More and more groups of Seniors and Young Leaders are feeling inspired to organise larger projects which aim to help the lives of others and can have a lasting impact. International development, homelessness and equality are just a few of the causes which BB young people have come together to support.

Coming together to undertake a project can offer incredible benefits – to young people, good causes and also the Company itself. Young people may come from the same Church or Company, or indeed from across a whole Battalion or District. Combining talents, enthusiasm and skills from a larger area can offer a real sense of fellowship.

If you’re considering using your BB setting and your talents to start a particular project, here are some useful tips…

Projects should be…

• Challenging – something which can push both individuals and the group beyond their comfort zone
• Young people led
• Rewarding and enjoyable
• Have a lasting impact, or something beyond the short term

No two projects are the same, but there are key steps that you should consider…

• Aim? – What do you hope to get out of your project? This is normally a fixed goal that everyone is working towards.
• Location – Where is the work actually going to take place? Projects taking place abroad, for instance, will require more research.
• How? – You might have a great idea, but you need to think about how to make it a reality. You need to think about things like how are you going to fund it and whether you need any training.
• Who? – Who is going to be involved? Will older leaders need to be involved to advise? Can young people out with your area also get involved?
• What? – Exactly what is going to happen? What activities will you be undertaking?
• When? – This is where the dates come in. For some projects they will be a week or two weeks in duration. Whereas others may be once a week for 6 months. Think about when the project starts, when it finishes and all the key dates in between.
• Communication – How are you going to keep everyone up to speed with your plans? You could use email, social media or even online project management tools like Asana or Basecamp.
• Sharing your story – How is the outside world going to hear about your work? Give some thought to the likes of a blog, social media and press releases so there’s a wider awareness of your project.