• Introduction • Get Organized • Get Educated • Get Active • Stay Active

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Now you have a group of volunteers who are better educated on the issue of youth suicide, and you have assessed your own community’s statistics and resources. You may be ready to jump in and do something about it. That’s great! But before you start on a journey, it’s a good idea to plan where you want to go.

To make effective change in a community, planning is an essential ingredient:

The goal of this section is to:

3.1 Draft a Vision and Mission Statement

To frame the issue, to keep members focused, and to project a clear message to the community.

3.2 Define Objectives and Activities

View the goals set by national and state agencies, and see recommendations of the GHCF Community Survey. Clarify and prioritize strategies to work toward your mission.

• Define the audience you'd most like to target
• Suggested activities: Review tips and ideas for several activities
  Sample Activity: Ensure that Schools have a Crisis Response Plan
• Brainstorm to identify steps you will take to meet needs in your own community

3.3 Build Action Plans

Define the activities you will do: the who, when, where, how and how much.

3.4 Develop Financial Support and Resources

Locate or build sources of support, including fundraising

3.5 Evaluate your activities

Simple methods to track participation and progress