Teen Engagement

Needs

All aspects of teen engagement are being impacted by COVID-19. This includes any in person gatherings that had been planned currently and into the summer of 2020. Weekly in-person programming, trips to Israel and summer camps are just examples of where programming has been impacted.

Youth Serving Organizations (YSOs) are currently exploring different ways to provide supports online to teens in the short term, whilst they evaluate the next course of action for what is ahead.

Other challenges include:

• Revenue shortfall from anticipated decline in fundraising and fee-for-serve revenues. According to Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the current estimates are that fee-for-service revenue next year could be down $1.5M and fundraising could be down $6-8M in the coming year.
• Addressing mental health and wellbeing for teens experiencing isolation, anxiety, stress and more.

In July, JFNA reported on how BBYO, the largest nondenominational Jewish youth movement is faring: 

BBYO enters FY2021 a leaner, more nimble organization that is benefitting from important learning over the past few months. BBYO OnDemand has become a critical digital complement to programming that will eventually take place in person, opening a huge engagement pipeline. Internal scenario planning has led to a three-phase approach to stabilizing BBYO financially and preparing it for an expected post-COVID growth in membership as teens seek out social connections and families seek out local, cost-effective engagement opportunities for their children. BBYO’s reputation as a nurturing, “safe” place for teens to grow as leaders and citizens is also expected to resonate with parents. Priorities over the next six months include: • Preparing for in-person programming through the development of policies and communications and the acquisition of PPE • Offering strong digital content to complement smaller, local, in-person gatherings • Focusing on a teen mental health and wellness initiative • Offering tutorial and enrichment programing, particularly around the arts (music, writing, visual arts) • Seeking out partnerships with Jewish institutions that are seeking to provide teen audiences with programming Major challenges, and the focus of BBYO’s scenario planning, include uncertainty about the speed at which gatherings (weekend conventions and summer programs) will resume and the economic impact that the pandemic is having on Jewish families with teens. Data has already been collected about the latter through a survey of BBYO parents (1,400 responses). If BBYO is unable to operate its camps and summer travel experiences in 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions, the financial impact on the organization will be significant.