Suggested Activities for Junior Quota Clubs

Part of the fun of Quota is the chance to grow in a variety of ways. Be sure that the guidelines and activities for your Junior Quota Club offer that same range of opportunities for fellowship, service, and leadership development. Some activities to consider:

• Leadership
• Service
• Fellowship & Fun

Leadership
These activities are particularly important when starting a club, as they will establish the structure necessary to sustain the club. Senior members are able to provide guidance and experience to ensure that the Junior Club has a firm foundation—and a strong connection to the senior club.

• Coordinate elections.
  Encourage junior Quotarians to elect officers identical or similar to those of your club—president, vice-president, secretary/treasurer, as well as committee chairpeople. Running democratic elections is one of the best ways for students to learn about government and democracy, and the campaign process builds valuable communication skills. Making multiple offices available allows many members to take leadership roles and share in the work of keeping their club active.
  
  
• Run meetings and events.
  Suggest that Junior Quota Clubs establish a regular meeting schedule. This might involve meeting with the "senior" club, or students could hold their own meetings. Suggest that they share regular reports with you or have a senior representative attend these meetings to provide students leaders with feedback and guidance.
  
  
• Develop club bylaws and a mission statement.
  Working together to develop a mission statement and rules to govern activities is a valuable experience for junior club "charter" members, and these guidelines will provide the structure needed to sustain the club and let new members feel that they are part of an established tradition. Offer junior members a workshop in parliamentary procedures and bylaws, and work with them as they develop guidelines that are appropriate for their club.
  
  
• Manage money.
  Participating in a Junior Quota Club offers students the opportunity to build and work within budgets. A senior club treasurer can work with the club to develop a budget—determining what expenses they will have for events and club operations—to assess the revenue they'll need and brainstorm ways to generate it. The senior club treasurer can work with the junior club treasurer to teach the basic—and very valuable— accounting skills necessary to manage a budget. Suggest that junior clubs share their budget regularly for review and feedback from senior club members.

Service
Service will be a key component of a junior club's mission, and with advice from senior members who have a great deal of service experience and a broader perspective of the community, junior members will have the opportunity to do work serving communities and agencies they might never have found on their own. As you would with your own club, be sure to consider the interests, skills, and resources of the group when advising them, and keep in mind that it's often better to start small (an afternoon volunteering at a soup kitchen) and be successful than large (a city-wide volunteer day) and be overwhelmed.

• Volunteer at local agencies.
  Senior Quota members are often well-connected in their communities and are familiar with many schools, agencies, and organizations serving those in need. These well-established organizations, where volunteers receive supervision and programs are structured, are an ideal place for junior members to begin their volunteer experiences. Connect junior members with these organizations, and keep your eye out for their requests for volunteers.
  
  
• Hold fund-raisers.
  Your junior club will likely need to raise some funds for service and operating expenses. Work with them to develop simple and successful fund-raisers like candy and bake sales or collection jars. Offer them the opportunity to hold these fund-raisers at larger events held by the senior Quota club.
  
  
• Make a donation.
  Many Quota clubs make donations to local, national, and international service organizations, including Quota International's Club-to-Club Program. Encourage your Junior Quota Club to select an organization whose mission is in line with their own and make a pledge to raise money to make a donation. Knowing that the money raised will make a difference, junior members will approach fund-raisers with extra energy!
  
  
• Involve junior clubs in your club's service events.
  When planning your own events, consider ways that the energy, talents, and interests of your junior club can be harnessed in meaningful ways. If you are holding a large event for families, they might be able to provide baby-sitting services. If you are holding a fund-raising dinner, ask if they'd like to contribute a course (dessert, appetizers, etc.). The possibilities for involvement are endless!
  
  
• Offer grants.
  A great way for junior members to learn about grant-writing and fund-raising is by developing their own proposals. If you choose to distribute club funds to them, utilize an application process that requires them to develop a proposal articulating how funds will be used and the impact they will have. This is also a great way for senior members to learn about what junior members are doing and offer feedback on their communications and event-planning skills.

Fellowship & Fun

• Hold fellowship events.
  Hold regular events for junior Quotarians to enjoy one another's company, and encourage them to organize these for themselves. These events don't have to take a lot of time or money—a simple movie night or weekend brunch provides plenty of opportunity for members to enjoy one another's company. Events like these are especially valuable for clubs with deaf and hard-of-hearing members who might not have a lot of opportunities to socialize.
  
  
• Provide Quota buddies.
  Match senior Quotarians with members of the junior club to provide one-on-one mentoring, pick-me-ups, and support. The level of commitment can range from regular meetings between members to gift exchanges for holidays and birthdays to special service events and programs for buddies to get involved in.
  
  
• Invite junior members to Quota fellowship events.
  Infuse your own fellowship events with the spirit of youth! Be sure that your own club-bonding events regularly include junior members, so they not only build connections with each other, but also with the strong role models who comprise the senior club.
  
  
• Recognize junior member achievements.
  Be sure to recognize your junior members for the wonderful work they do! Consider holding an annual awards night to recognize a "Junior Quotarian of the Year" or any exceptional work that junior members have done. You might also consider having a scholarship program. No matter what method of recognition you choose, though, be sure not to limit it to a single event—constant recognition and feedback build confidence and strong relationships.