Keeping Millennials Engaged: Tamarack's Young Adult Advisory Board Success Story

1. Keeping Millennials Engaged: Tamarack's Young Adult Advisory Board Success Story Presenters: Michelle Bass Gabe Neistein

2. About Us

3. About Tamarack • Age: 113 summers – 1902-present • Camper Size: 1,246 campers in 2014 • Board Size: 46 • Alumni: Approximately 40,000 living alumni worldwide (only 13,783 in datbase) • Financial Aid: 42% of campers received aid in 2014; more than $1 million raised • Operating Budget: Approximately $6 million

4. What are you looking to get from this presentation?

5. Who are Millennials? Millennials

6. Who are Millennials, and what do they have to offer? • Approximately: 18-35 years old • Fresh out of the trenches • Recent college graduates • Just starting careers • Inexperienced but not apathetic!

7. Who are Millennials, and why did we target them? • Engagement Gap • No reason to stay connected • “Route” to become involved

8. Don’t Miss “The Next….” Sheryl Sandberg COO, Facebook URJ Coleman, GA Bob Dylan Musician Herzl Camp, WI J.D. Salinger Author, “Catcher in the Rye” Camp Wigwam, ME Adam Sandler Comedian/Actor URJ Eisner, MA Sarah Silverman Comedian/Actress Camps Kenwood and Evergreen, NH

9. How do you engage millennials in your agency? (5 minutes)

10. Creation of the Young Adult Advisory Board (YAAB)

11. Staff and Lay Leader Buy-In

12. So what’s in it for us? • What the YAAB gets… • Insider’s access • Networking • Board route • Visit camp • Voices heard! • What Tamarack gets… • 2 years of engagement • Millennial perspective • Entry to annual giving • Leadership pipeline

13. 16 participants – Ages 23-33 • Four meetings throughout the year - Different “theme” for each meeting • “Reciprocal” program

14. Requirements • Application Process • Must be between 23-33 years old • Must have been a former Tamarack staff or camper • Can no longer be staff • Must attend and participate in all four sessions • Must give a minimum gift of $36 to Send a Kid to Tamarack • Must give a meaningful gift to the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit

15. Session 1 – “Your Tamarack Experience” • Empowerment, Deep Dives • Location: Michelle’s House, Bloomfield Hills • Staff/Lay Leaders: Gabe, Michelle, Carly Weinstock (Program Director, Camp Maas), Andrew Landau (Board Member/Teen Travel Chair), Jeff Sternberg (Nominating Committee), Michael Lippitt (President) • Goals: • Introduce program – Learn what issues/topics the YAAB is interested in • Ignite participants’ passion for Tamarack • Feedback on two committee issues: Package Policy and Teen Travel Eligibility • Activity: • Deep dive discussions on two topics being discussed at committee level. Chairs from respective committees led the discussion and took notes back to their committees for consideration. • Take-Aways: • 1. Gain better understanding of program and expectations • 2. Excitement for program • 3. Feeling that voices were heard and opinions mattered

16. Session 2 – “Introduction to Lay Leadership – Pt. 1” • The Budget • Location: Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, Bloomfield Hills • Staff/Lay Leaders: Gabe, Michelle, Darren Findling (Vice President), Joe Lash (Treasurer), Steve Engel (Executive Director), Stacy Brodsky (Vice President, Development), Deena Lockman (Development Director) • Goals: • Importance of understanding Tamarack’s budget as a lay leader • Understanding Tamarack’s operating costs and revenue sources • Brainstorm effective fundraising ideas for millennials • Feedback on Financial Aid issues: Travel Trip and Out-of-State/Region Eligibility • Activity: • Presentation on budget, led by Deena and Stacy. Deep dive discussions on topics of financial aid. • Take-Aways: • 1. Gain better understanding of Tamarack’s budget, operating costs and revenue sources • 2. Feeling that voices were heard and opinions mattered

17. Session 3 – “Introduction to Lay Leadership – Pt. 2” • Staff-Lay Leader Relationship and Legacy • Location: Camp Maas, Ortonville • Staff/Lay Leaders: Gabe, Michelle, Jeff Sternberg (Nominating Committee), Marc Kay (Alumni Committee), Ryan Landau (Alumni, NEXTGen Board Member) • Goals: • Understanding Tamarack’s partnership with Federation • Understanding relationship between lay leader and professional staff and the roles they play within the agency • Interact with Legacy Circle members • Have fun at camp! • Activity: • “Venn Diagram” interactive activity on relationship between staff and lay leaders, tour of camp and BBQ lunch with Legacy Circle members. • Take-Aways: • 1. Understanding roles of staff and lay leaders and how they work together • 2. Appreciation of Tamarack’s partnership with Federation

18. Session 4 – “Giving Back to Camp” • Location: Tamarack Offices, Bloomfield Hills • Staff/Lay Leaders: Gabe, Michelle • Goals: • Recap take-aways from first three sessions and get feedback • Lay out plan for Year 2 and get feedback • Activity: • Presentation of Year 2; Open discussion • Take-Aways: • 1. Excitement to continue the YAAB program • 2. Opinions matter and voices have been heard

19. YAAB Projects • Havdalah “Under the Lights” • MSU/UM Engagement • Bar Trivia Night • Chicago Reunion 2014 • Israeli Staff Day-Off • Staff Pre-Camp Sessions

20. Year 2 and Beyond • Timeline: • September 2014-Septmeber 2015 • Overview: • Hands-on leadership experience as “liaisons” to various committees and task forces • Insider’s access to board meetings • 2 “processing” meetings • Help with planning and running YAAB 2 • Staff/Lay Leaders: Gabe, Michelle, chairs and staff liaisons to respective committees and task forces • Next: Year 1 of YAAB 2 – beginning Spring 2015

21. As one of the leaders of your agency, what scares/concerns you most about the future of your camp?

22. Consider who this represents at your camp • What are 3 things that your agency can provide to this group? • What are 3 ways your agency can benefit from creating this relationship? • (10-15 minutes)

23. Make the YAAB your own!