Lions Quest Europa Forum Istanbul 2013

Michael Di Maria Educational Programs Specialist Lions Quest Introduction and Overview

Why Lions Quest? It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. —Frederick Douglass

What if Lions Could… Give kids the strength to resist drugs and alcohol, and make good choices Help children develop positive skills Bring parents and communities together to support education Help children develop skills necessary to succeed in the 21 st Century Prepare the next generation of service volunteers

Lions Quest Life skills program of Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) For students from kindergarten to grade 12 Classroom curriculum that may be integrated into existing courses or taught on its own Connects school, home and community Adapted for culture concerns in each country

What is Lions Quest? Lions Quest is a research-based, K-12 positive youth development program. Responsible decision making Goal setting and accountability Positive relationships Service learning Effective communication

Benefits of Lions Quest Benefits to Youth Increasing academic achievement Building social and emotional skills Developing character Experiencing service to others Understanding responsible decision making

Lions Quest around the World Lions Quest activity in 85 countries Translated into 36 languages More than 550,000 educators trained Over 13,000,000 youth served

Lions Quest Lions Quest activity in 85 countries

How is Lions Quest implemented? Staff receives materials Progress is monitored and tracked Program is implemented in schools & community organizations Training of teachers and staff Implementation Cycle:

Where do Lions fit in? Staff receives materials Progress is monitored and tracked Program is implemented in schools & community organizations Training of teachers and staff

Benefits to Lions Lions are the Natural Partners of Lions Quest Lions Quest is a practical extension of the service ethic of Lionism Lions Quest is fully owned and managed by Lions Local Lion participation is critical to introducing the program to schools and raising funds Lions Quest educates the next generation about the value of service and goals of Lionism Increase visibility of Lionism and youth programs

LCIF Support For Lions LCIF offers three different levels of grant funding 1.Promotional Grants ($1000 US) 2.Community Partnership Grants ($10,000 US) 3.Core 4 Grants (up to $100,000 US)

LCIF Support August 2013 Lions Quest Advisory Committee Meeting 26 LCIF grants awarded for Lions Quest projects, totaling US$1,450,133. This is the largest total grant amount ever awarded to Lions Quest projects!

Lions Quest Toolkit Lions are the outside “sales force” of the program. Goal to empower and support Lions at club and district level to advocate and grow the program successfully. We want to do it BETTER.

Lions Quest Toolkit Toolkit organized into 3 parts: LEARN ACTION CONTINUED ACTION Outreach Implementation Ongoing support Learning/Discovering Process details

Lions Quest Toolkit Interactive Component: Lions Learning from Lions Roles of in-country Foundation Club involvement Raising Local funds Adaptation and translation Grant application Implementation strategies

Curriculum Revision Addressing the Needs of Today’s Youth Modernize the content Provide user-friendly, flexible options for different implementation needs Provide online/electronic options Make the program easier for Lions to both understand and sell Provide electronic files for easy translation and adaptation

Curriculum Revision Increase student involvement with more expansive student package Reduce instructor workload and management with a smaller, more strategic teacher package Reduce teacher prep time with PowerPoint presentations, whiteboard and tablet-based activity options

Energizer App To learn more visit

But it all starts with one Get one club to sponsor one school Organize one workshop to train teachers Donate materials to one classroom Start one “Lions Quest Lions Club” with teachers and parents Conduct one Lions Quest awareness workshop Are You Ready?

If you believe that education is not just during the school hours… If you believe that education must involve the entire community… If you believe that children need new skills for a changing world… If you believe that Lions have a unique role to play in helping youth… Then you can support Lions Quest

It All Starts With The First Step Learn about the program

THANK YOU!