What exactly does ‘mending’ our world entail?  The short answer is that it means something very different to each of us.  An important part of your role this year will be not only leading your own initiatives, but also empowering fellow TYGers to pursue social action.

An SAVP is not merely a good-will ambassador to the outside world on behalf of NFTY.  Fighting for justice outside of NFTY is necessary, but we can also be there to support people within our TYG and temple, to make sure our own system works well, and to teach others.

Inform others

• Teach the five “A’s” of Social Action: Awareness, Assessment, Action, Alliance, and Advocacy (more info?) 
• Help participants be aware of the world around them
• Pursue relevant issues to you and your group
• Enable all TYGers to understand and question issues they deal with
• Help others, and accept their help, in order to make Social Action programs and drives run smoothly
• Before a program, meet with all group leaders and make sure they understand their job (this will keep participants interested)  

Reach out

• Everyone should have the opportunity to do his or her part
• Make sure that more active members, especially in discussion, don’t intimidate less active participants
• Everyone should feel like they belong
• Not everyone will have the same passions as you or agree with your message – encourage healthy discussion and debate, and give them the tools to pursue    their own causes at a later time
• Not everybody loves traditional Social Action – play to everyone’s strengths, but know that you aren’t going to please everybody and that’s ok
• Approach each person as an individual
• Make sure people come away understanding what they’ve done and why they’ve done it

Keep your TYG active

• Always be planning or doing something! These should not always be monetary drives – kids have a lot more passion, energy, and time than they do money.
• At every board meeting bring up social action – part of social action is ensuring your TYG functions ethically
• Work with your congregation and other youth groups to collaborate on projects (e.g. canned food drive during High Holy days)
• Mix social action with social events to help get more people involved
• Try to reinforce the connections to social action wherever it fits – helping others should not be an isolated segment of our lives
• Identify items needed for donation to local agencies
• Write letters, make phone calls, or schedule meetings with the people involved in important issues – politicians, news agencies, companies, etc
• Keep your TYGers up to date on NFTY initiatives (talk to your regional SAVP)
• Keep a Social Action Bulletin Board in your temple or youth lounge listing action ideas and presenting relevant news items