FAQ's

Plan Canada the organization?

A: To find out more about Plan Canada, go to our main website at plancanada.ca and look through our About Plan section on the main menu bar.

A: To find more about Plan International go to the website at plan-international.org

A: Check out Where We Work. Here we have profiles on all of the countries where Plan works and what we are doing there.

A: Under Choose YOUR Cause you will find information on all the issues Plan supports. If you are searching for more resources, there are fact sheets, essays and presentations in the Learn more about it section that will help you explore these issues even further!

A: If you would like to get a hold of any of Plan’s Ambassadors check out their bios for more information.

A: If you have any suggestions for us then please email us at youth@plancanada.ca. We will either direct you to the right person or contact you to discuss the idea a little further. We really value the input of young people, as many of the best ideas about how to do our work come from youth just like you. You are the leaders of today -- who better to tell us how to reach young people than young people themselves! We can’t wait to hear from you.

A: There are many ways you can get involved with Plan. It is really up to you how much time and energy you would like to give, and what your interests are. You can get involved with MAD Productions, as a Youth Journalist, join the Because I am a Girl speakers bureau, start a Because I am a Girl club, join our online community, start a campaign, create an event or even take advantage of some of our one-time volunteer opportunities.

There are also many ways to raise funds for the cause you feel most passionate about and we would be happy to give you materials to help you reach your goal. Explore the Take Action section on the website for more information and if you have more questions send us an email at youth@plancanada.ca

If you have your own initiative that will benefit Plan Canada we are all ears. We would be happy to support any initiative you would like to undertake! Just let us know your idea and we can give you some guidance and expertise. Send us an email at youth@plancanada.ca with your idea and we can go from there.

A: There are four different streams in the P4C Global Leaders Program. In the Take Action section you will find a description of each role and a link to each of their application forms. Once you have applied you will be able to create your Plan for Change and get support to complete it.

A: Plan does not place volunteers in developing countries. The majority of our development work is carried out with the participation of volunteers from the local communities themselves, rather than volunteers from overseas.

This approach supports our commitment to increasing people’s capacity to transform their own communities by helping to build their own skills and ownership in all projects.

If you are interested in volunteering overseas, we suggest you visit the Canadian Council for International Cooperation to see what opportunities are available.

A: We do! We have had both co-op students and interns during the school year, and during the summer. We usually have quite a few things on our to-do list that we could use help with. Some of our past interns and co-op students have interviewed Plan staff to make videos, created project profiles of activities taking place in different countries where we work and posted new content on planyouth.ca. If you’re interested in being a co-op student or intern, please email youth@plancanada.ca to find out if there are any openings.

A: A Plan for Change is your chance to put your ideas for change into action! You decide what you want to accomplish during the school year, and you lay out your goal and the different activities that you will carry out on planyouth.ca under MyP4C. Then, as you make progress with each of your activities, update your plan with photos, blogs and videos. At each step of the process, you can get feedback from the Plan Canada youth team with suggestions and advice to help ensure success.

Any registered user on planyouth.ca can create a Plan for Change.

A: The Plan for Change program is all about taking action locally to have a global impact. If you are interested in a local issue, think about how it connects to a global issue. Look at the different causes listed on planyouth.ca and make the links between what you care about locally and globally.

Because the trip to Africa is all about seeing the work Plan is doing on the ground in a developing country, it’s important to demonstrate your interest in global issues and development work. A big part of that is your Plan for Change. If you want to deal with a local issue, make sure you incorporate a global cause as well.

A: First of all, thank you for fundraising! You can send cheques to:

C/o Youth
Plan Canada
95 St Clair Ave W, Suite 1001
Toronto, ON
M4V 3B5

You do not need to address the envelope to an individual. Please remember not to send cash through the mail.

A: Plan is committed to maximizing the amount of funds that go towards helping children. While the percentage can change slightly from one year to another, on average, over the past five years, 80% of funds raised went to project work and 20% went towards administration, operations, public education and fundraising. For more information on our financials you can look through our annual reports.

A: Fill out the resource request form and we will do our best to get you what you need. Requests should be sent at least 2 weeks in advance to make sure we can get them to you in time.

A: Yes! Click on “MyP4C” and then go into “Settings.” You will see a number of categories that you can edit or add information to, including birthday, location, language and follow links (your Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr accounts).

A: You need to follow and join! Every cause, campaign, event, group and club can be followed or joined. The link to do this is on the upper right side of each page. Once you follow or join something, any new information added to those pages will appear on your homepage. You can stay up to date just by checking MyP4C.

A: Every time you do something on planyouth.ca, like post a blog or complete your Plan for Change, you earn Impact Points. These are split into action and awareness scores. You can see your Impact Score by going to your profile page. Once you reach a combined 1000 Impact Points you earn the status of Changemaker. You will get access to special opportunities and be recognized on our Wall of Fame.

A: Listing every way you can earn Impact Points would take a long time but here are a few examples:

• ‘Liking’ someone’s post earns 1 Impact Point
• Posting a piece of content like a blog, photo or video earns 4 Impact Points
• Complete a Plan for Change earns 80 Impact Points

If you have a question about how many Impact Points an action is worth then post your question to ‘The Wire’ and we will let you know!

A: Not all activities are created equal. The harder an activity is to do or the longer it takes to complete, the more points you earn for doing it.

A: A Changemaker is someone who takes an active role in making the world a better place. At Plan we want to provide a platform for Changemakers to be recognized for their efforts and this is what planyouth.ca is all about! To achieve Changemaker status on planyouth.ca you need to earn 1000 Impact Points.

A: Yes, there are different badges for the different programs and activities on planyouth.ca .

This badge is for members of the Because I am a Girl Speakers Bureau. If you want the badge, apply to be a member but remember new members are only accepted in September for this program.

This badge is for people who start a Because I am a Girl club in their school or community.

This badge is for members of the Youth Journalist team. If you want the badge, apply to be a member!

This badge is for members of the MAD Productions team. If you want the badge, apply to be a member!

This badge is for members of the PlanYouth Council. This small group of youth advise Plan on our work and help make sure the voices of young people are being heard. PlanYouth Council members are appointed after having been part of our programs for at least a year and having demonstrated a high level of commitment and engagement with Plan.

This badge is for PlanYouth bloggers. They blog for Plan on a regular basis.

This badge is for members of planyouth.ca who support and mentor youth.

This badge is for teachers. Teachers who have registered on planyouth.ca gain access to all our resources free of charge to use in the classroom.

This badge is earned by completing actions on planyouth.ca to earn 1000 Impact Points. In addition to the badge, Changemakers will also be recognized on our online Wall of Fame.

This badge is for users who have joined planyouth.ca but are not part of any other groups on the site.

A: The Community Engagement Fund is open to any girls’ club that is registered on plancanada.ca/girlclubs. Clubs can apply for up to $2,000 per school year to hold an event or activity that is open to the community and involves at least one organization in the community. We want to help clubs have an impact beyond their schools and spread the Because I am a Girl message of equality and social justice.

To find out more, including how to apply, visit plancanada.ca/girlclubs.

A: You can submit an application anytime but you should make sure to submit it at least two months in advance of when your activity is planned.

A: Once you submit your application, you should expect an answer by email in 3 weeks or less.

A: If the committee reviews your application and feels that there is information missing or that some changes are needed in order to qualify for funding, you will receive feedback and be able to reapply. Funding is limited so sometimes there may be many good ideas and simply not enough money to fund them all. Apply early in the school year to have the best chance of receiving funding.

A: Applications to the Community Engagement Fund will be reviewed by members of the Because I am a Girl Clubs Advisory Board. The board includes Plan staff, educators, guidance counselors, women in business, and girls.

A: A representative from Plan Canada will be in contact with you about securing your grant. Once you have completed your activity you will be required to send Plan your receipts to demonstrate how the money was spent. At this time you will also be asked to complete an evaluation form which will include the results of your activity (ie. how many people participated, a reflection on what worked and what didn't work, etc.).

A: Any girl with the support of an adult mentor can register a club. Clubs are most often in schools but can also be started by community groups. The resources were developed with girls in grades 7-12 in mind but younger or older girls are welcome to be part of the program as well.

A: The materials created for the Because I am a Girl clubs program can be used by existing clubs instead of starting a new club focused on Because I am a Girl. To access the resources you just need to register a club.

A: No. You can pick and choose the topics that are most interesting to you and your group.

A: This program is meant to be youth-driven, youth-led and adult-mentored. The supervising adult can use our mentoring guide to help create a safe girls’ space where everyone feels included and help make sure that the group is adhering to the rules of the school or community organization where the club is based.

A: It is free to register a club, access the resources, and contribute to the online community.

A: You have to register a club online to access the resources and then log in to download materials. We would like clubs to post updates about their activities and their opinions on the topics they are discussing, as well as any other great ideas or discoveries. We think this is a great way for clubs to learn from each other.

Printed copies of the modules will be mailed to each club upon registration along with Because I am a Girl branded materials. Additional materials can be requested as needed.

A: No. This program is primarily about helping girls explore the differences and similarities between issues that affect girls in Canada and girls in developing countries. Plan Canada raises awareness and funds to support Plan’s work globally and each module has a ‘You in action’ section with activity ideas that can be done in the school, in the community or around the world as part of Plan’s work in developing countries. There are activity ideas that are fundraisers; however, they are completely optional.

A: The core funding for this program is provided by the Status of Women Canada. Additional support is provided by private sector partners. This means that donations to Plan Canada and Because I am a Girl are not used to fund this program but instead support Plan’s work in developing countries.

A: Because I am a Girl clubs is a program by Plan Canada. We are collaborating with partners in the public and private sector on the different topics that are addressed as part of this program. There is also an advisory board that meets quarterly. The board is made up of Plan staff, educators, club leaders, private sector representatives, and gender and education experts.

A: Yes. You can decide to make a general donation to Plan Canada or the Because I am a Girl fund or you can choose something more specific, like a Gift of Hope.

A: Yes! If your club is planning a big event you can apply to the Community Engagement Fund. This fund is managed by the Because I am a Girl clubs advisory board. Clubs are encouraged to partner with local organizations or other clubs in the region. Contact Lindsey at lhiggs@plancanada.ca to find out when and how to apply.

A: Serena is excited to support clubs that are spreading the word about girls’ rights. Her availability depends on the location and timing of the event. If your club is organizing a big event that you would like Serena to be part of, please contact Lindsey at lhiggs@plancanada.ca.

A: Yes! From September 23-25, 2011, Plan Canada will be hosting the inaugural Plan for Change Summit in Toronto for youth from across the country. There is funding available for club leaders and adult mentors to attend and receive training on international development, running a girls’ club, using the club resources, and planning for the year. Check back regularly for details.

There will also be free training sessions offered in school boards that are supporting the clubs program and contest opportunities to participate in national and regional gatherings run by one of our partners, Girls Action Foundation.

A: Yes. Club leaders who set up a Plan for Change (P4C) for their club with a list of goals for the year, and document how those goals are being met by posting photos, videos and blogs on planyouth.ca, will be eligible to be part of Plan Canada’s Youth Leadership Council. Some of these young people will have the opportunity to travel with Plan to see the work that is being done in another part of the world.

A: Lindsey Higgs
Youth Engagement Specialist, Girls’ Programs
Office Tel: 416 920 1654 ext. 395
Email: lhiggs@plancanada.ca