APO Spring Youth Service Day - April 20-22, 2012
It’s that time of year again – Spring Youth Service Day is almost here! THANK YOU for all of your hard work planning youth-oriented projects this semester!
Don’t forget—SYSD project reports are due May 1, 2012. You can find the report form at http://bit.ly/SYSDReportForm or on the apo.org website.
Below are some frequently asked questions about SYSD as well as some last-minute project ideas. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me!
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Spring Youth Service Day (SYSD)?
This year SYSD is being held April 20-22, 2012. SYSD is part of a larger movement called Global Youth Service Day, so the sponsoring organization, Youth Service America, sets the dates. If they don’t work for your chapter, it’s always okay to have your youth-oriented project earlier in the semester. We know that SYSD is very close to finals for many schools!
What kind of project should we be doing for Spring Youth Service Day?
Your project must benefit youth in some way. Ideally, your Spring Youth Service Day project should be organized by your chapter, should have some element that takes place on or near SYSD weekend, and should have as many chapter members (pledges and actives) participating as possible. However, if you cannot plan a specific SYSD project with your chapter or plans fall through, you may submit any project from this semester that benefits youth in some way. Both longer-term and one-time projects are acceptable.
When is the project report due and where can I submit it?
The project report is due May 1, 2012 and can be submitted online to the National Office at http://bit.ly/SYSDReportForm . (You can also find the report form on apo.org if you lose this link!) Again, while we hope that you have planned a project for SYSD, you may submit any project from this semester that benefits youth. If your chapter didn’t do a single service project this semester that involved kids, we ask that you report not doing a project. A link to that form is available from the SYSD report form.
Where can I find more information?
There is a handbook available for chapters at http://www.apo.org/site/site_files/sysd_handbook_2012.pdf with lots of information about SYSD and completing your project. Also, if you’re looking for some last-minute project ideas, I’ve included some below.
Last-Minute Project Ideas
Still struggling to find that perfect Spring Youth Service Day project? Here are just a few ideas for projects that can be done between now and SYSD:
- Collect new teddy bears for police officers to give children injured in accidents
- Make or collect donated stuffed animals or small blankets for local fire departments for children in crisis situations (such as fires)
- Build benches or picnic tables for a local playground or family park
- Hold a community clean-up day at a local park: use Facebook and other social media tools to invite your chapter and everyone’s friends to clean up a specific park or playground (multiple parks if your chapter is large)
- Create comforting pillows for children in homeless shelters
- Make blankets for children with serious illnesses through Project Linus - http://www.projectlinus.org/
- Write letters or make cards for distribution at children’s hospitals
- Create “books on tape” (or CD using microphones attached to computers) for local preschools or libraries by recording chapter members reading children's books and including a copy of the book with your recording
- Collect school supplies for low-income families or K-12 education programs
- Play games and do craft projects with the children living in a homeless shelter
- Hold a “bicycle repair day” outside a local library and help kids fix and maintain their bikes
- Have a bake sale or other quickly organized fundraiser to benefit a local youth program
- See if there are opportunities to help with maintenance or cleanup at a local youth center, Boys & Girls Club, school, or camp
- Collect gently used books for schools, shelters or other programs that serve children and promote literacy in their communities
http://www.apo.org/site/site_files/sysd_handbook_2012.pdf
http://fvgs.net/uploads/SERVICE_PROJECT_Ideas.pdf
http://www.projectlinus.org/
http://childrenshospital.umc.edu/documents/2010FundRaisingIdeas.pdf
http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/serviceideas.shtml
Thank you again for your participation in Spring Youth Service Day and all the hard work that you do for Alpha Phi Omega! Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Have a fantastic day!