So you’ve heard about Global Day of Service‘s Changemaker of the Year award, and you’ve decided to go for it. Excellent!
Our Changemaker of the Year will also be honored at the event, flown out to San Diego at no expense and awarded a monetary scholarship to use toward their project of choice or toward higher education. Anyone who pledges community service hours during the eligibility window will be nominated for this honor and potentially be chosen as the recipient. To be considered for Changemaker of the Year, please submit your pledge by March 10, 2020. At the Closing Ceremony on April 4th, we’ll tally all of the community service hours completed and honor all participants, near and far, for their commitment to giving back.
Read on for some tips on how to make your application stand out!
#1: Choose something you’re passionate about.
Whether it’s logging hours at your local animal shelter or creating a unique fundraiser for a non-profit, do you! Students who feel excitement about and a connection to their service project are more likely to feel a sense of satisfaction…and to continue long term. Extra points for creativity! Your passion will shine through your application. Use those feels to your advantage!
Still not sure what to choose? Check out the resources below to find an opportunity for community service in your area.
VoluteerMatch.org
JustServe.org
HowToHelpInMaine.org (Maine residents only. This page was created by GLA alum Zoe Siegel!)
#2: The more details, the better!
We want to know EVERYthing! Be sure to include the “5 Ws”:
- Who are you helping? Are you volunteering by yourself, or as part of a group?
- What did you do? Be specific with your verbs; “volunteered” or “helped” may not cut it. (Try “planted”, “created”, tutored”, “donated”, “organized”, “baked”, etc.)
- Where are you volunteering? Include the name of the organization and the location (town) if applicable.
- When did you / are you volunteering? Is this an ongoing project, or one-time deal? If you have been doing this type of work for a while, when did you start?
- Why did you choose this project? Is it something you’re passionate about? Something your family supports together? Convenient location? Let us know!
#3: Follow up
After your project, let us know how it went! What did you accomplish? How did you feel after the fact? Photos or video are helpful but not required. You can send any follow-up to marketing@experiencegla.com before March 10.
