California DECA has developed its Program of Work (POW) for the upcoming year! The POW has three main goals: membership retention, membership recruitment, and advocacy.
Goal #1: Membership Retention
This goal area focuses on the Presidents’ Council and a new innovation, the Chapter Resource Center.
President’s Council will work to include all chapters in each separate district and keep them informed so members can constantly be updated on the new events that DECA will be hosting. In the past President’s council has served to be very helpful, and so the state officers are working on making sure this resource is strong again this year. California DECA also plans to release an online resource center for all chapters to use! Some resources for new chapters have already been uploaded, and more resources will be added throughout the year. Chapters can visit the California DECA website for information on how to recruit members, train officers, and host chapter meetings. We will be adding categories that include competition materials, fundraising ideas, publicity methods, as well as chapter meeting starters. Enriching communication with members, officers, and advisors will help each chapter reach its own annual membership goals and promote active participation in DECA. The State Officer Team will be conducting chapter visits throughout the year to help all California DECA members make it count.
Goal #2: Membership Recruitment
This goal will be made possible by increasing the number of chapters and members in Northern California, Southern California, and Silicon Valley. Each district will be working together to achieve “BIG” goals: Budget, Incredible, and Grand Slam membership numbers. Today, California DECA has over 4,500 members, and that number will be our Budget goal for next year. Our Incredible Goal will be reaching 5,000 members, and our Grand Slam will be 6,000 members. By increasing to 6,000 members California DECA will secure a 5^th spot in role-plays at ICDC! Also, to increase membership, the State Officer Team will be visiting potential chapters to bring fresh faces into DECA that are ready to become leaders and succeed in their own communities!
Goal #3: Advocacy
You all are supporting California DECA by participating in various DECA Campaigns and supporting us when we reach out to Legislators at the state and national level. Social media helps to increase chapter involvement, membership, and community involvement since many high school students can connect through Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Google+. Advocacy through social media and other outreach methods is vital in gaining the support DECA needs from local communities and legislators.
The Program of Work for the upcoming year is filled with great ideas to be fulfilled, and the California DECA State Officer Team is already putting these ideas into action. Get ready to make it count this year, and keep a look out for more updates coming to you soon!