CAMPUS AND YOUNG ADULT ENGAGEMENT

Throughout history, young people have led efforts to change communities and advance the common good. Today, students and young adults are key volunteers, advocates, and fundraisers in the United Way movement.  And they will be leading the way into the future.  By 2010, the generation of today’s young adults – the Millennials – will be the largest in United States history.  Working together, United Way, young adults, college and university campuses, and communities LIVE UNITED. 

United Way Day of Action is a great opportunity to start working with young adults or showcase the work you already do.

Students and young adults can play a powerful role as both organizers and participants in United Way Day of Action.  Consider these five tips and then check out the Education, Income, and Health sections above.

1. Go where they are: Students on a college campus already are organized into classes, clubs, and teams, letting you reach them efficiently.
   
   -  Present at large summer classes to recruit participants (classes sometimes require or give extra credit for service)
   
   -  Reach out to existing groups such as fraternities and sororities, student government, etc
   
   -  Hire a student intern to help coordinate logistics, manage communications, and more (sometimes course credit or just putting it on their resumes is all the compensation students need) Social Media and eDay of Action: Youth and young adults know social media as well as anyone.  In 2008, 69 United Way Causes on Facebook engaged more than 20,000 young people.  Check out eDay of Action ideas here and get students involved to help.
   
   
2. Give – students don’t always have a lot of money to give, but they are energetic fundraisers for reaching out to friends and family, their staff and professors on campus, etc.  Also consider high volume, low dollar fundraising such as trying to raise $1 for every student on campus.
   
3. Advocate – students are powerful champions for a cause they are passionate about.  Enlist them to speak at classes or community events, canvass on a corner, or write letters to the editor about a key community issue.
   
4. Volunteer – students and young adults are active volunteers, particularly favoring service that involves younger youth, such as being a reading tutor or leading athletic activities to improve health.

In addition to United Way Day of Action, students and young adults can be year-round champions for advancing the common good, too.  Student United Ways are student-led community change organizations on college and university campuses.  From Penn State University in Pennsylvania, to Florida State University and University of Florida, to Brigham Young University in Utah, Student United Way invites campuses and communities to LIVE UNITED.  For information on how to start Student United Way, contact geny@unitedway.org. 

To learn more about Campus and Young Adult Engagement efforts, check out www.liveunited.org/campus.