Philadelphia, PA — On February 24, 2012 HOPE worldwide volunteers who form the National Chapter Advisory Board (NCAB) and the National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC) met together in Philadelphia for the 2nd annual Servant Leadership Retreat. The theme was “Anointed: Ordinary People, Doing Extraordinary Things”—an appropriate theme for this group of servant leaders comprised of teens, college students and working professionals who are engaged full-time in other pursuits yet still find a way to give back to those in need around them.
The retreat was highlighted by a panel of guest speakers who ignited the group with passion and helped everyone reconnect with the time they were anointed for service. David Berndt, a recent graduate of the University of Florida, spoke about his non-profit endeavor called Live Cheap (www.livecheap.org) which provides creative solutions for saving so people can be generous on any budget. Ashley Perry, an accountant from Atlanta, spoke about her experience taking a 3-month sabbatical to work with a team of HOPE worldwide medical professionals in Bolivia. Andrew Carrillo, a 16-year-old high school sophomore from San Diego, spoke about his experiences serving in orphanages in Tijuana and the ongoing work that he is leading to make sure these orphans have a future.
One of the main tasks over the weekend was to craft the 2020 Vision for the HOPE worldwide Community Service Division which will inform the direction the Division will take and what goals will be set in place. This discussion focused on two main areas: Community Service (including the future direction of the HOPE Youth Corps) and Financial Support. Together the NCAB and NYAC addressed the questions: “How can HOPE worldwide provide an opportunity for every member of our supporting churches to serve the poor,” and “How can HOPE worldwide be the charity of choice for all members of our supporting churches.”
The goals that surfaced from the retreat that both the NCAB and the NYAC will address throughout 2012 are shown below.
To find out more about the NCAB or the NYAC, or to read biographies on the members, click here.
National Chapter Advisory Board 2012 Goals
- To recruit new Chapters of HOPE worldwide.
- To partner with local National Youth Advisory Council Members in order to find new ways to engage youth in volunteerism.
- To implement regional training programs in 2012 for local chapters. The regional Training programs will be hosted by each regional NCAB member and will cover topics such as Chapter Director objectives and responsibilities, reporting, volunteer recruitment, fundraising, local service projects, and serving abroad with HOPE worldwide.
National Youth Advisory Council 2012 Goals
- To multiply the Council’s impact through the advent of Regional Youth Action Groups (RYAG). Each member will identify and select one other individual within their region who resides in another city who will implement Signature Service Events in their city.
- To develop Signature Service Events to engage youth in year round service through HOPE worldwide. Two events will be planned each year: a fall event and a spring event.
- Marketing and recruitment for HOPE worldwide summer programs including the AmeriCorps Summer Internship and HOPE Youth Corps.
- Council sponsorship will be pursued to ensure the sustainability and growth of the council.