Planning Specific Programs Resources

There are specific steps for planning a successful and exciting program.  Remember, in order for an activity to successfully provide the results that you are seeking it must meet a need and it must be exciting.  So, every activity has to be planned with these two criteria in mind.

Steps for purposeful planning.  Remember the five P’s: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance

1.    Choose the activity

2.    Determine the results that you want to achieve

3.    Select the age group that will be involved.

4.    Briefly develop an outline to follow

·         Ice Breaker – an activity to involve people as they arrive.  It is important that everyone feel comfortable as they come into the activity area.  Plan to involve those who are normally by standers or watchers instead of participants.  Make sure there are no clicks or fellowship groups in the program.

·         Mixer – always have an activity to mix the boys and girls together.  Mix up the social groups and involve everyone in the mixer.

·         Activity – parties and fellowships should have games, skits, music or entertainment.  Banquets should have programs that are interesting and exciting.  There should still be an ice breaker and a mixer at the banquet.  Try to involve everyone in some phase of the planning of the banquet.

·         Spiritual Emphasis – every activity should always have some kind of spiritual emphasis.  It can be a devotional, film, speaker or group presentation.  Make sure the activity meets the goals set at the planning stage.

·         Close and Dismissal

5.    Things to organize

·         Activity Location

·         Activity leader

·         Program

·         Program leaders

·         Theme

·         Decorations

·         Promotion

·         Refreshments of food

·         Cost if any

6.    Committee assignments

·         Planning Committee – Chairperson, and subcommittee chairpersons

·         Program committee – subcommittee of the planning committee.  Responsible for planning the program, recruiting the program personnel  and supervising the program activities

·         Decorations committee – subcommittee of the planning committee responsible for planning the decorations, purchasing the supplies, recruiting people to decorate and supervise the decorating.

·         Promotion committee – subcommittee of the planning committee responsible for planning the promotion, creating the promotion ideas, recruiting people to promote the activity and to see that all promotion is done properly and on time.

·         Food and refreshment committee– subcommittee of the planning committee responsible for planning the menu, preparation and serving of the food and refreshments.

·         Supervision and Transportation committee– subcommittee of the planning committee responsible for adult supervision, chaperones, leaders and transportation.

The youth committee oversees all youth activities, but, will need additional committees to help with fellowships, parties, banquets, picnics, fun trips and other activities.  One committee could be in charge of all fellowships for the entire year.  Parties, banquets, camps, retreats and trips will need a committee for each event since they are larger in scope and require more detailed planning and preparation.  Youth can be a part of these committees but the majority of the members should be interested adults.



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