Does your Chamber want to get involved in a programme that changes lives, forges links with exceptional people and promotes JCI to a wider audience? If so then the TOYP competition could be exactly what you're looking for!
 
After a quiet few years, TOYP is back in JCI UK and no-one can argue with our recent successes... last year we entered two outstanding candidates; Emily Cummins and Sabirul Islam, both of whom were named as one of the Ten Outstanding Young People in the World for 2010. They join other notable TOYP honourees Elvis Presley, JFK, Jackie Chan and Amar Latif (2004 TOYP Honouree, nominated by JCI UK). 
 
TOYP gives us the opportunity to approach the people who inspire us and gives them the opportunity to inspire on a global scale - everyone wins! Don't believe me? Check out Sabirul's blog to find out what he's been up to since becoming one of the Ten Outstanding Young People for 2010.

The 10 categories are wide reaching and versatile - if your potential nominees are aged between 18 and 40 and have created outstanding positive change in their life, then they are eligible! It's a great chance for your members to develop as well... What can be better than forming a team with a mission to discover exceptional people and hidden heroes? 

So how does it work? The great thing with TOYP is it can be tailored to suit your chamber, resources and goals:
 
Tiny TOYP - Have a discussion at your council meeting, is there someone that immediately springs to mind? If so, why not approach them to encourage their application. This is how Emily and Sabirul were nominated by Bradford and London.
 
Tweeny TOYP - Form a team and brainstorm one, two... or all of the categories; search the web, tweet, use social networking, approach organisations and the local media and see who you can discover on your doorstep!
 
Tremendous TOYP - Cast your net wide, promote it like crazy, engage high profile judges and hold a glittering awards ceremony! Admittedly this is something to aspire to, but there's nothing stopping you once you've dipped your toe into TOYP!
 
There's a full JCI TOYP Toolkit available on the JCI.cc website, follow the link (you'll need to sign in) to the JCI Library and look under 'Programs'. The Toolkit contains loads of useful resources including a full guide, press release templates, invitations to judges, business plans and other good stuff. The only thing that it doesn't include is an 'offline' template for the application form (contact me and I'll send you one!) as applications must be submitted using the JCI.cc website. We found that copying and pasting from a word document was soooo much easier!
 
So, how does this sound? Are you interested??? Please get in touch and let me know how I can help and how you're getting on! The applications for 2011 need to be approved and submitted by 23rd May, so now's the time for action!
 
TOYP Academy - Registration has opened for the second TOYP Academy in Istanbul, taking place between April 28th and 1st May 2011. Do you want to attend as the JCI UK delegate, all you need to pay for is your transport? Please contact Alli and I if you think you have what it takes to drive TOYP forward in the UK. It will be an absolutely amazing and unforgettable experience - I promise!!!