Service Projects
What was your most successful service project?
For our Alpha Rho, it was the Women’s Resource Center Drive. We got a whole car full of donations plus $341! We also collaborated with another student organization on campus for the drive, and it was fun getting to speak with them.
In addition to money raised, service project success can also be defined as connecting with the community, other student orgs, members, trying something new, etc.
What is one way service can collaborate with other EB Officers?
Service x Sisterhood/Friendship: Plan a crafty service event (such as Color A Smile) with a sisterhood element such as snacks, decorations, ice breakers for members to bond, and more!
Service x Membership: Work with Membership to plan a service project for Service Night during recruitment week! Also consider having a smaller, crafty service project for a Meet the Members Event leading up to recruitment week.
Service x VP: After mid-semester checks, work with the VP to schedule CSB meetings with members who are short on hours to help them plan the rest of their service for the semester. This is not a punishment, as CSB is meant to help members meet chapter standards and is a great resource!
Service x Treasurer: Communicate with the Treasurer to ensure there’s room in the budget for the service projects you have planned for the semester! Remain in communication throughout the semester as situations arise that may require you to spend more money than originally expected, such as if a shipment is delayed and will no longer arrive in time for the originally planned service project.
A member knows that they have a busy semester and reach out to you expressing they’re concerned about meeting their service requirements. How do you respond?
Thank them for reaching out in a timely manner and refer them to the Vice President to discuss potential accommodations for the semester.
Offer to do check-ins with them throughout the semester to make sure they are on track, and provide them with an hours-planning template.
What is a Service Director’s go-to resource for service project suggestions, provided by Nationals?
The Service Director Manual! Located on OPAPortal: More > Files > Shared by National Office > Service > Manual.
What projects did you do this fall for the President's Project: Strengthening Families?
Our President’s Projects from the fall: Women’s Resource Center (drive & toiletry kits) New River Family Shelter Drive, Pregnancy Center Supply Drive, New River Creative Reuse Center crafting w/ kids, Micah’s Backpack, Kipps Fall Festival.
Some other ideas: Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption thank you notes or fundraiser, YMCA Healthy Kids Day
Can both Actives and New Member participate in New Member service projects?
New Member projects should generally be limited to New Members only, the purpose being for them to bond with their new member class.
It’s the end of the semester and a member didn’t meet their hours requirements. They also consistently signed up for service events that they did not end up attending. What do you do?
Let the Vice President know by how many hours the member was off. At the start of the following semester, the member will meet with CSB to discuss why they didn’t meet their requirements. This meeting would also be a good time for CSB to plan the member’s hours with them for the semester on an Excel spreadsheet.
Make it a chapter rule that signing up for a service event is binding. Ask members to text you ASAP if they are signed up for a service event and are no longer able to attend. If they do not reach out to you in advance and do not show up to the event, this would count as an unexcused absence. Consider invoking a fine if they reach 3 unexcused service absences and/or require them to make up the hour(s) for which they were signed up and missed.
On what document can you find President’s Project ideas, updated annually by Nationals?
The President’s Project Service Guide! Located on OPAPortal: More > Files > Shared by National Office > Service > President’s Project Service Guide
How do you plan 60% projects and how do you make them accessible to the chapter?
Planning: Prioritize hands-on, in-person events. Have the chapter vote. Our local constitution states that the 60% projects are mandatory. If someone is unable to attend a mandatory event, we have them submit an excuse form that must be passed by that majority of CSB. This process helps us ensure we meet 60% active participation for our 60% projects!
Accessibility: Utilize carpool spreadsheets for off-campus events! This helps ensure everyone has transportation, whether or not they have a personal vehicle. Another option is to consider the “Require Ride” option in OPAPortal when creating the service event, which won’t allow members to sign up for a service event unless they can drive or someone else has an empty seat in their car. We also make sure all of our events have accommodations available. For instance, we have chairs at all of our tabling events to prevent standing fatigue.
How do you split responsibilities with the Membership Director(s) in overseeing the New Members?
Have an open conversation with the Membership Director(s) about what you think would work. Maybe it would make sense for the Membership Director(s) to input the New Members’ service projects onto OPAPortal and for you as the Service Director(s) to log the New Members’ hours, or maybe it would make sense for you to do both.
Provide the Membership Director(s) service project brainstorming support for the New Member projects. Consider sharing the Service Director Manual with them.
You notice there are some members who are participating but not signing up for service projects on OPAPortal. You’ve been manually adding them to the calendar events, but it’s becoming overly taxing and time consuming on you as a Service Director. How do you handle this?
Make an announcement at chapter that, moving forward, members need to ensure they’re signing up for the service event on OPAPortal in order to be awarded their hours. Be transparent - it’s okay to explain that manually adding members has become overly taxing and is not feasible for you to continue! If members communicate discontentment, consider providing a brief demonstration showing how you award hours in OPAPortal. Seeing the process may help them empathize.
Where can you stay up to date on announcements from Nationals?
Emails, What’s New in HQ, Chevron and OPhiA’s Slack Channel!
You plan a 60% service project and there was a delay in the project supply shipment. The materials will no longer arrive on time. Members are already signed up for the project on OPAPortal! What do you do?
Discuss with the rest of EB to update them and check with the Treasurer to see if there’s room in the budget to buy materials for another project. Use the delayed shipment materials from the original project at a later date. Focus on the positive: Although initially stressful, this situation promotes collaboration within EB and creates an additional service project for members to participate in!
How do the New Members’ service projects differ from those of Active Members?
Service Project Approval: The Membership Director(s) are primarily responsible for planning and overseeing New Member service projects. The Membership Directors submit the New Member projects to Nationals for approval in the New Member Plan, due shortly after Bid Day. If New Members plan additional projects beyond these, since they won’t require approval from Nationals, the Service Directors must ensure that these projects constitute service and are similar to Active service projects. In contrast, the Service Directors must receive approval from Nationals for all Active service projects, including topic approval for Teach-A-Member Talks.
Service Project Requirements: New Members are required to have at least 75% New Member participation in one service project in each of the following categories: University Community, Community at Large, Members of the Sorority, Nations of the World (everything except Mental Health and President’s Project). Active Members are required to have at least 60% Active Member participation in one service project in all six service categories: University Community, Community at Large, Members of the Sorority, Nations of the World, Mental Health, and President’s Project.
It is time for Mid-Semester Service Checks and you notice a member has significantly fallen behind on their service hours. What steps do you take to extend support and accountability?
If we see a member has ⅓ or less of their service hours completed by the mid-semester point, we send them a message offering to meet with them to provide service hour planning support and include a service hour Excel planning sheet template. Even if they turn down the planning meeting with us, we still highly encourage them to fill out the Excel sheet with how they’re planning to get the remainder of their hours.
When we send this message, usually the member will write us back saying they’re behind on hours because they’ve had a busy semester. Sometimes they’ll ask for hours accommodations, which our Vice President handles.
Another consideration would be to require members to attend a CSB meeting for planning support if they’re below a certain number of hours for Mid-Semester Checks.
You are facing a challenge in your Service Director role. You’re seeking support and guidance but are unsure who to turn to. Who could you contact?
Reach out to your chapter’s EB for support and/or your Faculty Advisor at your university. The National Chapter Health Specialist and Programs Director are also great resources!