them than to do it yourself, then you also get the benefit of more work done than you could do without them.

PROJECT IDEAS - For ideas, see the list of Ideas for Service Projects. 

NOTE: When arranging for youth volunteers (as for all volunteers), it is important to remind them of their Rights and Responsibilities, and to keep in mind the rights and responsibilities of your organization (in general , their rights are your responsibilities; their responsibilities are your rights).

 Let us all work together to raise our youth to have a spirit of giving, a sense of civic responsibility, and a belief in their own ability to make a difference in society.