Volunteer Fundraising Guide

Volunteer Fundraising Guide

Welcome to the world of fundraising

Let’s be honest: Fundraising can be a real challenge.

What many people don’t know is that fundraising can also be a lot of fun and a truly rewarding experience especially for youths.

Fundraising need not be viewed in a negative light.

It is part of any non-profit work.

If you can get past the feeling that you are raising the funds for yourself, and instead consider that you are raising funds in order to provide much-needed help to others (while learning lots yourself along the way), then you should feel proud - practically morally obligated to help people part with their money for a good cause.

You can turn the activity of fundraising into an opportunity not only to inspire others about your upcoming experience, but to educate them about needs and issues in the developing world.

You will be amazed by how many interesting people you will meet who will support and applaud you, not only financially but also in spirit.

The more people you invest experience in, the more value it has not only to you, but to others. Mak e that part of your fundraising mission.

Successful fundraising takes a combination of creativity, planning, hard work, tenacity, and a sense of humour. Just keep in mind that a significant percentage of World’s volunteers raise all or part of their program fee from fundraising activities, so you can also do this. And in fact volunteers often report that the work they put into fundraising before they left added value to their overall experience.

Getting Started with fundraising

What to do Ask for money - straight out, every time you meet or write to a potential donor. It is easy to talk about the program. Let the donor know that you expect something more in terms of making an impact in the world and in the lives of others through his/her support. Be up front about it, and go ahead and ask.

Believe in your product. You are committing a significant period of your life to an outstanding cause: the education of others and of yourself. Be sure to convey your energy and excitement to your donors. Give the donor concrete reasons for why you think your time, effort and work will be a valuable experience, both for you and for the people you will work with in your country or overseas. Your enthusiasm and commitment will help the contributor understand how important this is to you, and how valuable the work you will be doing will be.

Learn about your destination country. Gather all the information you can about your country-of-service including its history, its education system and how you will be helping to support it, the culture and geography, and specifics about the YPWC program there. Use and promote the YPWC website - www.ypwc. org - as a source of information for both you and your potential donors.

Suggest a specific amount to each donor. Donors will probably not know the amount you actually need to raise, and will find it easier if they do not have to choose a figure on their own. Do your homework and ask for an appropriate amount that matches each donor’s resources.

Remember that people want to support you, and many don’t know how they can help. Giving money should be a mutually rewarding experience. You benefit from the funds; the donor can receive something too, besides the satisfaction of giving to a worthy cause. Draw your donors into the experience. Many volunteers find that their donors are excited about the opportunity to get involved in something they themselves never had a chance to do.

Network like crazy, even if you don’t particularly like the idea. Ask people to refer you to other people who might be interested in what you’re doing. The more people you contact, the larger your giving and support base will become, and the more people you are able to involve in your experience. Meanwhile, incorporate YPWC and/or your country-of-service into every conversation.

Have fun, even if you are worried about the results. A year volunteering overseas is an amazing experience. Raising funds should bolster your enthusiasm, and not detract from it.

What Not to Do Don’t wait. It takes more time than you realize for people to think about your request and make the decision to help you. Keep in mind that you need to raise the money to cover your participation fees and other costs before you depart for your experience. Start fundraising now!

Don’t be discouraged when someone says “no.” Don’t take it personally or let initial disappointments deter you. You are likely get a few “no’s” before you get that first, golden “yes.” It can take a lot of requests to get just one positive response - but one positive response usually leads to another, and another, and another and so on and so on.

Basic Principles of Fundraising

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People give to people You will have the most success with people who are peers, or people you are some how associated with.

Alumni write to other alumni, athletes to athletes, club members to other club members, youth clubs to other youth clubs etc. Even if some of the people you ask don’t know you personally, try to establish something in common with them, and they will feel a greater pull to give.

Remember the cause

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Ask for amounts that are realistic Be sure to do your research before asking donors to give money. Don’t ask a $10 donor for $100.

Make every gift, however large or small seem really important.

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The money you are raising is for example to contribution towards the costs of replacing a badly needed volunteer in an under-resourced school in Ghana or a developing country. When you appeal to funders, remember that this will not only be a great experience for you but it is also helping to improve educational opportunities for those overseas.

You can’t thank a donor too much Thank you letters should be sent within 24 hours of the receipt of the donation. You should also reply to those people, groups or institutions who do not grant you a donation as well, thanking them for their consideration. It’s just good manners.

Educate your donor about your program Even if your prospective donor is an expert in the field, don’t assume they know about what you are doing, or what your goals and plans are. Take the time to tell them.

The Target Figure It is important to know how much you will need to raise which will depend on where you’re going, and the kind of lifestyle you plan to have there. Here is a worksheet to help you calculate your potential costs:

YPWC Program Fee*

$ ___________________________________________

Spending money for the program ($1000-$2000 is usually recommended*)

$ ___________________________________________

Transport from your home to the departure city and back $ ___________________________________________ (domestic add-on)

Medical exam, tests, immunizations (if not covered by your insurance)

$ ___________________________________________

Clothing, equipment and supplies you will need to buy

$ ___________________________________________

Passport application fee, documents, mail, etc.

$ ___________________________________________

Expenses you will have at home while you are gone (if any)

$ ___________________________________________

TOTAL FUNDS NEEDED

$ ___________________________________________

NB: * Take note of Tax and amount of money you need. The amount will depend on the lifestyle you choose to lead while abroad, how often you plan to travel, to eat out, to communicate with home, etc. Year-long volunteers receive a living allowance. This allowance is equivalent to what a local teacher makes in your destination country, and should be enough to cover basic expenses if you live according to the local standard of living. If you wish to travel during breaks and some weekends, plan to take more spending money. Talk with returned volunteers to get a better idea of how much spending money you might need.

Before you go any further

Now that you’ve calculated how much you need to raise, figure out how much you will be able to contribute yourself. It looks much better to prospective donors if they know that some of your own funds are going towards the cause as well.

Figure out how much you can earn before departure, and add it to the amount you can contribute from your personal savings. Subtract that from the total amount that you will need for the year. This way, when you approach funders, you can say, “I have already contributed X-amount of dollars, but volunteering overseas is expensive, and I need to raise X-amount more.”

The First Step The hardest part may be just getting started! How to begin, where to go, who to call - these all seem like daunting hurdles at the beginning. One volunteer once likened fundraising to learning to dive:

“The longer you stand and stare at the water, the worse it becomes...the more apprehensive you feel. You just have to dive in.”

Understand and accept that fear and anxiety are natural feelings but that you can still take action while you learn to deal with these emotions.

Part I: Direct Solicitations One good way to start is to sit down and brainstorm a list of individuals and institutions that you can pursue for funding. Many volunteers find it helpful to make two lists; the first for their peers, classmates, teammates, and others who will only be able to contribute between $20 and $50. The second list could then be comprised of former teachers, professors, coaches, doctors, advisors, supervisors, employers, friends of your parents, and others who may be able to contribute $50 or more. You can then prepare a letter for each group. The letters may be similar in content, perhaps one a little more formal than the other, explaining your plans and asking for their support. You can also follow up your letters with a phone call, especially to those who are likely able to give you larger amounts.

Below are some ideas of sources to which you can apply for funding. If you decide to conduct a direct mail campaign, you may want to include a pledge card, and, again, it’s always a good idea to follow up with phone calls. Remember, the more people you approach, the greater your chances for success.

1. Your College or University Many colleges and universities have money available for students who want to pursue public service work. In addition, there may be people at your university who may be interested in contributing to your project overseas. Administrators, professors, advisors, proctors, chaplains, and coaches may all lend support to your fundraising drive.

l Find out if your school offers any formal fellowships or grants for students interested in traveling and/or doing public service work overseas.

l Ask the President or Dean of your college for a contribution from his or her discretionary fund.

l Contact the African, Latin American, or Asian Studies department. Talk to everyone you can about funds that might be available to you.

l Meet with people at the Internships and/or Study Abroad Offices. Ask for their support, or their ideas for funding.

l Go to your school newspaper, your athletic teams, your residential college, your dormitory, your fraternity/sorority, and any clubs in which you have been a member. Ask the president if there are any funds available. If there aren’t any central funds available, you should consider soliciting your fellow members through direct mail or some kind of event.

l Have a Party. In the right kind of setting, a big party involving your college contacts can raise a lot of money. If you decide to try this, attempt to get donations of everything you will need, including space, food, beverages and music, so that all the proceeds will go towards your goal.

Success Story To raise money for My trip to South Africa, I took advantage of my crew team mates who where from Britain and working with me in a forest reserve in Cameroon. Later with permission from District Officer in charge of the reserve, I fell and sold dead trees from the forest to nearby bakeries and some household. I recruited some community members to do the transportation. At the end of my six months field work, I had earned $2500 towards my fee. Then my family contributed for my airfare and travelling allowance.

2. Your Church, Synagogue or other Religious Organization The church, synagogue, or other religious organization in your hometown, or at your university, may have funds available for members of the community. If you are a member of a church, synagogue, or other religious organization, ask for assistance from whoever is in charge. Many churches have money available from a centrally administered fund. They might also allow you to ask for direct donations from the congregation.

You can ask your minister to make an announcement at weekend services about your involvement in YPWC program. Sometimes, you can make the announcement themselves, addressing the congregation about your hopes and plans for the year that lies ahead. You may also want to add a note to the newsletter that circulates to all the members of the congregation, or post an announcement on the bulletin board.

In the right circumstances, you might offer to set up a “sister church” relationship with a church overseas or locate a small development project for the church to support.

l If you are headed for Ecuador or Costa Rica, where the vast majority of the population is Catholic, the Catholic diocese may be a good place to start.

l In Namibia, many volunteers work at schools on Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran missions. If you are headed for Namibia, you may want to arrange some kind of letter or other exchange between your school and a church or Sunday school class back home.

3. Other Schools or Learning Institutions Many high schools, junior high schools, and even elementary schools, have special funding set aside for their alumni. Arrange a meeting with your old principal to discuss any available sponsorship from your school. Offer to guest teach for a week when you return, or to speak in assembly or school chapel services. You may also want to consider linking your old school with to the school where you will teach during your time overseas.

Alternatively, go to your old elementary school and talk to the principal about working with the kids to support your work abroad. Perhaps in exchange for a $3 contribution from each student, you can come back after a year teaching elementary school in a different country and give an assembly on what it’s like to be in 3rd grade in another country, or what 5th grade is like in Ghana. It’s a tiny donation from each student, but they benefit tremendously from the exposure to a new culture you would offer. Plus, if there are 30 students in each class, 2 classes in each grade, and five grades, the total contribution would be $900 for a one-hour presentation you wouldn’t even have to do until you returned.

4. Family and Friends No one enjoys asking their parents for money, especially if they have just finished college and their parents have contributed significantly to their tuition.

Despite this, your parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles and other extended family members can all be excellent sources for contributions. As with any potential contributor, if you can convince your family that you are making a responsible decision to spend a year or semester teaching overseas, and if you involve your family in your preparations, they may be more willing to support you. Take advantage of any family reunions that are planned. Make a formal presentation to request support from your family and pass the hat.

Or, ask those from whom you expect to receive birthday, Christmas, or graduation gifts to instead pledge a gift of money toward your volunteer fee.

Or, if you don’t want to ask for money outright, sell “subscriptions” to a regular newsletter that you will send, either in hard copy of via email, while you are abroad.

5. Print Media Write an open letter to the editor of the paper or local magazine describing your project and asking for support. Or approach the newspaper’s editor individually about helping to sponsor you in return for regular, publishable letters from you. You can also contact radio and television stations and offer to send “reports from the field” or give interviews in exchange for their sponsorship.

Even if you come from a big city, there is probably a smaller newspaper serving your neighborhood or suburb.

These smaller papers are more likely to be interested in your project. Make sure that any such letters or articles for publication first be cleared by YPWC in order to ensure accuracy.

Let your college alumni magazine or newsletter know about your plans for your year abroad. This is a way to get the message out to your classmates and other alumni that you will be communicating with for a year or so. It may also end up being a great way to drum up extra fundraising support.

6. Community Based Organisations l Ask your Chamber of Commerce about local civic groups (Rotary Clubs, Lion’s Clubs, minority and cultural affairs groups, etc.) in your area. Ask the president, or, better yet, a friend who is a member, for an opportunity to make a presentation before the group. l Often a service club or sports team will sponsor a community event. These events are excellent opportunities for you to make a plug for your cause. If the organization publishes a program for the event, you could submit an article describing YPWC and asking for support. l A local senior center might love to hear about your adventure upon your return. Offer to do a slide show and talk on your travels and experience when you get back in exchange for a small donation from each member – multiple small donations add up fast.

7. Corporations Many volunteers ask about corporate funding. Most big corporations have foundations that do not give grants to individuals. Small companies, however, may be able to contribute to your fundraising campaign. The volunteers who have had success fundraising at corporations have solicited funds either from their former employers or from small, local stores and companies. l Many companies have resources to make matching gifts - programs in which they will match a donation given by an employee or former employee. Ask your parents/friends/relatives if their company has such a matching gift program, then check the eligibility and application requirements. l Solicit funds from local businesses. If you are still a college student, try to get support from the stores and restaurants that you frequent the most. The extra publicity you offer may be of enough value to them to make a donation to your year overseas.

Helpful Hint: Target those stores and businesses where you have a personal contact or that may share a common interest with the YPWC program

PART II: Activities and Events One of the most enjoyable elements of fundraising is thinking up creative events to help you reach your goal. The best approach to event planning to is to think of an activity that you really enjoy, and find a way to raise money doing it. With a little planning, you can use sports, music, drama, comedy, or almost any other means to help you raise money. (But be careful - don’t spend more money on the event than you are sure to get back!). l Have a Party. Make sure the invitation explains the purpose of the party, so that your guests know ahead of time that they are expected to contribute, if only a little. At the party, make a speech about your goals for the upcoming year, and then pass a hat to ask for contributions. Have some material on YPWC available for people who want to learn more about the program. l Run, swim or bike in a race or from one state to another. Get sponsors for every mile that you complete.

Persuade a friend to join you. l Organize a walk-a-thon or dance-a-thon. l If you’re artistic, sell some of your artwork. Have a special event - a Gallery Showing featuring nothing but your work - and invite everyone you know to come bid on your art. l Hold an ice cream fest and invite your friends. Ask a local store to donate the ice cream, and charge your friends an “admission price.” l Hold an auction of donated goods or something that you have made yourself that is truly unique - like a quilt featuring squares of scenes or fabric patterns of your country-of-service.

PART III In-kind donations In-kind donations are gifts of services or objects rather than money. Many potential donors won’t give cash, but might contribute something else. Many expenses you will incur can be covered by in-kind donations. l Approach a travel agent or airline about donating either your airfare or a ticket to the gateway departure city. l Ask someone you know who travels a lot to transfer frequent flyer miles to you. l Ask a doctor about providing immunizations and other health work free. l Approach a local bookstore about donating books or supplies that you might need. l Ask “gear” stores or catalogue companies to donate clothes and other supplies.

Part IV: Grants A few international organizations and foundations may make grants to for different programs. For more information, contact the organizations below.

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Giving Back One of the ways to improve your chances of success is to find something you can offer your donors in return for their support and to involve them in your experience. l Either right before you go or just after you return home l Place your donors on an email list server you can send monthly “newsletters” to, describing your adventures in the field. l People will love the updates. l Offer to make fliers or posters for local businesses that donate to your program, l If you get a group of local businesses to support you, send an editorial to your local paper describing your program and thanking them for supporting you. l If you get a restaurant to donate to your program, offer to bring back local recipes from your placement country you could even email it while you’re abroad, and they can offer their cultural cuisine with an explanation of their humanitarian donation. l Get a local senior center to donate as a group and offer to do a slide show of your trip and experience when you come back. If you know you can get one good slide show and presentation together, you can pitch it to multiple organizations. Think small donations from multiple members. l Offer to bring back small handicrafts for everyone who supported you.

Beware getting in over your head. If you promise something, you have to deliver, so mak e sure you can follow up on your pledges.

But also, think before you embark on a labor intensive project to raise money – one volunteer attempted to sell hand-knit hats to raise her fee, and was quickly frustrated and discouraged by how long it to ok to mak e each one.

Set realistic goals!

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Sample Letter 1 Letter to Community Organisation or Local Business

Mr. or Ms. Donor President, of Bush House 123 Money Street Any town Cameroon 12345 Dear Mr. and Ms. Donor: My name is [Joanes Teacher] and I have just been accepted to be a volunteer for YPWC, a non-profit organization in Ghana that offer internship placement under their programmes and also offer places for volunteers in under-resourced communities in Ghana I will be traveling to [Ghana] in just five months to {teach English]. As an YPWC volunteer, I will be teaching English in a secondary or vocational school. Knowledge of English is very important to Ghana’s development plans. For many students, it is required to find a job or qualify for higher education. By helping to improve the standard of English instruction, I can contribute to Ghana’s development, give some people a better chance of getting a job, and on a very small scale, help increase understanding and awareness on the part of Africans of this beautiful and deserving continent.

As you may have seen in the news recently, Ghana has undergone some painful economic transitions. Ghana faces serious problems including a huge foreign debt, rising inflation, and increasing poverty and unemployment. The education system cannot meet the needs of the population, especially with so many other challenges that must be faced.

As with any such undertaking, there is a cost involved. Because I have long been familiar with your leadership role in the [business] community, I am asking you to consider sponsoring a portion of my costs. The cost of my placement, training, air travel, insurance and field support for the year is almost $5,000. My goal is to raise half of this amount through my own friends and family, and the other half through the support of community based organizations such as yours.

I would be happy to come to a meeting [of your club’s officers] [with you] and explain a little more about the program and my reasons for needing assistance. I would also be happy to give a presentation to your group upon my return from my teaching assignment overseas or send you a newsletter while abroad.

Thank you for considering my request. I would be very grateful for your support and know that I would make you proud of your investment. I will contact you in the next week to further discuss this opportunity with you.

Sincerely, Joanes Teacher

Yes! I want to help!

Please accept my support of the success of [Joanes Teachers] in Ghana. I am donating _____$50

_____$100

_____$250

_____$500

_____other

towards this effort! Please send my receipt for this tax-deductible donation to the address on my check or to __________________________________________________________________

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Sample Letter 2 Mass Mailing to Friednss/Family

Dear Friends: I am writing to ask for your support with a project I’ve become involved with and is very important to me. I have recently been accepted as a volunteer for YPWC, a non-profit organization Ghana that places volunteers as teachers in schools in developing countries. In just over three months, I will be traveling to Namibia to teach in schools which do not have enough teachers.

As you may know, Namibia is still struggling to catch up after suffering for so long under the apartheid system. Since independence, the Namibian school system has been completely restructured. Virtually all curricula have been rewritten, the medium of instruction changed to English, and the English courses totally revamped. YPWC volunteers take part in all facets of this relatively new education system, with some teaching mathematics, science, or English in secondary schools, and others working as resource teachers at primary schools, training other teachers, or working on community English teaching projects involving adults On a continent torn by violence and war, Namibia stands out as a peaceful, functioning democracy. This atmosphere of peace and cooperation has allowed Namibia to concentrate its resources on basic needs, and educational reform has been a top priority. It would mean a great deal to me to be able to be a part of this exciting process of improving educational opportunities in Namibia.

During my stay I will receive a small living allowance from my school, enough to cover basic expenses while I serve as a teacher for the year. However, getting there won’t be easy, since the cost of volunteering on an international scale is significant. The cost of my placement, training, air travel, insurance and field support for the year is almost $6,000. I am trying to raise the entire program fee through extra work hours, grants, and a spring break fundraising event, but I also need your help. A donation from you would help make it possible for me to contribute what I have to offer to Namibian students. I will send a newsletter home to all of my sponsors. With southern Africa so much in the news, you will have a unique way to follow events there as they unfold.

Checks should be made out to YPWC, and marked for me on the memo line. All donations all tax deductible, and YPWC will send you a receipt once they receive a check.

Please feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions, ideas, or even if you know anyone who might be interested in this project. Thank you so much for helping make this experience possible for me.

Sincerely, [Your name]

Yes! I want to help!

Please accept my support of the success of [your name] in Namibia. I am donating _____ $20

_____ $25

_____$50

_____ $75

_____$100

_____$200

other: $ _________

towards this effort! Please send my receipt for this tax-deductible donation to the address on my check or to _______________________________________________________________________

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Sample Letter 3 Letter to individual newspaper editor

Mr. Editor Daily Press Ghana Any town, Ghana 12345 Dear Mr. Newspaper Editor I am writing to you with a proposal for a series of articles for the Daily Press.

I am a native of Any town and have attended the University of Accra. This fall, I will be traveling to South Africa to spend a year teaching French in a village school.

South Africa faces many challenges: the legacy of apartheid, dealing with refugees from the long-standing conflict, and the devastating effects of the HIV virus. South Africa also lacks qualified French teachers. Education is a way to help South Africa address all of these challenges, and schools there are eagerly seeking outside help. Teaching is important to me personally because I feel it is the best way for individuals to make a positive contribution on a personal level.Under the auspices of a non-profit organization called YPWC, I will live and work at a South Africa school, teaching French and other subjects to South African middle and high school students. I also hope to get involved with efforts to help prevent the spread of AIDS in the region by volunteering for other local organizations.

My proposal is this: I would like to contribute a regular “Letter from South Africa� to the Daily Press. I think that the experiences of a Ghanaian who is actually living in South Africa and interacting daily with Namibian people might be of interest to your readers, especially since I grew up here in Any town. Unlike business people, reporters, and diplomats, I will be living and working closely with South Africa communities and seeing a side of South Africa that is not always visible to most tourists and casual travelers.

In return, I would ask that the Daily Press help me cover part of the cost of this experience. Although my school will be giving me housing and a small living allowance, I have to raise funds in order cover the cost of airfare, insurance, training, and placement. This totals nearly $6,000 for the year. My friends and family are contributing $1,500; do you think the Daily Press can match that contribution?

A short writing sample is attached to give you an idea of my style. I will call you in one week to discuss this proposal in more detail.

Thank you for your consideration. I hope I will have a chance to talk with you soon.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

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Sample Letter and Pledge Card

Dear Friends: I am about to take an extraordinary trip, and I wanted to see if you want to come along.

In August, I will be departing for China, where I will be a volunteer Community worker with YPWC, a non-profit organization that places Community workers in developing and transitional countries like China.

YPWC volunteers in China serve two main purposes - they share badly needed community development skills with Chinese, and they serve to help keep the lines of person-to-person cultural contact open during this critical time in modern Chinese history. While still a relatively poor country, China has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. However, amidst this sweeping cultural and economic transition, the country’s political structure has undergone little significant change since the days of Chairman Mao in the 1960s. Even in the Post-Deng Xiao Ping era, the Communist Party retains the final word on politics in the People’s Republic.

While there are plenty of paid positions available to expatriates in large cities in China like Beijing or Shanghai, going to a “forgotten” area like Yantai as a volunteer fits my own personal philosophy and approach to cultural and educational exchange. However, that commitment to volunteer also comes at a price - almost $5,000, in fact. That is what it will take to pay for my airfare, insurance, training and support while I’m in country, and that is why I’m asking for you to join me on my journey by supporting my fundraising efforts.

In June, I will be running the City of [Any town] Marathon - exactly 26.2 miles long. I am asking you to support me in my “Run for China.” I would like to ask you to consider pledging [$xxxx] per mile that I am able to complete of the marathon.

All contributors will receive regular updates from me while I’m in China. (You see, I really do want you to come along and share the experience, even if from afar) Please detach the pledge card below and send it to me at the address appearing on the reverse side of the card. Your sponsorship is a tax-deductible donation and YPWC will issue you a receipt for you upon request.

THANKS.

“RUN FOR CHINA” PLEDGE CARD Good luck, [your name]! I agree to sponsor you in the amount of $___________ for every mile of the marathon that you complete.

Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________ Email: __________________________________________

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YPWC Fact Sheet

Contact Information

Full-time Staff Vision

Postal Address: Young People We Care (YPWC), P. O. BOX SN 369, KUMASI.GHANA. Email address: info@ypwc.org Phone: +233-20-8278216, +233-242970908

Office Location: 462 SOUTHWESTERN BYPASS, PATASI ESTATE, KUMASI.GHANA

Four (4) Our vision is to provide a ‘youthful voice’ that seeks to address the numerous challenges facing leaders of tomorrow by effectively using young resourceful minds to influence the course of global policy formulation and development in a consistent and harmonized manner Our mission is to:

Mission

l Educate and inform the youth on global issues; l Inspire youth to take action; l Encourage youth participation in global issues; l Identify and build sustainable partnerships aimed at youth development; l Provide young people with tools and resources for effective action.

Young People We Care (YPWC) is a youth led and youth focused organization that is headquartered in Ghana and has satellite offices in the UK and Canada. The organization is operated by young people (ages 15–30) and adult allies working on youth and development related issues worldwide.

What is YPWC

Our mission is to educate and inform the youth on global issues, inspire them to take action, encourage their participation in global issues, identify and build sustainable partnerships aimed at youth development and provide young people with tools and resources for effective action.

Our vision is to provide a ‘youthful voice’ that seeks to address the numerous challenges facing leaders of tomorrow by effectively using young resourceful minds to influence the course of global policy formulation and development in a consistent and harmonized manner.

Our philosophy is that through informing, inspiring and engaging youth in learning partnerships, they will be inspired to get involved and take action to improve their local communities and change the world. YPWC in this direction supports youth action, creates the platform for youth to translate what they have learnt or desire to do into action while at the same time involving youth in decision making and key developmental and global issues.

History

YPWC was founded by a Michael Boampong. At age twenty, Michael took a gap-year before attending University to pursue my dream of creating a non-profit organization to inform, educate and empower young people to change the world. With little or no funding, many said it would be impossible but the existence and achievements of Young People We Care (YPWC) have proven otherwise.

Please visit us at: www.ypwc.org to know more about YPWC and its accomplishments.

Programs

l Global Sister School and Group Network l HIV/AIDS l Leadership Forum l Millennium Development Goals l Youth in Migration and Development

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Postal Address: Young People We Care (YPWC), P. O. BOX SN 369, KUMASI.GHANA. Email address: info@ypwc.org Website: www.ypwc.org Phone: +233-20-8278216, +233-242-970908, +233-246-182423, +233-244-973166 Permanent Physical address: 462 SOUTHWESTERN BYPASS, PATASI ESTATE, KUMASI.GHANA

Created by: Joanes Toulac Jang - National Partnership and Information Officer Development Aid from People to People Headquarters (DAPP HQ Malawi) P.O.Box 2732 Blantrye, Malawi Email: joanesjang@gmail.com Michael Boampong - Executive Director Young People We Care (YPWC) P O BOX SN 369, SANTASI-KUMASI.GHANA Email: michael@ypwc.org

Designed by: www.kuljitjutla.com