Planning

Interested in Inquiry in the Community, but not sure where to start? Read this checklist to get the big picture, and then dive deeper to learn the nuts and bolts of how to start IC in your council.

Step #1: Decide if Inquiry in the Community is Right for Your Council

  • If you haven't read them already, check out the Overview and Why IC sections so you have a sense of the impact Inquiry in the Community can make in your council.
  • Also, check out the Implementation section to get ideas for what using our curricula and resources looks like in real life.
  • Is your council ready for Inquiry in the Community? Take the Readiness Quiz and find out.
  • Consult with any appropriate stakeholders in your council, and make your decision.

Step #2: Get Started

  • Start by implementing one of our curricula or resources. Good options might be our recruiting activities, the adult workshops Working with Journeys or Day Trip Planning, or using one of our activities at an event with girls. Or, if you know you want to jump right in, start by identifying your project team members (see below).
  • Did you implement one of our curricula or resources, and liked your experience? Take your involvement further and engage others in your council in using our resources!
    • Identify a project lead
    • Identify a curriculum lead
    • Identify your core team members  
    • Identify any major council strategic goals or needs that you would like to leverage the Inquiry in the Community work to accomplish. Check out the Why IC section to get ideas.
     

Step #3: Plan

  • Conduct a professional development and planning session with the core team. This can take one or two days, depending on your needs. During this session, your team will:
    • Experience the project's curriculum
    • Identify and prioritize "connection points" (contexts in which you can influence volunteer behavior, like recruiting events, classes, or service unit meetings) where you want to use our project's resources.
    • Make plans for implementing our curriculum and resources; assign core team members to lead these plans.
     
  • Think about how you will measure success. What tools or benchmarks will help you assess the impact of IC in your council? See our evaluation tools for ideas to get you started.

Step #4: Implement

  • Your core team members will engage staff and volunteer teams in creating timelines and carrying them out. Most councils lead additional professional development and planning sessions with different staff and volunteer groups, such as membership, volunteerism, or program departments, facilitators/trainers, or service unit team members.

Step #5: Reflect

  • Choose ways of collecting data that work for you (stories, surveys, etc.), and be sure to share your lessons learned with the staff and volunteers who've helped implement Inquiry in the Community in your council. Celebrate your successes! Check out our evaluation tools for surveys and interview questions that you can use and adapt.
  • What worked well? What can be improved? What would you like to try next? Use the knowledge and resources you've gained to improve your plan, or to implement an additional piece of IC.