|
What is Challenge Day?Challenge Day is a non-profit organization committed to creating a world where everychild feels safe, loved, and celebrated. Our award-winning daylong experientialworkshops and follow-up programs are designed to show what’s possible by tearingdown the walls of separation, inspiring participants to create an environment ofcompassion, acceptance, and respect, and to truly Be The Change they wish to see inthe world. Our programs increase self-esteem, help shift dangerous peer pressure topositive peer support, and reduce the acceptability of teasing, oppression, and all formsof violence. Our goal is to eliminate social oppression at its roots by replacing ignoranceand fear with knowledge, compassion, and love. We then inspire youth andcommunities to Be The Change they wish to see in the world, and challenge others todo the same.Our youth programs are conducted with groups of diverse high school or middle schoolstudents and adults (approximately 25 adults or more and 100 students), and consist ofpowerful, often life changing exercises that bring forth natural leadership and empoweryouth to become part of the solution. The programs identify the hurt created by socialoppression, promote healthy emotional expression and create a forum for conflictresolution, thus helping reduce stereotypes and racial, gender, and socio-economictensions. As these youth begin to shift their energies towards positively influencing thestudent population, the Challenge Day Programs can profoundly impact the entirestudent body, their families, and their communities.We are pleased to offer these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help answer thequestions you may have about our organization and our programs. You will find thefollowing questions answered below:1. What does the program look like?2. Will Challenge Day open a can of worms?3. Can I go to a Challenge Day to experience it?4. Is it okay for parents to attend Challenge Day?5. Who Participates in a Challenge Day?6. What facilities are needed to do a Challenge Day?7. What is the first step to organizing a Challenge Day?8. What is a Circle of Change?9. What is the Be The Change Movement?10. How can the Be The Change Movement be used outside of schools?11. How do I approach a school and present Challenge Day?12. How far in advance do you have to book a Challenge Day?213. How can we keep the experience of Challenge Day alive?14. What are ways that Challenge Day can be used in Be The Change Plans?15. What other programs do you offer?16. Do you have ideas on Fundraising?17. What is the cost for the day?18. Do you have any statistics on how effective it is?19. Where does the money go?1. What does the program look like?Our main program, Challenge Day, is usually 6 hours long and is doneduring a normal school day; however, the more time we have for theChallenge Day the better. The program includes both large and small groupprocesses. The morning consists of games and activities that set norms forthe day, creates connections between the participants, and provides anoverview of the purpose of the program. We also spend a portion of themorning talking about the healthy expression of emotions, and the negativeeffects of keeping feelings inside. There is one short bathroom break duringthe morning and a 20-30 minute working lunch break (over which studentseat together and are given assignments that help them get to know eachother).During the afternoon, participants dive into the issue of social oppression andexamine the impact it has on their lives and the lives of people around them.By the end of the afternoon, participants have an opportunity to take a standagainst oppression, make amends for hurts they have caused each otherand state their commitment to creating change on their campus and in theircommunity. The day is both inspiring and awakening for students and adults.Challenge Day is most effective when it is implemented on the schoolcampus during normal school hours and not during vacations or nonstudentcontact days. Programs that run after school or on the weekendsoften have problems with recruitment. It is critical that teachers understandthe value of the program so that they do not resist letting students out ofclass.2. Will Challenge Day open a can of worms?We hope so. Challenge Day is designed to wake people up. Day after dayyoung people in our schools are dealing with the consequences of negativejudgments, teasing, violence, loneliness, and separation. Our programincorporates the Challenge Day Formula for Change: Notice – wake up tohow people are treating one another; Choose – Choose your 100% schooland life of your dreams; Act – Take action to make your dreams a reality.3Newly awakened students leave the room inspired to seek ways to contributeto the creation of a positive school environment. Challenge Day will work withschool officials to continue to empower these motivated youth in achievingtheir goals.In addition to feeling inspired, some students who are dealing with hurts, mayneed additional support. In most cases, we have found school officials aregrateful to finally identify and have the opportunity to provide these studentswith the help they need. We require that your school team have a counselorwho is excited to participate in the entire Challenge Day Program and is ableto provide any necessary follow up needed.3. Can I go to a Challenge Day to experience it?We definitely recommend participating in a Challenge Day in your area.Please note, however, that while we will do everything possible to facilitateyour participation in a Challenge Day, the decision to include adults fromoutside of the immediate school community rests solely with the schools thatwe serve. Occasionally, schools request help with recruiting adult volunteersfor their Challenge Day. In that case, we will send out a notification email tothose who have indicated an interest in volunteering in their area. If youwould like us to notify you about volunteer opportunities in your area:♥ Visit our website at www.challengeday.org♥ Go to the Get in Touch page♥ Click the email us link♥ Enter your information♥ Check the appropriate box on the form.4. Is it okay for Parents to attend Challenge Day?Not only is it okay, it’s ideal. Prior to experiencing a Challenge Day, someyouth and adults fear that having parents in attendance will have a negativeimpact on the program. We have found the exact opposite to be true. Parentswill not be assigned to the same small groups as their child. In ourexperience, the benefits associated with parent participation can have aprofound and lasting positive effect on both the youth and the parent. Manyschool officials, who have experienced the power of our programs, stronglyrecommend to parents that if they can only attend one school event with theirchild, they make Challenge Day that event.45. Who Participates in a Challenge Day?Challenge Day is about inspiring individual participants and communities toBe The Change. One Challenge Day program can serve a maximum of 1007th-12th grade teens and up to 50 or more adults. The types of studentsyou recruit for Challenge Day may vary from group to group depending onthe goals you intend to accomplish in your school/community (see #14 -What are ways that Challenge Day can be used in Be The Change Plans?).Change takes place in a larger community, so Challenge Day is a great placeto invite and bring together representatives from different areas of yourcommunity including adults from local civic organizations, law enforcement,fire departments, the Chamber of Commerce, local businesses orcorporations, community foundations/local nonprofits, and of course parents,teachers, administrators, School Board, influential community members, andpotential funding sources.A minimum of one committed school counselor must participate ineach Challenge Day in order to provide logistical support and to be availablefor follow-up with any students who may need additional support. Westrongly recommend including adults who have a role in the school orcommunity and who can provide ongoing support to the teens. While aminimum of 1 adult for every 4 teens is required, it’s great to haveadditional adults. Adults are needed to increase safety in the room, to be rolemodels, and to help keep an eye out for teens who may benefit from followupsupport. Additional adults can actually add strength and support to theimpact of the program. Without sufficient adults, it may be necessary to limitthe amount of youth in the room (something we want to avoid at all costs).6. What facilities are needed to do a Challenge Day?We need a room that can accommodate a circle of 100 chairs – 1 chair perparticipant including all adult participants, along with a handful of extrachairs. To assist with the overall flow of the Challenge Day program, it isimportant that the room be used solely for the purpose of the Challenge Daywithout any outside interruption. It is ideal for bathrooms to be located insideor just outside the room. Lunch will be held inside the room where theprogram is being conducted.Small gymnasiums and cafeterias on campus are the best options as faras facilities. During fall and spring, gym classes are often held outdoors tofree up the space for Challenge Day. During the winter or in case of badweather, gym classes often view movies in another classroom or theauditorium to free up the gym. Even though being on campus is preferable,conference rooms, ballrooms, church social halls, YMCA gyms, and otherfacilities have also worked.5If an off-campus site is used, please plan for the time and cost associatedwith transporting students from the school site. Experience has shown thatorganizing and transporting students to an off-campus site can take aconsiderable amount of time, significantly reducing the time for the programand the benefits students receive.7. What is the first step to organizing a Challenge Day?What is a Be The Change Team?If you are interested in bringing Challenge Day to your school, your first stepis to create a Be The Change Team that will take leadership in organizingyour Challenge Day event. A Be The Change Team is the driving forcebehind creating the school, organization, or community of your dreams. ABe The Change team has a minimum of three people, at least one adultfrom the school/organization (the Coordinator), and at least one student, andone other adult (staff member, parent, or interested community member whohas the time and passion).This team uses the Challenge Day Formula for Change: Notice, Chooseand Act. The team members work together to Notice – wake up to theissues at the school/organization, Choose what they want by visioning theirideal school/organization, and then Act by doing whatever it takes to achievetheir vision and create the school/organization of their dreams. One of theways a Be The Change team takes action is by creating a long-termstrategic plan – a Be The Change Plan!In creating their action plan, the Be The Change Team does the following5 steps;Step 1 - Create a long-term plan with goals based on the issues theynoticed, and develop strategies to achieve those goals.Step 2 - Prioritize the goals and create a realistic timeline forachieving them.Step 3 - Decide who is missing from the team. Who can assist inachieving these goals (i.e. principal, community members,students, persons of influence) to implement the plan? Createstrategies for recruiting those members.Step 4 - Recognize what resources are available, what additionalresources are needed (i.e. funding, meeting site, ortransportation) and develop strategies to bring in resources.6Step 5 - Put the pieces in place and put the plan into action – Be TheChange.For more information download our Be The Change Team Guide from ourwebsite: www.challengeday.org8. What is a “Circle of Change”?If you are interested in supporting more than one school, you may want tojoin or create a “Circle of Change”. A Circle of Change is an organizedgroup of adult and teen volunteers supporting multiple Be The ChangeTeams and the Be The Change Movement. The Circle of Change alsosupports the execution of the plans made by the Be The Change teams intheir designated areas.A Circle works together to “Live it, Fund it, and Support it.” The “it” includesthe Be The Change Movement, Be The Change Teams, and thephilosophies of Challenge Day. They do this by:♥ Practicing Challenge Day principles in their daily lives individually and asa group♥ Supporting one another in being the change they wish to see in theircommunity♥ Supporting one another in pursuing personal growth♥ Raising funds for the Be The Change plans and programs in theircommunity♥ Generally supporting the philosophies of Challenge day and theBe The Change Movement.9. What is the Be The Change Movement?The Be The Change Movement is a vehicle for people from diversebackgrounds and communities to work together to create the world of theirdreams. It is a movement born from the Challenge Day Program and inspiredby the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “We must be the change we wish to see inthe world.” Rich and Yvonne St. John-Dutra, the founders of Challenge Day,noticed many thousands of teen leaders and adults were feeling inspired byChallenge Day and were looking for a place to take action in their daily lives.However, many of them faced an enormous wave of hopelessness and fearthat currently exist not only in their schools and communities but are alsoperpetuated by the media. Rich and Yvonne believed that together we couldcreate a new and even more powerful wave of inspiration, hope, and love.7That wave is the Be The Change Movement. This movement brings peopletogether, linking them by a common desire to create the life of their dreamsthrough the simple choices they make every day. With millions of peoplebeing the change, there is no limit to the possibilities! Using the followingthree-step process, creating positive change is simple:Formula for ChangeNotice♥ Wake up!♥ How are we treating each other?♥ Do you like the way things are?Choose♥ Dream it!♥ What would it look like if you had the life, family, school, career, andcommunity of your dreams?♥ Create a clear vision to step into.Act♥ Do something!♥ Have the courage to do whatever it takes to bring your dreams tolife.We are the heroes we've been waiting for!Basic Be The Change Movement Principles are:♥ Identify and pursue your life's passion and purpose♥ Aspire to be your greatest self♥ Make at least one conscious, positive contribution each dayThe Be The Change Movement is made up of individuals, teams, circles,and organizations that have chosen to take responsibility to Be The Changethey wish to see in the world by acting in ways that benefit the planet and allits people. By being a part of the Be The Change Movement, they not onlycommit to being the change they wish to see, they also immediately serve asan inspiration and support to others!810. How can the Be The Change Movement be used outside ofschools?Any individual, family, community, organization, or business who is alignedwith the Principles of the Be The Change Movement and who commit totake responsibility to Be The Change, can join the Be The ChangeMovement. By joining together in collaboration, any organization can becomea Be The Change Team. By creating a Be The Change Team, groups canmultiply their power, use their combined influence as consumers toencourage businesses and organizations to redefine success and set newstandards. A Be The Change Team can form anywhere, with anyorganization and support the principles of the movement while effecting thechange they wish to see.11. How do I approach a school and present Challenge Day?Schools can be approached in many ways. The best approach is dependenton the individual school; through the teachers, counselors, parents/PTA,leadership classes, school administrators, or district level administrators. Itoften works best to approach both the PTA and parents while simultaneouslyapproaching teachers or administrators. Approaching the administration onlymay result in a top-heavy implementation strategy that can limitparent/teacher support. This is not recommended unless the personapproaching the schools is familiar with school politics and feels confidentthat internal school communication is able to overcome this approach.Showing the DVD and providing a brief overview of the program can often beenough to convey the value of the Challenge Day. Materials recommended formeeting with schools: “Teen Files: Surviving High School” DVD, programbrochures, cost sheet, and these FAQs. If you would like more than two (2) copiesof the “Teen Files: Surviving High School” DVD, please contact the office forquantity pricing.12. How far in advance do you have to book a Challenge Day?It usually takes at least two to three months to plan for a Challenge Day.Given the high demand for our programs and the limited availability of ourleaders, the Challenge Day calendar fills up incredibly fast, so we encourageyou to book days as soon as possible. Many schools we work with book upto a year or more in advance.913. How can we keep the experience of Challenge Day alive?Schools and communities around the world have witnessed the dramatic andpositive effects of participating in a single Challenge Day program. Many ofthe theories and concepts taught, and the amends that are made inChallenge Day, are remembered for a lifetime. While our six-hour ChallengeDay in and of itself can have a dramatic effect in your school and community,it was never intended to be a one-day, fix-all program. Therefore, werecommend it be a part of a larger school/community wide plan. The culturaland paradigm shifts created through Challenge Day are often sustainedthrough ongoing reinforcement in the classrooms and through the schoolfaculty and the school’s Be The Change Team. We provide each school thatdoes a Challenge Day with a “How to Be The Change” handbook withnumerous ideas and activities that can be used as a part of the Be TheChange Team Plan.The Be The Change Team Plan may include mentorship, leadership,contribution and intervention, and/or service-focused activities providedeither in conjunction with Challenge Day or with ongoing programs already inplace in the school community.14. What are ways that Challenge Day can be used in Be TheChange Plans?Since 1987, Challenge Day has been used by schools or communities inmany ways. The following are models most commonly used:♥ Showcase Challenge Day: Challenge Day can be a tool to wake up,inspire, and show a community what is possible. We usually call these“Showcase Challenge Days”. These are generally one-day events andcan be used to enroll additional support for your Be The Change Team orto assist in creating a Circle of Change. The ideal Showcase Day enrolls100 strong student leaders representing a variety of “opinion” groupsaround campus (students from various groups or cliques on campuswho have influence in their peer group). We have found that theseteens, because of their power and influence, can inspire a largepercentage of the school population by going back to their groups andbringing the lessons to their peers. The school can then use theinspiration from the Showcase day to build upon their larger plan.♥ Team Building/ Leadership Day: Challenge Day can be used to unitethe members of any group such as sports teams, peer counselors, orleaderships classes. It can also be used to bring different groupstogether, and build alliances across their differences. Challenge Day can10also be used on the city, county or state level as a conference to bringconnection and team building to the participants.♥ Legacy Model: Challenge Day can focus on a particular group ofstudents who are in positions of power. These students are thensupported by the Be The Change Team to create a “legacy” at theirschool. We recommend that this be the Junior class, with all Juniorsparticipating in Challenge Day. Then the Juniors do on-going activities intheir classes and in school throughout the rest of the year to make adifference and create the school of their dreams. We strongly recommendJuniors because they are older and therefore have more “power,” andthey have the potential to make a huge impact on the school community.Juniors will be around longer than the Seniors and so can continue tosupport the school and mentor the next Junior class. Motivated Seniorleaders can also participate as group leaders and mentors during theprogram.♥ Mentorship or Support Model: Challenge Day can kick-off a schoolmentorship or on-going support program. Older students are trained asmentors (either by their school or by the Challenge Day organization) andthen matched up at a Challenge Day with students that are usuallytargeted (this tends to be freshmen or incoming eighth graders). Thementors are then supported by the Be The Change Team to do activitiesand find ways to support their mentees throughout the school year.15. What other programs do you offer?The following programs offered by Challenge Day for adults and teens canbe used in any Be The Change Plan or for individual personal growth.Next Step to Being the Change Community WorkshopThe Next Step to Being the Change Workshop is a three-day experientialpersonal-growth workshop for adults and teen leaders that deepen the skillsand tools presented at Challenge Day. We address the underlying issuesthat create youth violence, racism, teasing, stereotyping, gender roles, socialoppression, tobacco, drug and alcohol use. We look at our own relationshipto oppression, judgments, isolation, and then we learn tools and skills toBe The Change we wish to see in our lives, schools, and communities.Living the Change (LTC) Community WorkshopThis is a three-day personal growth workshop for adults and selected teenleaders that supports participants in becoming their most magnificent selves;leadership from the inside out. Next Step to Being the Change Workshop is apre-requisite for LTC. (LTC was formerly LET or Leadership EmpowermentTraining.)11Specialized Programs and EventsChallenge Day provides adult staff trainings, retreats, conferences, keynotespeeches, and other specialized programs and events. Please contact theoffice for information on pricing and leader availability.16. Do you have ideas on Fundraising?At Challenge Day, our goal is to bring possibility and connection to schools.Our hope is by bringing an attitude of ease and abundance; fundraising willbecome a positive part of your community’s Challenge Day experience.Because much of our success in schools is due to the participation andleadership of committed teenagers and adults in the community, fundraisinggives you and your school the opportunity to reach out and involve others inour life-changing programs. Here are a few simple fundraising ideas tosupport a Challenge Day at your school:♥ Make face-to-face visits with prospective donors. Make a list ofpeople that have a passion for bringing love and acceptance to schoolsand could make a contribution to your Challenge Day program. Haveteens or adults share why they need a Challenge Day (bullying, teasing,academic pressure, etc.) with these prospective donors and personallyask them for a contribution to your program (face-to-face). You may alsoconsider sending a packet to them before your visit that includesinformation from our website, “Teen Files: Surviving High School” and“The Bully Solution” documentaries.♥ Have a small community gathering for prospective donors. Inviteindividuals that are passionate about supporting youth to a small event ina home. Have teenagers (or adults) give a presentation about ChallengeDay – including a showing of the 15-minute documentary on the work ofChallenge Day. Our office is happy to provide you with two copies free ofcharge – any additional DVDs will cost $5.00 each. The event can besimple – provide guests with dessert, coffee, and other refreshments andshare with them the end goal you wish to see at your school – love,support, and connection.We have additional fundraising ideas to share with you in the document“Fundraising Ideas to Support Challenge Day Programs Information Sheet.”When approaching donors, we strongly recommend that you provide themwith a copy of the “Teen Files: Surviving High School” documentary, theChallenge Day website address (www.challengeday.org), and the Price Listoverviews for Challenge Day programs. Fundraising for your school’sprogram is an amazing way to spread the word about Challenge Day and givepeople an opportunity to Be The Change in their community.12
|
