Activate Your Members

How many of you have utilized the Passport to Leadership program?  Passport to Leadership is an excellent tool provided by the United States Junior Chamber to help activate your members!  In the 10 Degrees of becoming a Jaycee it walks you through all phases to ensure everyone is getting a well-rounded Jaycee experience. 

The first step in Passport to Leadership is activating your new members within the first six months of joining the Jaycees.  After completing these eight items, a new member will springboard up to being a 3^rd Degree Jaycee!  The items the new member must complete are:

1.      Attend 50% of meetings and/or projects conducted during the first six months of membership.

2.      Recite Jaycee Creed.

3.      Participate in competition or competition training program.

4.      Recruit at least one new member.

5.      Serves as an active member on a project.

6.      Attend a new member orientation.

7.      Lead Chapter in Pledge of Allegiance or Jaycee Creed.

8.      Write a CPG on a new project. 

 The Passport to Leadership form that both the new member and Chapter President must sign and date can be found at:  http://www.jci.cc/controlpanel/documents/P2L%20New%20Member%20Form.pdf.  Once completed, Chapter’s can submit the forms for Parade points to texasjuniorchamber@gmail.com.  Each new member who completes the Springboard will earn their Chapter 15 points for Parade. 

But what if you have never done Passport and have been a member for more than six months?  Individuals who are outside of their six month window must complete each Degree separately.  Meaning, you cannot ‘springboard’ to being a 3^rd Degree Jaycee by completing the above eight items.  You must complete all requirements for each Degree separately.  A breakdown for each Degree can be found at:  http://www.jci.cc/local/info/usa/ourlibrary.

If you have been a member and look at the list and say, ‘I’ve already done that!’  The U.S. Jaycees are allowing you to go back as far as 2011 and have it count towards your Degree.  If you completed an item prior to 2011, then you will have to complete that particular item again.  It’s just a great way to keep you on your toes and make sure you are also receiving the full Jaycee experience even if you have been a Jaycee for many years! 

There are three phases that encompass the ten degrees of being a Jaycee:  Involvement, Experience and Leadership.  By having your members complete each Degree and phase, you are showing them all aspects of being a Jaycee and activating them as a member of this great organization. Chapters will earn 15 points for each member who advances one Degree for Parade.  20 points will be awarded in Parade for each individual who achieves the ultimate of becoming a 10^th Degree Jaycee.

If you have questions regarding Passport to Leadership, please contact us at texasjuniorchamber@gmail.com.

Chairman’s Planning Guide 101

A Chairman's Planning Guide is a tool that the United States Jaycees have used for decades and truly is a useful tool. All Chapters need to have finished project books or Chairman’s Planning Guides (CPG) and supporting documents turned in to state within 30 days of project completion. I do realize that in a lot of cases, members who lead projects usually are helping with a lot of projects and experience over load, but that are a vital resource that need to be completed. Let me explain what all the books get the chapter with the state - recognition for not only the project, the chairman, our chapter but then when it goes onto to Nationals - State Jaycees gets awards. Not only will the CPGs be useful to future chairman and help us obtain points on a state book level; it also helps us with State Blue Chips and State & National Parade. As you can see this is very important.

Couple of tid bits - CPGs are truly supposed to be started BEFORE a project begins. Such as you should know:

1. Your Purpose

2. Description of the project

3. Who you will need help from and how to contact them

4. What supplies are needed?

5. Any preventive measures you are planning for (weather, money, volunteers, etc)

6. Proposed budget from income to what expense are

7. What is the time frame to get all accomplished?

I bet each one of you could write all 7 of these down if your project was planning a dinner at home.

1. Purpose - to feed my family

2. Description - Supper is a vital part of the daily meals

3. Who is needed: Grocery shopper ___, Cooker ____, Cleaner _____

4. Supplies: Oven, List of Food, Plates, Forks, etc

5. Possible problems & solutions: Meal burns - call take out. Grocery store is out of spinach - get lettuce.

6. Budget: $10 veggies, $20 meat - no income

7. Time Frame: Grocery shop day before, set meat out, cut up veggies, heat oven, cook per instructions, put on plates, eat, clean up.

SEE.... how easy then after the project, you complete the rest.

8. Any changes

9. Helpful hints for next chairman.

10. Any attachments.

So after the meal - the next day you would finish the next few steps; attach supporting documents and send to me so I can look it over and send on to state.

8. Changes: Veggies were on sale - saved $3. Meat was burnt on pit - ordered Double Daves. Friends stopped by - needed more food.

9. Hints for future chairman: Problem: could have saved more on dinner. Solution - coupon more. Problem - meat burnt Solution - read instructions more.

10. Supporting Documents: Attach the recipe, phone number for takeout, any pictures.

I want you to see that this is very simple and so useful. So remember to have them started BEFORE a project begins and fill them in as you go, then evaluate. Some items to remember: Supporting Documents must be included- some examples: applications, winner sheets, pictures, newspaper publications, charts for projects, SIGN IN SHEET, flyers, etc. . The more you turn in – the higher the parade points. Remember this and this is very important…. When books are being judged, they look for the fact they can take the supporting documents and the guide – read them over and be able to run the project themselves. So think of it all, put it all in there!!

 

Dian Patterson

President, Victoria Jaycees
denkerville@yahoo.com

Dian Patterson is a guest blogger for the Texas Jaycees.  If you have a topic or would like to be a guest blogger,
please contact texasjuniorchamber@gmail.com. 

 

Are You Connected?

Welcome to the Texas Junior Chamber (Jaycees) new blog!  One of President Stephanie's main focuses this year is to increase the amount of communication the State is providing the Local Chapters.  One way we feel we can do this in a more effective way is through this blog!  We hope to be posting on a regular basis to keep the members of the Texas Jaycees well informed about what is happening around the State! 

Did you know that the Texas Jaycees are also on a lot of other social medias? 

1.  Facebook Group:  Texas Junior Chamber (Texas Jaycees/JCI)  - The State's Group on Facebook where members (and non-members) can share their views on topics and let everyone know about upcoming projects in their Chapters! 

2.  Facebook Page:  Texas Junior Chamber - Jaycees/JCI - The State's Page on Facebook where we not only post our views and let everyone know what projects we are currently working on.  We also keep everyone up to date with events that are happening around the State.  If you have events you would like to post on the State Facebook Fan Page, please send the information to jayceesrd@gmail.com. 

3.  Twitter:  TXJaycees - Created just this year, we are working on developing our presence on Twitter to keep up-to-date with not only what is happening in Texas Jaycees but also with our JCI partners with Nothing But Nets, UNICEF, etc. 

4.  LinkedIn: Texas Junior Chamber (Jaycees) Group - this social media will focus more on the latest information that we find concerning career and professional advancement along with general information about the Texas Jaycees. 

5.  YouTube:  Texas Jaycees Channel - Are you looking for a great way to mix up your trainings?  We are starting to add different videos to the new Texas Jaycees YouTube Channel as another resource for our members! 

6.  Blog:  texasjaycees.blogspot.com - Get the word out!  Let everyone in your Chapter know about our new blog here on blogspot.com.  We would love guest writers to help mix it up so please send any articles or ideas for articles to jayceesrd@gmail.com

7.  Website:  Coming Soon!  The State Board is excited that we are close to unveiling a brand new website!  This website will have all of the latest news and information for the Texas Junior Chamber (Jaycees) along with integrated software to help improve our newsletters and communication with you! 

WOW!  As you can see, President Stephanie is serious in her commitment to improving communication with all members of the Texas Jaycees!  If you have any other suggestions or see that we are missing something, please let us know!  Email jayceesrd@gmail.com.

And stay tuned.....we will continue to update this blog with the latest news and information for the Texas Jaycees!