The Pride Center of New Jersey, Inc.

PROJECT SUCCESS

The following guidelines were created to help ensure that your new group project, is a success!

Guide for Leaders of New Groups at PCNJ

While we can’t do the work necessary for your success, we can provide you with tools that will help you to accomplish the mission of your group and achieve the goals that you set. Project Success is here to help you to recruit and retain group members successfully and to link you to existing resources in and out of the Pride Center.

Here are some good reasons to meet at the Pride Center.....

Your group will have an official mailing address.
Your group will have visibility in a gay friendly environment to continuously supplement your recruitment/retention efforts.
Your group programming efforts will be enhanced as you promote other center and center group events as an extension of yours.
Your group will have a phone number 732-846-2232. Feel free to include it on your correspondence and fliers/brochures.
Your group will have live phone operators; our Info Line Staff will respond to inquiries about your group and take messages for you weeknights from 7-10pm and other times. It will be your job to keep the Info Line Coordinator informed of group activity.
Your group members will have access to and use of posting boards, resource material, publications, a borrowing book and video library, gay guidebooks and an array of other information being disseminated to our community.
Your group can improve the lives of your members by serving as another link in their life to the greater gay community.
Your group will enjoy free advertising on the Pride Center Web Page.

CHECKLIST FOR LEADERS OF NEW GROUPS

In The Beginning:

Submit your room application form with the group's mission statement and group goals
Determine your WIIFM'S (What's In It For Me - your prospective members - and create your promotional material filling those needs. )
Create a profile of your expected members, brainstorm ways of reaching out to them and reach out! (How will you do this????)
Submit a description of your group to the Info Line/Shift Volunteer and the Group Coordinator and Webmaster, for inclusion in the printed Calendar and the Web Page
Place promotional material in the Pride Center resource room & library
Submit current and upcoming group info to the Group Coordinator
Submit schedule of activities to the Group Coordinator

Ongoing:

Keep the Groups Coordinator informed of upcoming events
Submit articles about your group to the Pride Center News editor
Continuously place current info about your group in the resource room/library
Report any schedule changes to the appropriate coordinators

MEMBER RETENTION:

Encourage your members to join the Pride Center. This will give them a feeling of connection into the greater gay community.
Identify what might be in it for people who attend your group. (WIIFM - What's in it for me) and promote the group accordingly.
Foster connections between attendees.
Schedule "speak with" not "talk at" activities.
Promote attendance at other PCNJ meetings and events, and within the gay community.
Suggest that your attendees go out for coffee after meetings and plan weekend events.
Host a potluck dinner to promote continued friendships, invite another Pride Center resident group.
Suggest that your attendees reap advantages of the Pride Center as an extension of your group.
Guide groups members to volunteer work for greater fulfillment.