Day of Action | Young Adult Engagement

YOUNG ADULT IN CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT

High school and college students are an excellent source of new ideas, energy, and passion for making the world a better place. United Ways can explore creating a task force of young people to initiate and manage an activity, and engage the power of social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc. to promote the LIVE UNITED credo.

United Way Day of Action offers the opportunity to tap into existing United Way programs:

United Way Alternative Spring Break

Founded with MTV in 2006, United Way Alternative Spring Break (ASB) engages young people in a powerful week-long volunteer immersion experience. United Way ASB has focused on Gulf Coast recovery. To date, over 27,000 hours have been donated by 400 ASB volunteers. United Way of America grew this program four-fold from year one to year two, and the volunteer hours repaid $496,541 of Louisiana's cost share with FEMA. In 2008, the program expanded to three sites - Lake Charles, LA; Biloxi, MS; and Detroit, MI - to focus on Gulf Coast recovery as well as the challenges facing many American cities. United Ways can sponsor a fundraising drive to send students from their area on a spring break experience.

United Way 10,000 Hours Show

United Way 10,000 Hours Show (10K) is a student-led, year-round effort to engage college students in volunteer service, culminating in a free concert for which the only admission is 10 or more volunteer hours to local nonprofits. This innovative program is student-led on college campuses and advised by the host campuses and United Ways. 10,000 Hours began at the University of Iowa in 2002 and grew to three additional Iowa colleges by 2006. Madison, WI, launched the project in 2006-2007, and the program is growing to several new campuses in 2008. In all, 10K has helped recruit and recognize more than 100,000 hours of verified service.with much more to come. United Ways can launch a 10K program with their local college campus.

United Way Students in Action

United Way Students in Action (UWSA) is United Way's student-led community change organization on college campuses. Based on the Student United Way model thriving at Penn State University since 2002, UWSA is at work on a variety of campuses large and small. Participating students make a difference in their communities and in their own lives by volunteering, advocating, fundraising, and leading special projects such as Alternative Spring Break, 10,000 Hours, Trash to Treasure and more. United Ways can launch a Student United Way program at their local college.