October 6th is National Coach Day. This day, created in 1972, the same year when Multiplying Good was founded, celebrates the individuals who “inspire us to work hard and do our best.” Here at Multiplying Good, we know the power of a good coach and leverage these amazing individuals to empower, motivate and teach youth who participate in our Students In Action program.
Students In Action, Multiplying Good’s flagship youth program, helps youth in middle and high school develop the confidence and skills needed to make positive change in their communities and prepare for success after school—whatever that looks like for them. Through the program, youth work in teams of around 20 at their participating school or non-profit to do three things each year; plan and facilitate high-quality service-learning projects, use their leadership skills to engage their peers and community members in service, and celebrate and recognize excellence in service with the Jefferson Award.
Doing this work well with youth means providing hands-on support and guidance from a range of caring adults. This includes Multiplying Good Program Managers, advisors based out of the participating organization, volunteers, and, in some places, coaches. Coaches come from many different parts of the community, including corporations, universities, non-profits, and individuals wanting to give back and get involved to support youth.
Multiplying Good’s most robust coaching partnership is with consulting giant, Deloitte. From their offices in the San Francisco Bay Area, about twelve to fifteen Deloitte employees participate as a coach for a minimum one-year commitment. Coaches serve as an extra layer of support, meeting with teams to help them generate ideas, sharpening the tools needed to execute their plans, and encouraging them when things get tough. Some coaches have supported their teams for more than ten years, providing a consistent footing to help the youth and their ideas thrive.
Other Multiplying Good regions have also jumped on the coaching bandwagon. With support from the Volunteer Generation Fund Grant, Multiplying Good South Carolina launched their coaching and skills-based volunteer program this year. The program attracted more than 40 professionals from across South Carolina in providing training and skills-based support to teams in response to their needs. Overall, these volunteers spent 100 hours with 120 youth and were extremely satisfied with their experience. Coaches engaged in a range of activities, from facilitating leadership trainings, to being subject matter experts on various service-learning projects, to offering constructive criticism and advise for oral presentations.
A coach is someone who inspires and supports others. Youth across the country need this support now, more than ever. Whether you work at a corporation looking for volunteer experiences or an individual in the community, Multiplying Good has a volunteer opportunity for you! Join us in helping this next generation of youth develop the confidence and skills they’ll need to tackle the challenges we face today and those coming tomorrow.
