Action Step 2: Make a plan

Working with your group, it is important to make a plan for action. It may take a few meetings of just discussing the possible projects and issues they address before you decide on a project and make an action plan that works for your group. A clear plan is better than a hastily put together one, so take your time on this first round of planning.

Choose a project.

So you know you want to start a project to take on an issue of global concern, but no single person or group can take on the entire world’s problems and be effective. This part may be difficult for your club. Some members will feel very strongly about certain issues. As you go through your decision-making process, remind yourselves and the club that one benefit of being part of New Global Citizens is that there are many other clubs out there working on issues. The point isn’t for each of us to take on everything—it’s for everyone to take on one thing.

A list of the current available projects can be found on the Project Finder on the New Global Citizens website. New Global Citizens works in partnership with local communities, non-governmental organizations and social entrepreneurs to find and develop effective grassroots projects with lasting impact. The projects are developed directly from the experiences of the people “on the ground.” With their local knowledge, they are fully aware of the challenges that face their communities and know the best way to address them. By working in partnership with leaders living in the middle of these challenges, New Global Citizens’ projects result in lasting, positive change.

To help you decide what project to take on, think about these questions:

What issue do you think is most critical?

What project inspires you to do something?

What issue makes you the most angry or disturbed?

What would be an exciting campaign for your group to be a part of?

What would make other people excited and interested in helping with your project?

What would interest your larger community?

What do you think your community should know more about?

Is there a large immigrant population from a specific region of the world in your school/neighborhood? Did a group from your school recently take a trip to another country (for choir, sports, exchange, etc.)?

As a group you will need to pick one project from the Project Finder to work on together. The ideal way to choose a project is to have consensus, or a general agreement among all of the members of the club. In order to achieve consensus you will have to take into account everyone’s opinion and hear their reasons for choosing their particular favorites. If you can’t all agree 100%, try to get as close as possible. It is important that everyone feels good about the project choice, as all of you will need to work together to maximize your impact. But remember that no matter which project your club picks, you are all still working to help the world in some way or another.