The Typical Group Set-up
Many wonderful programs already exist that allow women to use their talents to help others. Upon researching mother/daughter opportunities in our area… we came up short and created Chicktime in order to volunteer together doing what we love to do. Many women need their free time to bond with their own children, especially daughters. Chicktime is an answer to that need. Over the years, Chicktime has expanded to include women of all ages (with and without daughters!).
We found that the Chicktime format simply makes it easy and fun to set up new volunteer programs where they do not yet exist.
Clearly, you will find that ALL Chicktime Chapters are unique but most work on the basic premise that tapping into the passions of the members energizes the monthly volunteer events. To accomplish this, you definitely need a leadership team, we recommend three. You will also need at least 12 passionate volunteers willing to commit to leading one event per year (that way the other 11 months each volunteer gets to just show up and play!)
Let us paint a picture of a typical Chicktime Chapter:
Who: A Chicktime Chapter consists of 1 managing leader, 2 co-leaders, and a minimum of 12 core chicks, one to lead an activity each month! Most Chicktime Chapters grow to 100+ members!
*Basically, the month you volunteer to lead is the only month you have to do any leg work, the other 11 months, you just show up and have fun!
Why: Use our God given gifts to encourage the next generation to make this world a better place. If we ‘model’ our ‘gift’, the young victims we are helping (and our daughters) will hopefully grow up seeing and feeling the value, and will be encouraged to identify their gifts and use them to help others.
How: Each monthly leader identifies her gift… something she loves to do… her vocation, her hobby, or just something she would like to develop about herself. Yes, you have one. Then develop a way to teach that skill or passion to the other chicks and the children your group serves in order to encourage all involved to further develop their gifts and use them to help others.
Where: Find an organization close to your home that cares for abandoned or abused girls. Set up an appointment for a tour. If you feel a connection, find out if they are open to hosting a Chicktime group. The Chicktime, Inc. leadership team is happy to help facilitate this step. Just let us know you would like our help.
When: One day each month.
The Format: Changes depending on the number of girls you are serving. For sample purposes, this is how the Chicktime Canyon Lake program works. We serve at the New Life Children’s Treatment Center which housed 80 resident teenage girls, all suffering from sever abuse/neglect with 95% suffering some form of sexual abuse. It is preferred that we tailor our programs to last 40 minuets each with small groups of 20 girls rotating through the sessions for a total of 4 sessions. For planning purposes, each small group would include for 18-24 (including the Volunteer Chicks…we get to play too!) In the ideal situation, there are 4 program stations the girls rotate through so that all girls are engaged from 9:00am-12:00pm. The Chick Leader of the month will design and lead one of the four programs. That leader will bring in three friends to lead the other three program stations. All volunteers (other than the 4 station leaders) are simply there to show up and ‘play.’ Having enough volunteers to play with the girls we serve is so important because it communicates to them in a very real way (our time) that they are valued and important. That is the most important accomplishment of the day!
The details:
*Decide you want a chapter. Contact Lori Rhodes and share your dream. From there, we will work with you on the details of establishing your chapter.
*Gather two other women in your life who you can trust to commit to bringing this dream to fruition. The three of you will make up your core leadership team. It would be best if they had gifts you don’t possess (for example, if you are not good with money…find a friend who loves bookkeeping. If you aren’t good with public speaking, find a friend who loves to stand up in front of a crowd.)
*Decide who you are passionate about serving, set up a relationship with a charity that serves that population, and get dates on their calendar and the Chicktime.com for the next 12 months. Make the commitment!! This is probably the scariest step…but also exhilarating!!
*Establish the group of 12 chicks to lead programs and grow your group from there!
*Meet one time each month and serve together.
*Each monthly leader commits to designing a program one month out of the year. She is responsible for developing her program, confirming the date, working with you to create the invitation, bringing the core group of volunteers needed to run her programs. She is responsible for all materials for her program. We suggest monthly leaders fundraise from friends and family for their events if her ideas are grander than her budget. Most children’s homes have materials available that are very powerful in telling the story, which helps with fundraising. We also recommend the chapter allot a small amount of money each month for programs when needed.
*If chapter members can’t make it to all of the programs, that is okay, Chicktime is guilt free and we all know how busy everyone gets! The goal is to have enough volunteers to make the events fabulous, and that typically just happens by grace!
*Invite your friends to join you and find out what Chicktime is all about. Once they see how easy it is to serve (and how fun) they may be encouraged to step out in faith and find a place to plug in…maybe they might even start a new Chicktime Chapter!
*Always remember, Chicktime, Inc. is here to help HOWEVER and WHENEVER you need us!!
