1. The Young Adult Opportunity
Robert Rauch
State Deputies Meeting
June 6-10, 2018

2. Why Young Adults? Our membership is aging
Young families were Fr. McGivney’s original vision
Young adults under represented in KofC
May want to discuss who are young adults are? Young Adults ages 18-35/40
Young Adults as Percent of Catholic Population
Young Adults as Percent of KofC Membership
Young Adults as Percent of Ethnic Groups (esp. Hispanics)

3. Best Practices in Recruiting Young Adults
1) Meet young adults where they are. 2) Be personal and specific. 3) Adapt approach to each council/parish.
1). Theology on Taps, diocesan young adult events, Men’s Conferences, Masses with young families, school events
2). An individual approach is best – learn about the young man and his goals and dreams and apply how the Knights can help him reach them. Listing off everything your council does won’t attract him as much as asking him what he wants and then educating him on some ways membership would meet those. Also, don’t talk down (when I was your age) – nothing turns off a young adult faster than that!
3). Even within the same town and diocese, different communities of Catholic men may be attracted to different things.

4. Best Practices in Young Adult Participation
Plan and host events of interest to young adults
Interactive service, spirituality and sacramental, family-friendly
Consider timing of events
Be open to new ways of doing things
Interactive service – not just a fundraiser and writing a check – give opportunities to do physically demanding service AND interact with those we benefit – soup kitchen, coats for kids, habitat for humanity, special Olympics, tutoring
Spirituality – men’s formation, Bible studies, holy hours confession
+ young men in workforce after college don’t have as easy a time with sacraments being available
Family-friendly – are there things that wives and children can go to, especially young children
+ not talking soccer challenge or free throw challenge
Timing
+ Are meetings and events during the work day or during bedtime? What do your meetings provide – is there really a reason a man should leave his family to come to your meeting?
+ Just because have the right type of event, does that mean they will come – nom it has to work with their schedule.
Asking young adults to plan and lead events is great, but be open to how they want to do it. One reason young people site for not being more involved is that their council lacks technology. Allow young people to try new ideas and new technologies.

5. Developing a State Level Young Adult Plan
Form a young adult membership team
Minimum one young adult per diocese
One state level chairman/director
Responsibilities of young adult membership team
Assist with Church drives
Engage young adult members/prospective members
Develop young adult chapters
Organize quarterly events (one per diocese)
Where will you find these people?
+ Many young men (Knights) attend Men’s Conferences
+ Young Field Agents (and General Agents)
There’s no added cost – these men can meet remotely (Google Hangouts) or other web-based platform. Likely they are attending these events already. Maybe they are also a DD or another Chairman too.

6. Engagement Team Support of YA Growth
Training – work with Young Adult Team and other fraternal leaders
Webinars for these teams; also on – site training
Planning, coaching & grants for young adult membership events
Resources & best practices from other jurisdictions/dioceses
Campus visits to existing and potential college council sites

7. Membership Engagement
Robert Rauch
Membership Engagement
Office:
Cell: