Planning for the new Aktion Club year doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start by gathering your club calendar and scrapbook from last year, flip chart paper and markers. By reflecting on past projects and accomplishments, your club can identify what worked well, build on successful ideas and set meaningful goals for the year ahead.

Follow these simple steps to create a strategic service plan that keeps your members engaged and focused:

  1. 1. Make a five-column table that everyone can see. Post two or three pieces of flipchart paper next to one another. Create a table with these five column headings (make the last three columns much wider):
    • – Service project/club activity
    • – Organizations
    • – Pros
    • – Cons
    • – Notes
  1. 2. Review last year’s activities. Use the calendar or club scrapbook to help members reflect on last year’s events. List last year’s service and fundraising activities in the first column. List organizations that helped with activities or where members donated or did service. Go down the list, asking members to think about and share what went well (pros) and what didn’t work or could be improved (cons). Make sure to record their input. Discuss which projects the club wants to continue and cross out ones your club won’t do this year. Use the notes column to record the month you might do the project and any changes you’ll make.
  2. 3. Add project ideas. Consider project opportunities your club might not be doing, including Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, the Sleeping Children Around the World initiative and activities during Aktion Club Week (the first full week of March). Write these activities on the table, adding organization partners and a note for the month you want to do the project.
  3. 4. Discuss fundraising projects. It’s a good idea to conduct at least one fundraiser each year. There are great organizations and causes to support with donations. Also, your club may need to do fundraising to cover the cost of service activities. What fundraisers have worked well in the past and would members like to continue? What new fundraising ideas do members have? Add fundraisers to the table, noting the month the fundraiser could happen.
  4. 5. Participate in Aktion Club contests. Make sure to add Aktion Club awards and contests to the service project/club activity column. Record the months your club will work on entries in the “Notes” column — we suggest starting in January. Also, add the annual September 15 deadline for submission of all entries.
  5. 6. Include club celebrations. Celebrate the beginning of the year by inducting new officers and members. See the induction ceremony script on page 27 of the Aktion Club Advisor Guide. An end-of-year celebration also is a great idea! It’s a way to reflect on completed service projects. Add these and other fun holiday gatherings (such as Halloween) to your planning table.
  6. 7. Explore project funding with your Kiwanis Club. Work with your sponsoring Kiwanis club to apply for a Kiwanis Children’s Fund grant for a service project that the clubs can do together. The Kiwanis club would need to submit the application (only Kiwanis clubs can receive Children’s Fund grants). If your Kiwanis Club agrees to apply, add this to the planning table.

When your table is finished, it will include lots of great information. Plans may change, but an annual plan will help your club set goals and keep track of the fun that lies ahead.