Facilitating Leadership in Youth (FLY)
YCDC Member Benefits and Opportunities
YCDC Member (DC Community - Volunteer) Benefits:
- Mentoring and tutoring underserved youth makes a significant impact on their lives
- See youth improve on a personal and academic level from semester to semester, and year to year
- Lead fun field trips around the DC area
- Design and manage new programs (i.e., dance, interview workshops, etc.)
YCDC Member (Individual - Leadership Development):
Volunteer as a FLY Board Member or Board Committee Co-Chair, Deputy Chair, or general member in the areas of finance, governance, programs and evaluations, facilities, development and fundraising, and communications. Benefits include:
- Gain significant leadership experience in a growing nonprofit by leading programs or getting involved at a Board level
- Enhance and refine leadership skills as you work with the Board, Board committees, and Program Coordinators
- Network with Board members from many local organizations and non-profits
- Learn how to operate a nonprofit from a variety of areas (governance, communications, finance, etc.)
- Opportunity to make a difference, set strategic direction and problem solve real life organizational issues
- Grant writing will allow you to understand and experience how non-profits apply for money from institutional foundations (the grant writing process is very similar to responding to RFPs)
- Enhance financial planning skills and learn about financial accounting and financial management by helping with the Finance Committee
- Understand and experience PR and Communication strategy and campaign implementation
- Learn more about legal matters such as insurance policies, contracts, leases, etc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
About FLY
FLY began as a student club at American University (AU), when three friends came together over their volunteer efforts in the public housing community of Barry Farm, Southeast DC (Ward 8). The three students founded a club (FLY) at AU and formed a summer camp on AU’s campus for youth from Barry Farm. After its first successful summer camp, the club began to provide mentoring, tutoring, a community gardening program, and a weekend field trip program.
In 2002, after graduation, the founders incorporated FLY as a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Today, FLY’s full-time staff and volunteers from the AU student club engage 29 youth in year-round activities starting in late elementary or middle school, and continuing for 6–12 years, through the first years of their post-secondary education.
2009 Youth Accomplishments:
- 13 FLY youth are currently attending college
- Seven out of eight FLY seniors graduated from high school (one is scheduled to graduate this year)
- FLY youth received $500,000 in total college scholarship money
- Three FLY youth are winners of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ‘DC Achievers Scholarships’
- Four FLY youth are winners of The Children’s Defense Fund ‘Beat the Odds’ Program
- 100% of younger youth advanced to the next grade in the 2008-2009 school year
- FLY alumnus, Kris Stith, is the new president of the FLY Club at American University
- Two FLY alumnae are in discussions with Trinity College in Northeast Washington, DC to start a FLY Club on campus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLY Programs
FLY seeks to address: (1) educational deficiencies; (2) insufficient peer and/or parental support; and (3) youth violence, by providing a safe location for underserved youth to engage in educational and personal development opportunities.
- One-on-One Tutoring and Mentoring
- Summer and Weekend Camp
- Young Men’s and Women’s Program
- Youth Council (BLAST)
- College Prep
- Summer Internships
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact: Murrey Iles
FLY Website * Facebook page