Part V - Effective Organizing

Be Personal

Personal relationships are at the heart of organizing so take time to get to know each other. This does not have to be done during the meeting. Stay later to talk to people and stop to talk to members whenever you see them on campus. Set up dinners with members that you would like to know better and have weekly dinners for the group’s leaders or other members who wishes to join. Whenever a new person comes to a meeting, make sure you spend time with them afterwards to explain the group and what it has been doing. The strength of the group is ultimately dependent on the level of passion and the relationships between its members.

Be Active

The campaign is ultimately about action. There must always be at least one active project the group is working on and every member must have at least one responsibility. Set up specific goals for these projects with specific deadlines. Have a definite strategy and a concrete plan of action that everyone agrees to. This should involve a lot of brainstorming and creative ideas. Make sure these goals are achievable and that progress is measurable.

If a goal is too distant or requires large amounts of work, set up intermediate goals that can be accomplished more easily. Without a specific objective, people easily lose motivation so make use of everyone in the group. You will be unable to attract new members if you do not even use the members you have effectively.

At the same time, it is important not to overwhelm the group with too many goals. The group should be focused and tasks should be complementary rather than diverse or unrelated. Make sure people are doing just enough to stay interested but not too much to be discouraged. It is therefore very important for the group to decide together what projects to tackle so that everyone feels responsible and committed.

Use verbal praise or recognition once specific individuals or the group as a whole has accomplished something significant. Celebrate by having a meeting with lots of food or by sending a congratulatory group email.

Delegate Responsibility

Everyone should know exactly what he or she is responsible for all the time. Give everyone a specific task to do and make sure he or she knows how his or her work is meaningful. Different people should take on different tasks depending on their level of comfort and their interests. Tailor responsibility to the individual and realize that everyone is talented in different ways.

Setup different committees in which groups of interested students can tackle specific issues together and report back to the group once conclusions or recommendations have been made. These committees can be about expansion, media, research, advocacy, fundraising, or other specific projects. The committees should meet separately and have a set of more targeted and in-depth agendas and objectives. Have a committee coordinator who sets up the meetings and runs the agenda. By creating more leadership roles within the group, you create more opportunities for leaders to develop. Growth for individuals ensures growth for the group.

Have a different person coordinate the group general meeting every time. People that run the meeting will feel very connected to the group while other members will see that the group is about every individual member and not just its leaders. The group exists to serve the interests and passions of all its members so make sure everyone has the opportunity to contribute significantly. The more work is delegated effectively, the more commitment and interest people will have.

Remember What It’s All About

You are literally saving the lives of children around the world. Never let yourself and other people in the group forget that. There are not many, if any, more valuable things in the world that you could be doing instead. Whenever you feel unmotivated or tired, imagine the child that your actions are helping. It is time everyone has the opportunity to grow up healthy and with hope. It is up to each one of us to make that a reality.

Ideas? Need help? Contact our National Organizer by e-mail here.

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