No More Homeless Pets Forum
January 3, 2005

Engaging the Youth in Your Community

How can you capture and direct the idealism and enthusiasm of young people to help animals? Patrick Kwan of Student Animal Rights Alliance and Carol Shiveley of Oregon Humane Society will discuss the advantages of involving youth volunteers and offer advice on recruiting them.

Introduction from Patrick Kwan:

At the Student Animal Rights Alliance (www.defendanimals.org), we know the unique positions held by youth in their schools and communities present great opportunities for them to speak up for animals. We also know if young animal advocates are given the support and empowered with the skills and knowledge necessary to organize in defense of animals, they do -- and with great energy and passion. We know this firsthand from our experience of being young organizers for animal rights ourselves and bringing together over thousands of young animal advocates in the last three years.

Many nonprofits have effectively implemented youth outreach and mobilization strategies to build their organizations through campaigns, media opportunities, fundraising, and more with youth. I hope to explore some of these strategies with you and find out more about what your organization may be doing to share with other groups during this week in the No More Homeless Pets forum!

Introduction from Carol Shiveley:

Youths we work with at the Oregon Humane Society are eager and willing to make a difference for animals. They often have the support of parents, teachers and other mentors who work with us in partnerships. We teach youths of all ages by directing and molding their already eager, inquisitive animal loving minds. Our in-shelter opportunities include the entire summer filled with weekly day camps, Service Learning for teens, Juniors for Animals Clubs, Teens for Animals Clubs, and tours. Our outreach educational opportunities include our Annual Statewide "Be Kind to Animals" Poster & Photo-Story Event, School Presentations and related directives on School & Senior Projects. We would love to help you do the same.

Questions

Ensuring youth are enthusiastic and productive
Getting youth interested in the 'dirty work' of animal rescue
How minors can get involved when shelters have age limits for volunteers
Where to find youth volunteers
Examining liability issues with youth volunteers
Scholarship and award programs for activist youth
Animal rights versus animal sheltering
Locating student animal groups for outreach and education
Lonely high school student in search of fellow activists
The heart and soul of working with young people

Ensuring youth are enthusiastic and productive

Getting youth interested in the 'dirty work' of animal rescue

Question from Heather:

As a seventeen-year-old aspiring veterinarian, I was very interested when I read your forum topic for the week. I am president of an informative animal club at my school, and I was wondering if you have any interesting ideas for getting more teenagers involved with animals; I have found it very hard thus far to really get them involved. They show up as long as a cute puppy is coming to the meeting, but if I mention fundraising or "dirty work", such as helping clean cages at a shelter, they don't want to hear about it.

Response from Carol:

I understand that it is hard to "lure your peers" into an animal advocacy club as they have so many competing interests... sports, videos, computer games etc. I would suggest you look at the issues of interest in your area that have to do with animals. Perhaps make a student survey about pets and concerns they might have. Do you have a huge overpopulation problem with cats? Pit bull fighting? Dog biting? Dog poop in parks and playgrounds?

Once you know what they are interested in or what they maybe involved in, look into resources at your local humane society or animal welfare organization for presenters. Maybe you will have to enlist the parks dept. animal control or the police dept. Plan a strategy to change what is going on with youths that attend. For example: Plan what your message is and how you will present it. Is there a catchy way? A fun way? Maybe have signs for "Pick up the Poop" with bags and distribute them in parks etc. Have youth representatives write editorials on the subject. Have youths attend neighborhood meetings. Maybe even video a short Public Service Message and see if a network will show it or radio station will play it.

Some groups want a variety of topics instead of just one. If that is the case, try to get credible presenters and announce them on your school's p.a. a week before and the day before. Keep meetings convenient and no longer than an hour long. Good luck! Let me know how it goes

Response from Patrick:

Thank you so much for starting an animal club at your school! It's a great opportunity to reach out to your peers and you're sending a humongous message of kindness and compassion for animals just by having a presence there! And please don't ever forget that everything you are doing right now is planting seeds in the minds of everyone at your school for a better future for animals!

The best way to get people involved is through one-on-one conversations and outreach to ask specifically what the person is interested in helping with and asking directly for help for a specific task.

To build long-term involvement at your school and keep your organization going even after you graduate, we at the Student Animal Rights Alliance recommend student organizers to develop a system that will build and sustain the organization at your school. What we mean by "a system" is that you have a routine that will:
1. Get the word out about what your group does and is all about,
2. Let people know that they can indeed make a difference on particular
issues and what they can do to make that difference, and
3. Let people know how they can be involved in your organization and the difference that they'll make.

Some groups have weekly orientation meetings featuring a presentation covering all the elements above to introduce them and welcome new members; others have found producing a simple newsletter distributed via email or in school do the trick. Yet others decide to do regular tablings in the cafeteria or other high traffic areas to create the needed omnipresence and update other students on how they can get involved and what they can do. And some great groups do them all!

The key is to paint a picture for those you want to get involved that if they do x, y, or z, they are making an important and appreciated contribution that will make a difference for the animals. This is especially important when it's "dirty work" that no one really wants to do. What you're doing is moving them to see the bigger picture of why this task is important, what good it will do, and the difference that will be made.

It's also important to remember and recognize that people will always get involved in different levels and different ways. Your job as an organizer will be to maximize their contribution. A student group in Massachusetts created an "Activist's Menu" for students at their school that they distributed weekly to let everyone know what they can do that week if they have 1 hour, 30 minutes, 15 minutes, or even just 5 minutes to spare. Some ideas: if 1 hour is available, the volunteer may help with a tabling; 30 minutes, pick up posters that advertise the next event and hang them up all over; 15 minutes, help make copies; 5 minutes, ask a teacher for permission for the student group to make a presentation at one or more of the teacher's classes.

Finally, if you or know of any other students or young animal advocates who are close to Austin, TX; Gainesville, FL; and Minneapolis, MN, you may want to check out the Student Animal Rights Alliance's "Demand Liberation" regional student animal rights action conferences. It's a two-day conference filled with workshops such as Building & Sustaining Your Group, Effective Advocacy, Public Speaking Training, and Working with the Media to help you organize in your school. Check out http://www.DemandLiberation.com.

Best of luck with your efforts in organizing in your school. Please do not hesitate to contact the Student Animal Rights Alliance directly for help. It's exactly what we are here for. Email us at info@defendanimals.org. Thanks again for everything you are doing for the animals!

Comment from Sarah:

Being 20 years old and involved in my own rescue for about a year while going to school and working, it's hard sometimes to wonder why other young adults are so uninvolved. I think about when I was in High School, and I realized that I would have loved being a part of Heather's youth animal service group, if someone else would have done all the work and all I'd have to do is show up and then leave. The key to having a successful youth orientated group is to have a leader who wants it bad enough, has enough desire to be willing to do all the work his or herself if need be. That shows other teens that this really is important.

Also, food is a wonderful motivation for teens. Put up signs saying that you'll be having pizza and snacks and you'll have a full attendance. The trick is that once you get people in the door, have them sign in and give you their email and basic info. That puts the ball in your court. Don't expect everyone to want to help clean cages, but call/email a handful of people each week and ask them personally to help you. They'll be a lot more willing if they feel you need them as an individual and not just a random member of a group. Give teens an incentive program where those who're active and help do the dirty work also get to do more of the fun stuff.

At my Yahoo! group RescueResource (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RescueResource/), we often times go in depth with our members on how to help each other with details to any issue relating to animal rescue. We have files available on how to organize a Junior Rescue program and many of them could be tweaked a little to work with an after school program.

For the time being, until you have a strong group of core people to help you with the workload, I would stick to being more of an informational asset and occasional volunteers to your local shelter. When you have more hands available, you can branch out to do more for the community.

How minors can get involved when shelters have age limits for volunteers

Question from Heather:

As a minor, I would like to ask if you have any ideas on how to get involved with shelters in the community if there are age limits for volunteers. I currently work in a veterinarian's office and would like to get involved in shelter work, but all in the area have age limits; I cannot volunteer if I am under eighteen. How else can I get involved?

Response from Patrick:

While many shelters do have eighteen and over policies due to liability concerns or insurance policies, the age limits usually concern working with animals and inside shelter facilities. Ask a volunteer coordinator at your local shelter if there is anything else you can do to help that does not involve working with animals or inside shelter facilities. It would be great if you can work with the volunteer coordinator to develop a printed list of ideas for minors just like you who want to help animals but can't directly volunteer at the shelter!

Please don't forget that you can take action on your own! Many students just like you have organized pet food drives and fundraisers at their schools to donate to local shelters.

Please also consider starting an animal protection club right at your school to organize events to spread awareness about the plight of animals. When I was in high school, my animal rights club distributed flyers all over the school throughout the Spring semester to encourage folks to spay & neuter their companion animals and adopt animals from our local shelters. My friend Katherine convinced her family to adopt two cats after showing her parents our flyers!

Check out what some other young activists have done for some ideas go to http://www.humaneteen.org/helping_animals.html.

Thanks so much for caring and everything that you are doing for the animals!

Response from Carol:

It sounds like you are a very mature and capable person. I would build my case and appeal to the shelter volunteer department. 1) Ask for a letter of recommendation from the veterinarian's office. 2) Create a resume that notes your experience and procedures you have done. For instance: I have sanitized the kennels and set them up. I have scrubbed the surgical room post op. I take incoming calls, greet clients and schedule appointments. 3) Send the resume along with a letter stating your desire to help the shelter and what you can do for them. Perhaps note your future animal career goals. 4) Ask for an interview that is convenient for the volunteer coordinator at the end of your letter. Follow up with a phone call. Know his/her name and how to pronounce it and spell it. (Ask the receptionist). Dress conservatively with clothes that are neat yet not too formal. Follow up with a thank you note for considering your request to volunteer. Good luck. I hope they will consider you.

Where to find youth volunteers

Question from Valery:

What are some resources to use or steps to take in finding young volunteers? Should we contact schools, places of worship, organizations, such as Boy/Girl Scouts, community centers? Just some general getting-started basic ideas will be much appreciated! Like most animal welfare groups, we need more volunteers. I'm sure the local shelters are looking for help, too, and I'd like to help provide as much information as possible to others in the animal protection/adoption community.

Response from Patrick:

Those are all great places to start getting youth involved in your organization! And please don't forget about all the young people your current volunteers, members, and supporters are in contact with! Include in your next e-newsletter, printed newsletter, website, or flyers that youth are welcomed and encouraged to volunteer.

What will also be helpful in your volunteer recruitment -- whether they be adults or youth -- are clearly defined job duties and descriptions. Job descriptions will help lay out what is expected of the volunteer and explain why the help is needed. They will also help prevent any disappointment between your organization and the volunteer. Adding a simple line that students and youth are welcomed and encouraged to volunteer or, better yet, specifying it as a youth position, will encourage youth to look into the position. Send the job descriptions over to all the places that you mentioned above, perhaps add a cover letter letting the administrator know that your organization is working to get more youth involved and has created these special volunteer opportunities specifically for youth.

Also, a little side, perhaps, off-topic, but please don't be afraid to be honest about needing help with cleaning and administrative matters such as stuffing envelopes. Write them in the job descriptions! Sure, most volunteers would prefer to do something that's fun, but they also want to help make a difference. Put the emphasis on how the work fits in with the larger organization and your mission to help animals.

Saying something simple will encourage your volunteer to take on the task, such as
"Thank you so much for offering to help. We really need help with making copies and stuffing all the envelopes here. I understand that it's not the most exciting job in the world, but it will really, really be a tremendous help! Thanks so much!" Best of luck!

Response from Carol:

Our teen volunteers either 1) Grew up and went to camp year after year. 2) Are members of our clubs and again their knowledge and experience is cumulative over the years. 3) Are fulfilling a school requirement for community or service learning. 4) Learn about volunteering when I teach humane education at middle and high schools.

If you are seeking youth volunteers for the first time, I would create a "job description" of the youth volunteer along with all the liability forms, application etc. I would meet with your shelter to get their input as to what they would like the youths to do, or not do. I would contact different school districts and see if they have any community service or service learning requirements. I would contact other non-profits who work with youths. If they are looking for volunteer opportunities, I would go to them and describe what you are looking for and what the volunteer expectations are. I would do a screening interview prior to a required training on what expectations and shelter protocol you require including safe animal handling.

Good luck! There are many teen animal advocates that would do a tremendous service for your shelter.

Examining liability issues with youth volunteers

Question from Barb:

We have many quite a few younger kids (11-13, middle school age) who want to work in the shelter and we have had great success with allowing one or two at a time come in and do things like socialize kittens, brush cats, play with cats and dogs, etc. They absolutely love doing it, and the animals are thriving too. However, we have noticed that many shelters do not allow any volunteers under the age of 16 (or even 18), and we are concerned that we are really opening ourselves up for liability issues. We do have parents sign a liability release form before the child can work there. Any advice?

Response from Patrick:

I've touched on liability issues in my previous responses. So I won't go too much further into it -- except to say that liability issues are important for all animal groups to examine and are in no way unique for those working with young volunteers (there are liability issues with working with adult volunteers too!).

I'm a bit concerned that our discussion concerning liability issues may actually be scaring some of you in the No More Homeless Pets Forum from even consider working with youth. I'm sure that all of you already have basic ideas for why we should do humane education and teach young people about animal protection. So I'll take this opportunity to share two important, but often neglected reasons for involving youth in your organization and our work for animals. Neither the animals nor our organizations can really afford not to involve and support youth.

1. Developing Humane Leaders Today
It's commonly said that the youth of today are the leaders of the future. Those of us who are involved in youth mobilization like to think of youth as not only the leaders of the future, but the shared leaders of today. If given the support and encouragement, young people can take a leading role in the animal protection movement today in our work to build a culture of respect for the rights and welfare of animals by engaging those who are around them in their schools and communities. By welcoming young people who have an early interest in animal rescue and protection work, we are helping to develop humane leaders for now and the future.

2. Investing in Your Organization's Future
Though all of us would probably wish that there won't be a need for animal shelters and protection organizations in the future, the truth of the matter is our shelters and organizations will be needed for a lot longer.

Many major nonprofit organizations, led by those outside of the field of animal protection, have borrowed consumer branding strategies from for-profit corporations in their youth outreach work. We're beginning to see this in some animal protection organizations also, but it's much more common outside the field of animal protection. Those who work in the field of fundraising and development are very familiar with the need to build relationships with donors and the importance of strong relationships between the organization and donor for major gifts. There's no better time to build relationships with your future donors than when they are young and coming right at you!

And, certainly, having the youth of your current members, volunteers, and donors involved in your organization will also increase their involvement! A major international human rights organization commissioned an independent study that found that many of their current members, major donors, volunteers, and staff were actually involved in the organization in one way or another as student members or activists This finding drove the organization to increase and rededicate themselves to youth outreach and mobilization efforts and see it as an investment for the organization's future.

A couple of years ago, I met with the program staff of a major national animal protection organization that grew to be concerned about their membership literally dying off. Though their organization has been around for decades and is well-respected in the animal protection community, they've found that animal advocates of the younger generation, 30 years old and younger, have absolutely no idea who they are. It was not just a financial concern; they discovered the problem when they were having trouble recruiting volunteers and activists for a new campaign while seeing other organizations with droves of enthusiastic young volunteers and activists. The organization has since started making youth outreach a major priority in all of their program work.

These are two reasons for youth outreach & mobilization that are not commonly mentioned or discussed. I hope this will spark some discussion in your organization about your organization's youth outreach & mobilization work.

And for those who are still lingering over the issue of liability... I'd probably also mention that when we organized our "Liberation Now!" national student animal rights conference at the University of California-Berkeley this past October, we were required by the school to purchase liability insurance for $1 Million. Yep, $1 Million! Needless to say, we were shocked, and I was immediately concerned about where would we find the funds to buy a million dollars worth of insurance. I asked how much it would cost, and much to my surprise and pleasure, the cost was just about $200. And it was certainly $200 well spent for our peace of mind for the safety of all the conference attendees and, of course, our organization.

And finally, I've never heard of an animal group being sued for something that happened at a shelter involving youth.

Response from Carol:

We have service learning for youths 12-15 years. They are required to submit our application, liability waiver and transportation agreement. We also require they go to a training class. We have a paid staff person to supervise them. He signs up 10 youths at a time. Usually half of them are repeat youths or regular volunteers. The new ones require more supervision and direction. Our shelter has very specific rules for them. For instance, we walk the dogs a certain direction to avoid confrontations with other shelter dogs. We do not allow youths to go to one area and pet cats and then go on to another. They are only allowed to socialize one colony room per visit. This is to minimize diseases like Upper Respiratory Infection (URI), which are so prevalent in shelters.

Comment from Jennifer:

At our shelter we do not allow kids under 18 to volunteer without a parent both for liability reasons and because we cannot possibly supervise as well as we feel necessary, so we do two things to encourage teens to volunteer:

1. We've created a teen program two Saturdays a month. The kids do volunteer work, interact with the animals and get an educational program. This is a supervised activity, so therefore no parents need to attend, but a waiver is signed.

2. We encourage families to volunteer together. We currently have 25 families actively walking dogs, helping with mailings, cat cuddling and helping with special events. This is a wonderful way for a family to spend a day together; the animals and the families win!

In some circumstances, when a wonderful teen becomes active, we do allow a staff member or senior volunteer to sponsor/supervise the teen. Their parents sign a special waiver, and we are able to utilize the individual's skills to help us better care for the animals!

Scholarship and award programs for activist youth

Question from Chuck:

I am a high school student and have been working for animal rights for some time. Are their any scholarships or awards I can apply for?

Response from Patrick:

Yes! Funny that you asked about scholarships and awards for young animal advocates, just a few weeks ago, the Student Animal Rights Alliance compiled a list of awards, scholarships, contests, and fellowships that are open to all young animal advocates!

Student Animal Rights Alliance actually administers the Travel Grants Fund for our "Liberation Now!" national student animal rights conference, Humane Society of the United States Hollywood Office's Student Genesis Award for student journalists and filmmakers who have shone the spotlight on animal protection issues, and FARM's Bill Rosenberg Award for youth leadership for farmed animals.

Please visit: http://www.defendanimals.org/involved/awards.htm for info on the awards mentioned above and dozens of others, such as $10,000 worth of college scholarships for high school students like you who have worked to promote vegetarianism.

Our listing is certainly in no way complete; it would be great if participants of the No More Homeless Pets Forum can take a look at it to see if we have missed anything. Thanks!

Also, please note that many mainstream scholarship and award guidelines are quite broad in nature. While they may not specifically list animal protection as an issue area in the guidelines, the judges will be happy to hear from young animal advocates like you. For example, I was an award recipient of the 1999 React Magazine and New World Foundation's "React Take Action Awards" for youth leadership and the only one who won on the basis of my animal activism -- there was absolutely no mention of animal protection as one of the issue areas, I just applied.

Remember that most scholarships and awards are looking for demonstration of leadership and activism, and everything that you are doing on behalf of animals are great examples of that! So go ahead and apply, apply, and apply! The worst case scenario is that you'll get rejected -- but so will dozens and even thousands of other applicants. The bright spot though, whatever the results, is that you will help educate all the judges on animal protection issues and what incredible young activists like you are doing for animals! Good Luck!

Response from Carol:

We allow our Teen Junior Aides to "work off" their registration fee by putting in a minimum of two weeks helping as a Jr. Aide at camp. Teens also fill out a scholarship application and explain 1) why they want to help 2) why they have a financial need. Then we require a signed commitment to volunteer. We do not just award a scholarship without an expectation. We have found "giving a full ride" often means the recipient doesn't take it as seriously or work as hard to volunteer. Several just didn't finish the week or called in that they were too busy etc.

Animal rights versus animal sheltering

Question from Barb:

I wanted to ask about the situation that I have found with college kids who are animal rights activists volunteering for sanctuaries. Very few seem to actually want hands on experience with the animals. Many talk about opening a sanctuary but most have not thought about the down & dirty side of the work, they only want the glamour.

We have had several rescues that I have offered the kids a chance to be involved in, and not had one of them express interest. They are good about coming out to help do things here, but most don't seem to want interaction with the animals.

Do you find that this is the case everywhere?

Response from Carol:

Youths at our humane society actually volunteer in the area that best suits their personality and job aptitude. These coincide most likely with their future professions. It takes people of many interests and strengths to run an animal welfare sanctuary or shelter. There are hands-on youths who get right in there and scoop the poop or spray down the kennel (animal care technicians). Others enjoy bathing the dogs (groomers). Most love to exercise the dogs and teach them simple commands while socializing them (future trainers, doggie day care or dog walkers). Few and far between are the very committed who are willing to foster a kitten or pup that requires removing fleas one by one, or cleaning rears of animals that have diarrhea, getting up several times a night to feed, or treating animals with ringworm and mange. If they will, I'd say they probably will work in animal care in some capacity (as a certified vet tech or veterinarian). We have several who come weekly and always do office work. I can try to get them out in the kennels, but they will at best feed an animal a biscuit through the bars. However, they are excellent at stuffing envelopes, doing data entry or even cleaning up an office area. One young man did a phone survey, very professionally reading a script, and contacted principals at various elementary schools. Others are interested and quite successful at raising money through projects and fundraisers. Tap the talents and skills of your youths, instead of requiring they do step one (initiation in "dirty work" with the animals) to prove their commitment to animal welfare.

Response from Patrick:

I'm pretty sure this is not the case everywhere. And I'm also sure that this is not unique to young activists, I actually know of two cases of adult activists in their forties who started their own small sanctuaries a few years ago, but had to stop their operations because they, to make it short, were not prepared for the work involved.

I meet a lot of young activists who tell me that they would like to work at or open a shelter or sanctuary one day. What I always suggest to them is to get an internship at an organization like Best Friends, Farm Sanctuary, OohMahNee Farm, or Poplar Springs before they give the dream any more thought. I think it's really important that we let everyone know -- whether they be youth or adults -- that running a shelter or sanctuary is not just about hugging and playing with animals all day long. I'm sure that no one really thinks that, but I believe the "down & dirty side of the work" is often forgotten.

Thank you so much for all that you're doing to involve youth. I tend to be an optimist, but I really think that your efforts will pay off one way or another, whether by encouraging the students to pursue rescue work or simply providing them with a much needed reality check.

Locating student animal groups for outreach and education

Question from Barb:

I do outreach and education, especially about factory farming. How do you find the groups in the High Schools?

Response from Carol:

The Oregon Humane Society's education department focuses on pet issues such as spaying and neutering, safety, responsibility and community issues. First, send an inquiry letter or email to high schools and ask if they have animal welfare clubs. If not, consider spearheading the formation of some by recruiting interested teachers in each high school. Keep in mind the time commitment, leadership training, structure and content needed for each club. If they do have existing animal welfare clubs, ask to be a speaker. Plan your curriculum. Have a video or PowerPoint (visual), and have interactive portions intermingled with your presentation.

Response from Patrick:

The best thing to do really is to just simply call up the schools near you and ask them if there is an animal or environmental protection group. Every high school group has a faculty advisor, and almost every college group has one too. Ask to speak with the faculty advisor about going to the school to speak and be ready to provide references.

Due to safety concerns, high schools are not generally too welcoming about inviting strangers to speak. It will be best if you can find a parent or someone who works at the school to help you make a contact there. Remember that even if you have a student contact in a high school club, you will have to go through faculty to gain permission to speak at the school.

Another idea is to simply write a letter with brochures about your organization addressed to the principal or student activities coordinator (many large high schools -- like the one I went to, will have one) to introduce yourself and wait for them to get back to you. Even if they don't, they will have a frame of reference regarding who you are when you make your follow-up call.

High school student in search of fellow activists

Question from Samuel:

I am sixteen and a high school student, I have an animal rights club at my school, but I feel like we're not changing anything; I am the only vegan and active. I'm very alone, all the activists here are a lot older than me; I am the only teen. Where are all the young activists like me?

Response from Carol:

There are many animal rights organizations, as I am sure you know. I would contact them on their web sites and see if they have teen members. Perhaps you can email them and create an online teen support group.

I would also look at what you are promoting. Are you telling your peers not to eat this or that? I have found that actual information is most effective way to help make a change. Create "a teaser" or catchy poster like, "Fast Food & You... Find Out the Real Story." Show them a video, (perhaps ask for one from your animal rights organization). Review it first. I would caution against showing any too sad or having too graphic videos. They make people feel almost helpless, in my opinion.

Rather have teens discuss a book or video that states facts. The book I would recommend is "Fast Food Nation", about how fast food started and how the meat is produced. The video I would recommend, "The Pig Story" is about factory farming.

Then perhaps have a representative from a natural or organic grocery store that offers vegetarian recipes, food etc., come and talk about different products to eat. Encourage them to bring samples for everyone to try (soy milk, tofu with flavoring to taste like foods they're used to, etc.). They should teach the importance of good nutrition and supplements to stay healthy as a vegetarian as well.

Look into peaceful, productive ways to make a difference. I would look up current laws regarding livestock as the Animal Welfare Act. Decide on one area of focus and change at a time. Perhaps it could have a positive spin, "Encourage fast food chains to sell vegetarian food as an option." Plan the alternatives you think would be healthy, tasty and sell. Promote your idea by "What this can do to boost fast food sales". Then contact various restaurant food chains." Good luck!!

Response from Patrick:

Come to one of our national or regional student animal rights conferences! At our conferences, you will meet tons of young activists just like you who are working for animals! We'll be doing our "Demand Liberation" regional action conferences in Gainesville, FL; Austin, TX; and Minneapolis, MN, in February 2005 and "Liberation Now!" national conference in Chicago, IL, in November 2005. Check out http://www.DemandLiberation.com and stay tuned for info on our next national conference, you can check out last year's website at http://www.LiberationNow.com.

If you will not be able to make it to any of the conferences, please sign up for PETA2's Street Team. There are thousands of young activists who are on PETA2's online bulletin boards. They are a friendly crowd who will be happy to give you all the support you need! Check out the boards at www.peta2.com/boards.html.

Finally, please don't ever think that you are not making a difference. It is depressing that every single second thousands of lives hang in the balance, but the great part is that every single one of us, with every single action we take, can make a whole world of difference to those who have no other hope.

The philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, once wrote, "The day may come when the rest of the animal creation may acquire those rights which never could have been witholden from them but by the hand of tyranny." When all of us get active, organize, and take action, we will create a ripple effect that will turn the tide on animal exploitation. The question of when this "hand of tyranny" will be lifted will depend upon how much time and commitment we put toward achieving a time when other animals will be treated as the living, feeling individuals they are.

Ingrid Newkirk, the President of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) put it perfectly at a rallying speech at the national animal rights conference, "We don't face firing squads, lifetime prison sentences, or the gas chambers for saying what's on our minds and in our hearts. We won't lose our lives if we speak out against animal wrongs wherever we see them. But the animals do lose theirs if we don't... so we must." Never give up, because the animals need each and every single one of us. Just remember these words from Ingrid, "The people [who exploit animals] may not be ready for animal rights, but the animals are ready; they've been ready, and we better not let them down."

Thank you so much for not letting them down.

The heart and soul of working with young people

Question from Katie:

Growing up can be a very emotional (and hormonal) experience. Are there any special ways of relating to youth to take their unique brand of sensitivity into consideration?

Response from Carol:

Teens, like all people, are all different. I would try to engage them in conversation. Look at them and notice something about them that is positive and hopefully unique. It can be physical or behavior. Examples: "I like the way you have designed corn rows in your hair" or "I love how you relate to dogs. You're an excellent handler." Or pick up on a pet you know about or they have adopted. "How's your new cat doing?" or "Tell me about it." Some of the youths try to wear something unique "for attention". You could say, " I like your cool socks. How many pairs do you have? They are so fun." Or "How do you dye your hair green? The designs are really cool. How do you do it?" Try to ignore things that the person might be self conscious about... like overweight, skinny, ragged, pimples, etc.

Acceptance and conversation help a lot. If there is something you can assign them to do to show you respect them and trust their level of responsibility, do so. "Could you look up solutions and bring the information to club next month?" or "Could you make copies of these upstairs for me?" If they are outgoing extroverts, ask them to do a presentation or lead a group. If they are great spellers and writers, ask them to write answers on the dry erase board during a presentation. Personal notes, written or email, also go a long way in helping to cultivate a relationship.

Response from Patrick:

Labor organizer Cesar Chavez once remarked that the only way that he knew how to organize is to talk to one person, then another person, and then another. Those of us who are working in the field of youth outreach and mobilization especially, take Chavez's remark to heart because we understand the need to listen to young people in order for us to encourage them to act upon their caring ethic and natural affection for animals.

Listen to what they are saying. Listen to their ideas. Listen to what they want to do. Listen to their feelings. Give them space and offer support and encouragement. Just smile and try to understand.

Engaging the Youth in Your Community

Introduction from Patrick Kwan:

Introduction from Carol Shiveley:

Questions

Ensuring youth are enthusiastic and productive

Question from Monica:

Response from Patrick:

Response from Carol:

Getting youth interested in the 'dirty work' of animal rescue

Question from Heather:

Response from Carol:

Response from Patrick:

Comment from Sarah:

How minors can get involved when shelters have age limits for volunteers

Question from Heather:

Response from Patrick:

Response from Carol:

Where to find youth volunteers

Question from Valery:

Response from Patrick:

Response from Carol:

Examining liability issues with youth volunteers

Question from Barb:

Response from Patrick:

Response from Carol:

Comment from Jennifer:

Scholarship and award programs for activist youth

Question from Chuck:

Response from Patrick:

Response from Carol:

Animal rights versus animal sheltering

Question from Barb:

Response from Carol:

Response from Patrick:

Locating student animal groups for outreach and education

Question from Barb:

Response from Carol:

Response from Patrick:

High school student in search of fellow activists

Question from Samuel:

Response from Carol:

Response from Patrick:

The heart and soul of working with young people

Question from Katie:

Response from Carol:

Response from Patrick: