[Template] Connecting your student club to local outreach: the first step is an email

So, you've started a club. You have a meeting area, you have regular meetings, and you like what you’re doing. Chances are there is a local charity in your area doing similar work or working for a similar cause. There's a big chance they could use some help, especially if they rely on volunteers. There are all kinds of activities that you could consider for your club, with commitments ranging from a couple hours per month to a couple hours per week. Since every group is different, you'd pick the option that excites everyone the most. Once you have a group in mind, you need to reach out and contact a program administrator. Sound daunting? Here is a simple template to get you started.

Template

Hello Program Administrator [use name if possible],

My name is [name] and I am a current [year] in [name-option] high school. I noticed that you are active in the local community/online, and I’m [interested in starting a club OR the president of the _____ club] at my school. We are all looking for some extracurricular activities to enrich our education as we prepare for college, but we wanted to find something that really meant something to us. We were hoping you feel the work you do could benefit from some more dedicated members, and we wanted to reach out to understand what your needs might be.

We would like to *[write letters for elderly patients] [twice a month] and would like to discuss with you the specifics regarding this. I look forward to hearing from you soon! If there is any work that we can do, either typing responses or even helping your group carry things, please let us know.

Sincerely,
[Name]
President, [name] Club

*Having at least one specific suggestion, or several listed, is a great way to give the other person actionable information. Even if they say no, they may give you a suggestion for something they do need. Also, make sure these ideas are not copy-paste and are specific to the work the group does.

Keep in mind that this is the hardest part of your package – getting someone to recognize your little group in the beginning. This is where tenacity will prove critical; someone will say yes to your group, but it may take some a lot of time and definitely some effort. Be ready to have this email sent out to a lot of people because each organization has different needs and there is no guarantee that they align with yours. Divide the work in your group if you have one, but start out with finding a list of emails for local groups or big national groups with online opportunities. Send out the same email to as many groups as you can knowing that most will ignore you. You can expect to send out anywhere from 50 to 100 emails before you find that right group, but again, as an underclassman, you will have more than enough time to find an organization receptive to your offer of help.