Rocky Mountain RYLA

Visioning/Long Range Planning Committee Meeting:  11/04/10

 

In attendance:  Peggy Halderman, Heather Amen, Rolando Cuadrado, Jim Hoops, Patricia Fiske, Bill Rubin

Unable to attend:  Mat Matson, Kevin Farrell

Location:  Daniels Fund – Denver, Colorado 

Meeting called to order at 5:00 p.m.

 

Per Heather Amen’s motion, the committee agreed to use the frame work established by the committee that consolidated the visioning workshop ideas formulated at the Visioning Session in Fort Collins, CO on September 25, 2010.  The key statements are represented below in bold as Roman Numerals number I through V.

 

This committee’s purpose is not to focus so much on the methods and details of achieving those goals but to identify critical directions for the Board and key sub-committees to focus on which will help create healthy growth in the organization

 

Key areas that need to be addressed to reach the vision of 2015:

 

1.     There needs to be a focus achieving clearly stated goals and purpose in the conferences.

2.    RMRYLA needs to define clear processes for its organizational governance, which may include but are not limited to how Board members are chosen, how the Board functions, how decisions are made; i.e. how conference chairs are selected and what their responsibilities are including communication with the Board.

3.    RYLA should focus on creating an environment for young people to really connect and change.  The direction should include a move from the prescriptive to one of encouraging and allowing.

4.    Organizational growth should include emphasis on Rocky Mountain RYLA’s reputation, practices, etc. but not solely on the size of the organization or the conferences.

 

 

RYLA/YRYLA:  LEADERSHIP FOR YOUTH BY YOUTH

 

I.      RM RYLA creates youth leadership conferences (FOR YOUTH BY YOUTH)

a.    RYLA Training Institute

b.    Consultant committee/team of “first responders”

c.     Continued/organized/purposeful ambassadors to other RYLA or leadership programs (and funding for that)

d.    An article in The Rotarian Magazine every year.

e.    Large population of Rotary members applying to be SC’s

                                                i.     Follow up with applicants

f.      Additional training for youth in:

                                                i.     Group facilitation

                                              ii.     Public speaking, etc.

 

II.    RM RYLA produces these events for and by a diverse population of youth through collaboration with Rotarians?

a.    Keeping selection of conferees at club level

b.    With club selection guidelines that are clear and followed

c.     Training to Club RYLA selection committees and chairs

d.    The organization may want to look at applying for grants from other funding sources and then have the participants/conferees that attend the RYLA conference filled by a Board committee.  This could especially be true if the focus is on diversity

e.    Follow through with conferees after conference including visits to the Clubs, ongoing projects, communication and mentoring

f.      Leadership for youth by youth – process for JC staff to report to the Board.  In addition, look at the process by which the youth staff are encouraged to take emotional and organizational ownership of their participation. 

 

III.  RM RYLA expands and improves its impact using current and effective programming, training, and methods of evaluation.

a.    Metrics of impact. 

b.    Clear labeling of objectives for the conferences

c.     What is the purpose of evaluating results?

                                                i.     Institutional history

                                              ii.     How are the measured impacts utilized?

d.    Committee process for setting up the program(s).  Currently it is up to the chair to organize the programs.  Do we want to set up a system to support the chair via committee and Board to evaluate and assist in the program setup for each conference?

 

IV.  RM RYLA employs consistent guidelines when selecting participants, staff, and board members.

a.    STAFF

                                                i.     More comprehensive training is needed at all staff levels to ensure consistency and effectiveness;

                                              ii.     More effective training needs to be established

                                             iii.     Training session for new chair with former chairs

                                             iv.     Term limits for SC’s?

b.    HEAD JC’s:

                                                i.     Guidelines selection of head JC’s

1.    Training session for new head JC’s

c.     PARTICIPANTS:

                                                i.     Standardized selection process for participants

                                              ii.     Club to follow through w/conferees

1.    Presentations to the clubs

d.    BOARD MEMBERS:

                                                i.     Commitment to service/expectations

                                              ii.     Engagement

                                             iii.     Selection & recruitment

                                             iv.     Training of board members

                                              v.     Diversity – value of and embracing – quality people!

                                             vi.     Selection criteria

                                           vii.     Nominating process

                                          viii.     Non-Rotarians on Board?  JC’s, etc.?

 

V.    RM RYLA continually increases its participant capacity and Rotary involvement, and engage an active alumni network

a.    Systems in place to contact former conferees & JC’s, and an active committee to do outreach to alumni to continue the support of the program

b.    Committee on RYLA conference expansion

c.     Marketing to Rotary

                                                i.     District Conference break out session (MAYBE NOT)

                                              ii.     Program at PETS/Zone Institutes (MAYBE NOT)

 

In wrapping up the strategy session, each committee member in attendance stated their key areas of concern and focus:

 

Heather Amen:  Leadership for youth by youth!!  She wants a committee to discuss what is RYLA, what are the parts that make the magic/what they do, what pieces need to continue from year to year?

          

Patricia Fiske:  Training (Dave, Craig, Patricia to mentor Junior)

Rolando Cuadrado:  Growth/Expansion

Bill Rubin:  Governance (is cool)

Jim Hoops:  Training and governance (organizational assessments)

Peggy:  Organizational assessments

 

The next step is for the Board to identify key sub-committees to deal with the above areas of focus.  The recommendation would be for a Board member to be on each sub-committee with key non-Board volunteers who have knowledge and commitment to RM RYLA as committee members. 

 

 

CHAIRS – WHO/HOW TO SELECT; TO WHOM DOES EACH REPORT???