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From a New Application Democracy is one of the greatest inventions in the history of mankind. The idea that the average person can have an enduring impact on how their community, town, state, even nation is revolutionary. But, less than %60 of the voting age population turned out at the last presidential election. To me personally, this is shocking and slightly upsetting. Voting is critical for making a change in a community. The lack of activism is upsetting. That is why I am applying for Generation Citizen, I firmly believe that if a community is active and wants to make a change, the community can accomplish great things. I want to enable kids to make an impact in their communities so that one day, they can enable other kids to do the same.
From a New Application What excites me about this position is that I will be able to work with students and be able to mentor them and motivate them towards wanting to become college students. As a student I hope that the knowledge I have gained from my experiences will prove to be helpful to the experiences they are going through. I am also very excited by the idea of being able to help teachers and form lesson plans because helping the teachers will be just as beneficial as helping the children. In the end, I believe what I contribute will be just as great as what I gain from the position. I also hope to gain new friendships through my work as a Democracy Coach.
From Last Year’s Mentor Self-Survey I wish I had more training and experience in how to transform the mission of GC into something that is plausible in a short amount of time.
From Last Year’s Mentor Self-Survey • I wish I was less anxious about facilitating dialogue. • I wish I was better at asking provoking questions and concluding class discussions. • Ikind of stopped working as hard to get the less focused & less motivated students engaged, as most of them expressed they didn’t care about civics day. just tried to focus more on positive reinforcement to those who deserved • I've noticed I struggle authoritatively. • It is hard controlling a class. • Wish I could get kids to participate more • I'm getting better.
WELCOME! Write your story • Community organizing concept • Numbers Power Change (little fishes fight big fishes) • Tells how you came to GC in a way that can attract others • Should include: • Challenge • Choice • Outcome
Share • Name • College • Major • Role • Story
Training Agenda 9:00-9:30 Intro 9:30-10:15: GC Boston and Your Chapters 10:15-10:30: Leader Responsibilities 10:30-11:45: Breakouts Break 12:00-12:30: Chapter Specific Conversations 12:45-1:00: Next Steps
The GC Theory of Change Depends on YOU! • Democracy in peril • College students going into schools, teaching action civics • College students need to come on board, stay an board, be well-supported • *Your role is to recruit, retain, and effectively support DCs • Strategies: many different angles
Chapter Tracking Document • As a chapter: decide where you are going to keep track of what you decide today. I encourage you to make it a Google Doc shared with me. • Write down meeting time and location • As a chapter: set application goals • As a chapter: set retention goals • As a chapter: write down budget • As a chapter: set participation goals (mtg attendance, survey participation) • As a chapter set application timeline (and deadlines) based on retention goals: Early Bird application as the big one? • Leave space for each leader to write: • What THEY specifically are accountable for • Their Weekly To-Dos
Greater Boston Growth Goals • Continue with our 21 yearlong classes, and then bring on 28 spring classes, plus Malden 5 teachers at the high school (vs. 20 fall classes) • 65 DCs this semester barely filled the classes, 80 applications • at a 1.8 ratio, this would mean: at least 110 DC applications • Diversity metrics: %nonwhite S13 DCs and is at least that of campus demographics: (BC:35%, BU:54%, NEU:45%, UMB:40%, Tufts:44%, HVD:53%) • Scale of 1 to 5 (1 being really nervous, 5 being really excited) how do you feel about these numbers?)
Greater Boston Retention Goals • We have 21 yearlong classes. We need at least DCs to fill those if our DCs this semester don’t return. • Aim for 50% total retention rate. • We are adding 28 semester long classes. We already know some of what these will be: • Mondays and Wednesdays at Brighton • Malden: 1 day per week clear • Afternoons at Phoenix, Fenway, BAA • Timeline for Greater Boston: Possible to beef up Early Bird because we know our classes. We could have Early Bird deadline in December be our main deadline. • Initial thoughts about this: 1 to 5? 1 being HATE, 5 being LOVE
Greater Boston Quality Goals • Effective action projects, civically engaged students, and confident DCs • 90% of classes at Civics Day receive an average of 3 or higher on the judging rubric • 80% of students in region that show an increase in civic skills, knowledge, and motivation on the survey • 80% of DCs show an improvement in collaboration, implementation, and preparation from DC self survey 1 to DC self survey 2
Greater Boston Participation Goals • 100% DCs Trained (YEAH!!) • chapter meeting attendance? • Pre and Post Surveys and 2 intermediate self surveys • BUDGET: • NEU: $100/semester • BC, BU, Tufts: $50/semester • UMB, Harvard: $25/semester
Chapter Tracking Document • As a chapter: decide where you are going to keep track of what you decide today. I encourage you to make it a Google Doc shared with me. • Write down meeting time and location • As a chapter: set application goals • As a chapter: set retention goals • As a chapter: write down budget • As a chapter: set participation goals (mtg attendance, survey participation) • As a chapter set application timeline (and deadlines) based on retention goals: Early Bird application as the big one? • Leave space for each leader to write: • What THEY specifically are accountable for • Their Weekly To-Dos
Leader Responsibilities 10:15
What is Each Leader Responsible For? • Education Directors • Advocacy Directors • Outreach Directors • Chapter Executive Directors
Education Directors • I. ALL EDs should be very familiar with the GC Classroom Observation Protocol • II. ALL EDs should design Interventions for their DCs based on the GC Classroom Observation Protocol • Interventions should include INDIVIDUAL interventions delivered through 1 on 1 coaching sessions AND • GROUP interventions through lessons/activities delivered at chapter meetings • III. All EDs should share resources/articles with their DCs • IV. All EDs should share what they’ve come up with to other chapters • V. All EDs should get into a classroom at least once per semester
Advocacy Directors • I. ADs should be experts on exactly how the GC curriculum aligns with the process of effective community action. • II. ADs should provide individual and/or group coaching for their DCs for each step of the curriculum 4-9, so that DCs can use those steps to teach effective advocacy • III. ADs should stay informed about local issues, keep up with local news, and share that with DCs • IV. ADs should share what they’ve come up with to other chapters • V. ADs should get into a classroom at least once per semester
Outreach Directors • Organizing students at your college campus to take action to strengthen our nation’s democratic future by empowering youth to become engaged and effective citizens now. • How is this different from how we have thought of recruitment in the past?
Outreach Directors • Building a team of other Directors, DCs, and friends of GC to support recruitment efforts • Managing ongoing as well as seasonal college student organizing activities • Establishing and maintaining a niche (or several) for GC on campus that will support college student organizing efforts • Pursuing multiple strategies: • ID: Building relationships with campus decision makers that will support college student organizing efforts • IO: Building partnerships that will support college student organizing efforts, including partnerships that target diversity • IM: Enhancing visibility to support college student organizing efforts
Outreach Directors • Note: Your role will be a little different from ADs and EDs in that it is less focused on meetings/individual support of DCs and more focused on the campus at large. This may mean that your role in meetings is very different. • That said, if you are not DCing this semester, we do expect you to get into a classroom at LEAST once.
Chapter Executive Directors • CEDs are responsible for all of these and ultimately responsible for the overall goals of the chapter. • CEDs can delegate, but they need to take on direct responsibilities depending on their chapter need. • Breakouts: CED choice • CEDs should also get into a classroom if they are not DCing!
Leader Breakouts 10:30
A 15 MINUTES • EDs: As a group, read the classroom observation protocol in your handbook (Pg. 3-7) For each category, fill out the table. Indicate why the examples given would receive low/high scores, and identify at least 1 specific DC behavior in the classroom that would lead to a high score in this category and at least 1 specific DC behavior in the classroom that would lead to a low score in this category.ADs: Go through the curriculum highlighted sections with Gillian, using the Roger Williams issue as an example. • ODs: Brainstorm your team, ongoing activities, and possible niches and add to the chart paper
B 15 MINUTES • EDs: Read through classroom observation notes for one of your DCs from the Salesforce report or from your GC email. Choose 1 of the interventions you might want to implement based on the notes. Practice that intervention with your group (Pg. 9-16)ADs: Begin workshopping Kyle’s focus issue, using the format (you will have 45 minutes for this) • ODs: Using your marker, put the initials of your college next to items on any of the charts that you think would work best for your chapter. Then, based on that, choose at least 2 strategies (but as many as you want) in each category that you will pursue this semester on your campus and take those cards.
C 15 MINUTES • EDs: Self diagnose. Which one of the 4 classroom observation areas would you/do you most struggle with in the classroom? Ask another member of your group to identify an appropriate intervention for you and practice that with the group (Pg. 9-16)ADs: Begin workshopping Kyle’s focus issue, using the format (you will have 45 minutes for this) • ODs: Write out specifics and next steps for the strategy on your document. Next steps should include building your team, should involve a variety of ongoing tactics, and should be targeted towards some of the niches that you identified
D 15 MINUTES • EDs: What did you all come up with? Put it on the Weebly in the appropriate spot. • ADs: Finish workshopping Kyle’s focus issue, using the format (you will have 45 minutes for this) • ODs: Pick 2 role plays on the back of your cards (the ones that you think will be most difficult for you), and deliver to your group to practice and get feedback ( you will have 30 minutes for this)
E 15 MINUTES • EDs: Outline measurables and weekly steps and put it in your chapter documentADs: On your document: • Identify (and create) system for tracking DCs’ focus issues and tactics • Make a timeline for each of your DCs and when they are going to be on which step (approximately). Consider yearlong vs. fall vs. rotating, then • Identify next steps for staying politically informed and sharing resources with DCs • Identify measurables and other weekly steps and add to document • ODs: Pick 2 role plays on the back of your cards (the ones that you think will be most difficult for you), and deliver to your group to practice and get feedback ( you will have 30 minutes for this)
Chapter Conversations 12:00
Chapter Discussions • Each person share out what they came up with on their discussion in terms of next steps • Community Building: What are some steps we could add to make sure we are building a tighter community of DCs? • Leadership Development: What are some steps we could add to make sure that we are creating leadership opportunities for veteran DCs, and that we have leaders we are cultivating to move into our roles? • Taking stresses/pressure off DCs: What else could we do to support DCs to lessen the stresses/pressure of being DCs? • Yearlong vs. fall only vs. rotating DCs: How can we support DCs in yearlong classes differently than DCs in fall classes? Rotating classes? • Resume building: how could we connect our DCs to opportunities or people so that they feel this is building their resume? • Other retention steps: what else can we do? • Participation steps: how can we ensure participation in chapter meetings and in all the GC surveys? • CED role: what specific things can I as a CED do? • Budget: how can we apply our funds towards these goals?
Share Out • Whole group share out
Finishing Touches • Additions/modifications? • Prioritizing: let’s look at all of our next steps. Knowing that we all committed to 7-10 hours/week of GC, can we accomplish everything in that timeframe between us? What should be reduced? • Plan out exactly what steps happen the next two weeks • Plan out next chapter meeting
Next Steps 12:45
Next Steps • schedule ED, OD, AD (each will occur every other week with Gillian and possibly special guests, but should have a consistent time free to share best practices and what is going on) • GP will come to occasional chapter meetings • classroom observations: every one who is not DCing needs to go to at least one with me • CEDs: weekly individual 1 on 1s with Gillian (either a call or touch base before or after a chapter meeting) • GP may reach out to ED, OD, AD, outside of calls if there are DC problems • Each role will have a mid-semester dinner: hopefully will invite a special guest
Evaluation • One thing you thought was useful • One thing you would like to cover in future calls
Category A: Influencing Decision Makers • Strategy: Invite ______________influential professor(s)/administrator(s)/student leader(s) to be Civics Day Judges, the steps of which are__________________________Role Play: Describe Civics Day and the role of Judges, and why being one is awesome. • Strategy: Host or co-host a panel on campus, inviting ___________prominent speaker(s), the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Identify 3 possible questions you might want to ask your panelists that would generate a rich discussion and align with GC’s mission • Strategy: Reach out to ___________ personal connection(s) to get them to sign up for GC, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Articulate why GC is a better way to spend time than whatever your personal connection(s) are currently doing with their time
Category A: Influencing Decision Makers • Strategy: Achieve RSO status for next semester, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Articulate reasons why GC is different from other groups on campus • Strategy: Approach ________professor(s)/administrator(s) about GC becoming a way to get course credit, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Identify tangible results of the DC’s work throughout the semester that could be submitted to a professor as part of a “portfolio” • Strategy: Approach ________influential student leader(s) about referring their networks to GC, the steps of which are_________________Role Play: Tell a story (Conflict, Choice, Outcome) that could apply to this leader and his/her network • Strategy: Approach ___________departments(s) about partnering to more consistently involve their members in GC, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Articulate reasons why civic disengagement is a problem that students in this department should be working to solve
Category B: Influencing Others • (*make sure you are thinking about diversity) • Strategy: Approach ___________student organization(s) about becoming a formal partner, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Describe the logistics of this formal partnership: how would volunteers be recruited, what joint responsibilities would they have, and who would manage this? • Strategy: Approach ___________student organization(s) about partnering to more consistently involve their members in GC, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Tell a story (Conflict, Choice, Outcome) that could attract members of this group to GC • Strategy: Create a special opportunity for _______________ target audience(s), such as a special info session, a meet and greet, a classroom observation session, etc.Role Play: Convince your other chapter leaders and DCs to invest the time to help you make this happen • Strategy: Connect to _______________voter registration/election initiative(s) on campus to become part of what they are doingRole Play: Design a poster that you might add to a voter registration/election group table that could promote GC
Category C: Influencing Media • Strategy: Host or co-host _________event(s) on campus, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Outline a possible agenda of the event and why each part would be awesome • Strategy: Approach _______________alumni DC(s) to share their story at an event or campaign you are runningRole Play: Describe to the alum why it would be valuable to have their story, and what kind of story you are looking for • Strategy: Collect classroom stories from DCs and post on campus social media, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Describe to your DCs what a great social-media worthy classroom story would involve and how they could get it
Category C: Influencing Media • Strategy: Collect classroom stories from DCs and get an article published in the campus newspaper or an interview on campus radio, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Describe to your DCs what a great campus-media worthy classroom story would involve and how they could get it • Strategy: Put up teaser posters on campus advertising the upcoming opportunity, the steps of which are _________________Role Play: Design an appealing teaser poster • Strategy: Organize a Moment of Empowerment campaign to get random students Moment of Empowerments and put up on Youtube, the steps of which are _____________________Role Play: Explain to a random student in the dining hall what a Moment of Empowerment is and how it relates to GC
Build Your Team • Who are some people that could support you in recruitment efforts?
Recruitment is Ongoing and Systematic • What are some ongoing activities you could do in addition to seasonal?
Recruitment is Strategic • What are some “niches” that GC could fill on your campus? As a group, add to the following list: • fulfill service learning requirements for a class • provide internship credit • provide community service hours for a scholarship • part of an umbrella organization as one of the projects they connect their members to • provide an extracurricular opportunity and supportive community for freshman • provide an extracurricular opportunity and supportive community for transfer students • provide an extracurricular opportunity and supportive community for students returning from study abroad • have a consistent partnership with a particular student organization so that we get cohorts of DCs from that group (“hive” concept) • have a consistent partnership with a particular department so that we get cohorts of DCs from that department
