Step 1 – Develop your membership, management & communications strategies
Recruiting a diverse group of motivated students is critical to your success. Brainstorm a list of the ways you have found out about other activities on campus and imitate the most effective and least costly; use campus resources such as notices on bulletin boards and university-wide emails.
Step 2 – Devise, Develop & Deliver your projects (see SIFE Projects)
The ‘engine room’ of all your activities and the principal way you will derive benefit from the program lies in your choice and execution of quality projects. You will have to come up with ideas, possibly write a proposal, recruit people to implement it, secure funding and resources.
Step 3 – Document, Evaluate & Report your projects
The job’s not finished until the paperwork is done’. And, more importantly, this is the method by which you measure yourself and are measured by others at the National Competition. In the ‘real world’ of the market economy, companies are judged on the basis of their reported results.
Step 4 – Celebrate: recognise effort, reward success and have fun
Thank the people who help your teams. While a plaque is nice, a simple and sincere letter is not as expensive but is no less appreciated. Include teambuilding and bonding activities as a break: all work and no play is not fun. Humour or physical activity recharges your batteries.
General
SIFE students work together, with the guidance of their mentor and assistance from their BAB, to:
* devise,
* develop,
* deliver and
* document
innovative community outreach projects that teach others skills for life based on their own study.
Projects
The best projects are ones that meet specific needs in the community and give the participants skills that will help them to succeed in the global market economy. Some typical projects are:
* teaching simplified tertiary education skills, e.g., web page design, to primary school students
* running an Australian Business Week program for high school students
* running a Young Achievement Australia secondary school Business Skills program
* tutoring and mentoring at-risk school students to encourage them not to drop out
* providing service to community groups or small businesses through ‘100 hours’ programs
Funding
All SIFE activities are self-funded. It is up to each chapter to raise the funds necessary to run their projects, to take additional members to competitions and to conduct social activities. The key is to research and develop projects that are needed in your community. Activities that are truly valuable will attract funding through a user contribution, from government agencies, schools or businesses.
* With your mentor’s assistance, find out if your institution gives funding to community projects.
* Follow on from a ‘free’ project, such as writing a business plan for a small business, with a ‘fee for service’ continuing consultancy at a modest charge out rate.
* Wash cars or organise a celebrity auction of donated humorous or practical goods and services.
* Start a sustainable business like an on-campus franchise and reinvest the profits into projects.
* Provide services for local small businesses such as distributing fliers, stuffing envelopes, etc.
Competition
Once a year you have the chance to showcase what you have done in front of a national audience and be judged by some of the most senior business and government leaders in Australia. A small group of your chapter will be supported by SIFE Australia to attend but you should set your sights on having as large a group attend as possible.
* You have the chance to celebrate your success among peers and compete for valuable prizes.
* You can network with other students, academics and business people from across Australia.
* You can attend a Careers Fair run by recruitment executives and discuss employment options.
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