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You've probably heard the common refrain, "Children are the leaders of tomorrow." One organization refutes that statement. They believe that children are, in fact, the leaders of today. That organization is Do Something, a not-for-profit Internet company that works to inspire young people to get involved in their communities and in issues across the globe to make the world a better place for all of us. Instead, it wants to get young people passionate and involved in whatever cause drives them. Global warming? School violence? Teen smoking? Discrimination? Disaster preparedness? No matter what the cause, Do Something is working to inspire young people to take a stand and make a difference. In this article, we'll take a closer look at Do Something and find out who’s involved, what the organization does and where it’s going. Childhood friends Andrew Shue (From the TV Show "Melrose Place") and Michael Sanchez wondered: What if community service were as cool as sports and music? They imagined teams of young people tackling community problems the way they stand in line for concert tickets and dedicate themselves to school sports.
Our democracy would be stronger, and the world would be a better place. So they set out to create an organization that would inspire young people to take charge of their world and become active for social change. While attending a conference as a speaker, Shue overheard President Bill Clinton say that young people should "do something" for their world. The words resonated with him and gave him the inspiration to make Do Something the organization's official name. The goal of Do Something is to "harness the power of the internet to help young people change the world." The group wants to inspire, support, and celebrate young people who have an idea, a vision of a better world, and who get off their lazy bottoms and actually get to work to make their idea a reality. In short, they want to inspire young people to Do Something, challenge them to get involved.
Do Something isn't just some organization where young people have a say; they have THE say. While another organization may be led by a seasoned activist in the ‘50s who is getting the next generation involved, Do Something IS that generation and is massively involved and dedicated. Members like to say they're pro-choice… Do Something is about results. Are you actually going out and making a difference? For some causes, results are easy to find. You've changed a law, helped X number of kids to get off the streets, or built a computer lab in an impoverished area. But other causes are not so simple. What if your cause is the struggle against global warming? Do you have to sit around and wait for the global temperature to drop half a degree before you know if you've accomplished anything? Of course not -- results can be measured in how many people you've spoken to or how many signatures you've collected. As long as there's some level of measurable impact, you're doing good work.
… As in no money required. No dues. No starter fees. Nothing. Social change is not something that should be limited in any way. Likewise, the organization has a "no car needed" rule. Anyone who wants to get involved should be able to do so regardless of his or her financial situation. If you have a ton of money to invest in a cause, fantastic. If not, no worries. You can still make a tremendous change in the world. All you need to bring is your enthusiasm and inspiration. Do Something is a not-for-profit Internet company. Here, young people from all over the world gather to exchange ideas and get things moving. If it can't be done online … This is the Internet age, and Do Something is the Internet destination for social change in the world. Taken together, these guidelines help Do Something ensure that the community action the group inspires is both empowering and accessible to the target demographic of young people.
They make up 30 percent of the population of the United States, and they are more involved and active in social causes than any generation before them. For many Millennials who aren't Doing Something, the reason is, quite simply, that nobody asked them to. Do Something is asking. But without a huge marketing campaign, without billboards and countless TV ads, getting the word out is not always easy. Luckily, the group has the best marketing campaign money can't buy: word of mouth. Word of mouth is one of the primary building blocks of Do Something. It may take a little longer, but the quality of people who find the organization through word of mouth are far and away more dedicated, more involved, and more likely to take action. Another way Do Something finds its audience is through strategic partnerships. But the group will only enter into a partnership with a company if it makes sense.
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