December: Recruitment for Youth Programming

Mar 11

Our December event brought together approximately 30 folks, representing 17 different organizations (see full list of organizations in attendance below).

Tasty Food Denver Program

Check out the Tasty Food website HERE to see where and when they are serving youth!

And if you would like more information about bringing their program to your organization, please reach out to the Health Initiatives Administrator, Andrea Garcia Schoelzel at andrea.garcia@denvergov.org

The barriers/gaps to recruitment for programming that were identified:

Retention
Incentives (both to young people and families)

E.g.: Drop-in days vs. daily attendance (some organizations are unable to offer drop-in days)

Connection

How can we meet young people, and families, where they are at?

Belonging- how to create an environment where all students feel like they belong and matter?
Cost- Do we charge a minimal amount to create “buy in” or provide no cost programs
Organizations are feeling push back from schools when trying to offer programs in DPS.
Transportation: how do we get students into our space?

Safe pick up and drop off

Social capital

How do we create a space that kids want to come to?
“word of mouth” is often the most effective marketing strategy for youth programs, so you need to be a place that youth tell their friends about.

Relationships

Staff turnover can make it hard for young people to build necessary relationships with staff
New staff don’t know where to start with recruitment: No training currently identified

Strategies for engagement were broken down into three groups for consideration:

Strategies for Caregivers

Communicate in multiple languages
Use organization data to tell a compelling story
Ask current care givers to promote/recruit other care givers for the program (e.g., set up a table at a school or a community event, etc.)
Host parent volunteers and/or shadow sessions
Host family events
Extend program hours to meet families’ needs
Create a parent support group or community advisory board comprised of parents (and community members)
Consider culture when recruiting and communicating
Parents night out
Host parent education classes based on their interests/needs (e.g., technology courses, etc.)
Communicate the benefits of the program clearly (e.g., supports academic growth and supports mental health)

Strategies for Youth

Social media platforms---youth are constantly on their phones…how do we capitalize on that?
Offer relevant and desired incentives
Ask current youth participants to recruit

Bring a friend…get an incentive (or just bring a friend!)

Loyalty cards (e.g., come to a certain number of program offerings and receive a gift card, etc.)
Take home activities (e.g., Girls Inc., “think-out-side-the-box” kits)
Leverage alumni to recruit
Ask youth to table events, speak, etc.
Newsletters
Lunch drop-ins
Hand out flyers and/or create QR codes
Put stickers on youth in elementary school with a QR code
Take advantage of free field trips for youth and their families (e.g., free days at Zoo, DMNS)
Leadership and skill development opportunities

Strategies for Community

Social media posts
Strategically posting flyers in the community where youth and families gather
Block parties
Bright by Text
Chambers of Commerce
Join another nonprofit board
Be visible in the community (attend community events, etc.)
Hire folks that live in the community
Create a community advisory board
Map organizations in the community and collaborate together to holistically support families and provide mutual support…leverage each other’s strengths!

We also identified things that organizations can consider and dig a little deeper on when utilizing strategies for recruitment and retention. When an issue is identified ( e.g. transportation) how can we “dig a little deeper” to investigate why the challenge persists and what can be done to eliminate it?

Think outside the box (e.g. Girls Inc)

Have we considered every option?
Can we be innovative?

Meet youth “where they are”

What do they want/need?
How can we foster a sense of belonging?
Consider struggles, motives and lifestyles

Professional learning/support for staff to hopefully increase retention, but also to help ease the effects of staff turnover
Youth for Youth (incorporate youth voice in decision making)
Events (e.g. “Parent’s Night Out”)
Have a list of non-profits in your community

Community mapping to support pipeline.

We emphasized the power of collaboration and being supportive of each other, so in the spirit of connection, here is a list of all of the organizations that were represented at the event:

Struggle of Love Foundation

Cross Purpose Denver

Brotherhood Haven

Life-Line Colorado

Girls Inc of Metro Denver

From The Heart Foundation

Scholars Unlimited

The Salvation Army

Youth Seen

Boy Scouts of America- Greater Colorado Council

Denver Public Schools- Extended Learning & Community Schools

The Butterfly Pavilion