CRY America Volunteer Leaders Guide to Action Center Growth and Sustainability Last updated May 2013

Action Centers are a vital part of CRY America Our volunteers form the core of CRY America. Together, they form volunteer chapters called Action Centers (AC’s), each contributing in whatever way they can with the goal of impacting the lives of underprivileged children. Our volunteers come from different walks of life. They are students, professionals, homemakers, retirees and people working in various capacities. Volunteers work among their friends, family, colleagues & local community to create an awareness about the situation of underprivileged children and help harness resources (financial and non-financial) for the cause. Each Action Center is led and managed by an Action Center Leader and a committed core group of volunteers.

Key Activities of Action Centers Volunteer mobilization through recruitment, retention, motivation. AC sustainability built through AC leaders and AC core groups with clearly defined responsibilities & quarterly events. Revenue generation through event planning, organizing, sponsorships, publicity. Participation in CRY America national campaigns and events. AC website development, maintenance, online community building. Media outreach and improving CRY brand/ AC name recognition. Student outreach, engaging local University/ College students. Community outreach and partnerships with local associations, organizations, businesses, like minded community groups. Maintenance & submission of AC Accounts to CRY Accountant. Coordination with the CEO, National Volunteer Leader and the National AC Leaders community.

Volunteer Motivation & Appreciation contd. Focusing on Volunteer Motivation is key to growing your Action Center. Here are some suggestions on AC Meetings: Plan Action Center Monthly Meetings ahead of time - Try meeting in person once a month. If meeting in person is not possible, try using video conferencing and Google hangout. - Regular meetings can be held fortnightly via teleconferences. - Set a clear agenda for the meeting & focus on the main points. - Keep the meeting duration 45 mins to 1 hour max. - Share CRY project & children’s impact stories. - Organize a CRY America Quiz for volunteers. - Share CRY America national updates & events. - Share event stories from other Action Centers. - Join national level campaigns & events.

Monthly Meeting Agenda : AC Meeting Example -Welcome to New volunteers -CRY America & CRY AC Introduction - Past event update - Upcoming event planning & allocation of responsibilities among volunteers - Appreciate/ recognize jobs well done by volunteers - Media and Student Outreach Update - CRY America national event/ campaign update - CRY America Quiz

Sample CRY America Quiz 1. When were CRY & CRY America founded? Ans: CRY was founded in 1979; CRY Am founded in What is the full name of CRY America? Ans: CRY, Child Rights and You America Inc 3. What is the UNCRC? Ans: United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international treaty signed by 191 countries that sets international guidelines for the basic human rights of children 4. What are the four basic rights guaranteed to children by the UNCRC? Ans: The right to development, protection, survival & participation 5. What is CRY America’s vision? Ans: A happy, healthy and creative child whose rights are protected and honored in a society that is built on respect, dignity and justice for all. 6. What is the CRY America website url? Ans: 7. Name 3 India Projects supported by CRY America? Ans: Visit 8. Name 2 US Projects supported by CRY America? Ans: Visit 9. How many Action Centers does CRY America have? Ans: CRY America currently has 20 Action Centers 10. What are the child labor statistics for India? Ans: India is home to 17 million child laborers, the highest in the world

Allocation of Action Center Roles & Responsibilities Allocation of roles and responsibilities to core group members is key to growing and sustaining your Action Center. Here are some essential roles for you to consider: 1. Action Center Leader 2. CRY Walk Lead 3. Accounts Lead 4. Action Center Online Lead 5. Volunteer Mobilization Lead o Volunteer recruitment, motivation, loyalty building 6. Community Outreach Lead o Media & Student outreach, Partnerships with other non profits like NetIP 7. Events Lead o General or for specific events like CRY Dinner, CRYket, Holi, DJ Party etc. 8. You can add other roles that you need!

Allocation of AC Roles & Responsibilities contd. Action Center Leader: - Action Center annual direction, plans, budgets, reviews. - Ensure Action Center sustainability through building a strong core group of volunteers. - Ensure growth of the volunteer base through new volunteer acquisition. - Ensure motivation/ loyalty building & social bonding opportunities amongst existing volunteers. - Action Center events planning, event promotions and allocation of responsibilities. - Ensure growth of Action Center revenues through scaling up of events from year to year. - Ensure AC Monthly meetings, AC Google group. - National interface – CEO, Volunteer Leader, Accounts. - Media outreach, Student outreach & increased CRY/ AC name recognition in the local community. - Financial accountability & reporting for the AC.

Allocation of AC Roles & Responsibilities contd. Action Center Walk Lead - Close Walk event date, venue, insurance, local walk committee. - Start AC Walk Online pledge drive & registrations on the “CRY Events module” 3 months in advance. - Ensure 8 to 10 local Fundraisers set up “My FR Page”. - Maximize publicity, attendance and revenues for event. - CRY Walk Tabling at multiple community events, with event registration & new volunteer sign up sheets. - Edit national Walk materials with AC event details. - Ensure Walk teams, Student outreach, Media coverage. - Ensure Kids activities at the event. - Manage Walk T-shirt orders for timely delivery. - Snack/ Beverage donations by local shops/ businesses. - Event sponsorships and Corporate matching donations. - If you are adding a “5k Run” – trail, timers & prizes. - Connect with the National Walk Lead & VA Manager.

Allocation of AC Roles & Responsibilities contd. Action Center Accounts Lead - Revenue collections (online & offline) and recording of revenues as per CRY America’s accounting systems. - Event expense payments, with expense supportings. - Maintain CRY AC accounts spreadsheet. - Accurate & timely submission of money, donor information, expense supportings & event spreadsheets to the CRY Accountant 3 weeks post event. - Resolve accounting, banking, receipting issues for AC. Action Center Online Lead - Set up and manage AC Event pages & online revenues on the CRY Events module & My Fundraising Pages. - Maintain AC page on CRY website and Facebook Group. - Manage Volunteer registrations & updated databases. - Promote AC events on Facebook and CRY Blog.

Allocation of AC Roles & Responsibilities contd. Volunteer Mobilization Lead - Growth of volunteer base through new volunteer acquisition (eg: through event & tabling sign ups or volunteer get volunteer drives). - Retention, motivation, loyalty building for existing volunteers. - Activities to keep volunteers engaged & socially bonded. - Recognition & appreciation of volunteer efforts. - Be the voice of volunteers to the leadership team. Community Outreach Lead - Student outreach – Universities, Colleges, High Schools. - Media outreach - TV, radio, publications, online sites. - Write newspaper articles, blogs, talks at other events. - Partnerships with NETIP, SABA, AAPI, TIE etc. - Organize “local community day” (eg. visit inner city school). - Increase CRY/ AC name recognition – spread the word. - Lead CRY Tabling/Booths/Talks at other community events.

Allocation of AC Roles & Responsibilities contd. Action Center Events/ Cricket/ Holi Lead - Finalize AC Event plans with AC core group. - Close event date, venue, insurance, committee. - Start the online publicity early through the CRY Events module and set up My Fundraising Pages where possible. - Maximize event publicity, attendance & revenues. - Media coverage and Student outreach for all events. - Identify Corporates & local businesses for Event sponsorships through volunteer contacts – lead pitches. - Help AC Accounts Lead close the event accounts – revenues and expenses. - Appreciate & recognize jobs done well. - Maintain connection with national events lead and the Volunteer Action Manager.

Growing the volunteer base is vital to sustaining your AC – volunteer acquisition needs to be a focus through the year. More active volunteers enables the AC to organize more events and larger events. Some ways to get new volunteers: Volunteer get (new) volunteer drives. CRY Tabling at other community events. New volunteer sign up sheets at all AC events. CRY Talks at local Universities/Colleges. Request for new volunteers through Facebook. New volunteer recruitment Ads on volunteermatch.org. New volunteer recruitment fliers at Indian restaurants, grocery stores & office cafeteria’s. Growing the Volunteer Base

Scaling up Events is key to growing & sustaining your AC: Volunteers like and need action! They enjoy organizing & participating in events compared to only attending meetings. With each successful event you will get more volunteer & donor sign ups! Chose events that interest your core group and which will also work for your local community. Plan at least 2 to 3 events each year. We have guideline documents, publicity material & people to help you! Certainly include the CRY Walk event. Add a couple of events like Holi, DJ Party. Add Cricket & the CRY Dinner as you grow. Finalize event dates, book venues and identify your event leader at least 3-4 months in advance. Scaling up Action Center Events & Revenues

Try and annualize your events so that you can build on your Action Centers achievements, learnings & strengths. Be part of a CRY America national event series, specially the CRY Walk! Ensure that your Events Lead is supported by a core team with clearly assigned responsibilities. Ensure an early start to online publicity through the CRY Events module, My Fundraising Pages & social networking sites. Have your event publicity materials (posters, flyers etc.) ready – contact the Volunteer Action Manager for this. Tables/Booths at other community events are a great way to promote your events. Send motivational s to your volunteers for jobs well done. Scaling up AC Events & Revenues contd.

Identify and follow up with Corporations and local businesses for event sponsorships. In kind donations such as food, printing, venue, t-shirts are a big help. Just ask! Stay connected to the National Volunteer Lead, National Events Lead and the Volunteer Action Manager for support, guidance, to share in your experiences and learn from other AC’s. Student outreach: - Contact the Indian/Asian Student Associations at local Universities, Colleges, High Schools. - Invite them to participate in events, as “Teams” for the CRY Walk and in considering starting a Student Chapter. - Connect them with our Volunteer Action Manager for speaking engagements and/or info booth opportunities. Media outreach: - Contact local TV, radio, newspapers, publications. - Contact local online news & community events websites. *Good luck and don't forget to turn in timely accounts! Scaling up AC Events & Revenues contd.

Overview of a popular AC Event : CRY Walk 2013 CRY Walk for Child Rights 2013 – key elements & check list Early start to planning & organizing leads to success – 3/4 months in advance: Finalize your AC Walk date, venue, insurance & Walk Leader. Form your local walk committee & allocate responsibilities. Start your Walk page on the CRY Events module & get 10 Fundraisers to set up their individual pages. Edit the Walk fliers, invites, press release for your AC. Event publicity & promotions: Tabling & booths at multiple local events. Online publicity through the CRY Events module & Facebook. Offline publicity – fliers at local shops, restaurants, offices. Invite local personalities to lead the physical Walk. Outreach activities - Media & Students & Corporates: Teams of 8+ walkers get their name/ logo on the T-shirt - Teams can be formal or informal groups – student groups, corporate teams, clubs etc. Invite the media to attend & send the press release to them. Reach out for event sponsorships to companies, restaurants, businesses – money, materials, snacks. CRY Signature – include Kids Walk trail & other kids activities.

List of Popular Action Center Events CRY America National Event Series: CRY Walk CRY Dinner CRY Cricket/ CRYket Tournament DJ/ Karaoke/ Mixer Evening Holi event Other Action Center Events: Volleyball, Basketball, Bowling Music Concerts – local bands Dandia/ Garba Evening Movie Screenings Food Festival/ Stalls CRY America Booths and Stalls

CRY America’s Vision: A happy, healthy and creative child whose rights are protected and honored in a society that is built on respect, dignity and justice for all. CRY America’s Mission: To enable people to take responsibility for the situation of underprivileged children, especially Indian, and so motivate them to seek resolution through individual and collective action thereby enabling children to realize their full potential, and people to discover their potential for action and change. CRY America’s Values respect for human dignity collective action inclusiveness transparency accountability non violence secularism CRY America’s Vision, Mission & Values

As quoted by our Volunteer Leader “ We were all children once, many of us have children today. In many ways our childhood made us the people we are today. The love and affection we received from our parents and elders, the security of a nice home, an education that helped unlock our potential, the teachers who inspired us along the way – all influenced our character and shaped our personality. Imagine not having any of that and for no fault of yours. Just because you were born in circumstances where your parents couldn't send you to school even though they wanted to, where you had to work to support your family when you should have been playing or studying. There are millions of children who are left behind for no fault of theirs except to be born in conditions where there is little chance of their potential to be achieved. Let us do whatever we can to help these children experience what is rightfully theirs – a normal childhood”. Apoorv Agarwal - Detroit

Contacts for Action Centers Sol Garcia for Volunteers, Action Centers & Events support, guidance & Sujay Saha for Volunteer Action Growth plans/budgets, New initiatives, Facebook guidance & permissions, CRY Walk Mahtab Taraporvala for main website changes, press releases & communication Vivek Rao for Events module Anu Saini for CRY Cricket event related Monica Kharkar for Corporate partnership possibilities, Sponsorship templates & CRY Dinners Joanne Hull for AC Accounting, Banking process, formats & Apoorv Agarwal for Exec Comm matters & CRY America Growth Strategy/Goals Shefali Sunderlal for CRY America Plans, Reviews, Grants, Speaking