How to Form a SADD Chapter

Congratulations! You see the need for a SADD chapter in your community and you're determined to form one. That's half the battle right there. Let us help you with the mechanics of the process. We've drawn on the experiences of teens from all over the United States to write this chapter. We'll give you the lowdown on how to …

• Form a SADD chapter (or reactivate an existing one);
• Recruit participants;
• Work with your chapter advisor;
• Organize your chapter, including officer responsibilities;
• Make meetings informative, interesting, and fun;
• Ensure that each individual feels included and get the scoop on group dynamics in a meeting; and
• Plan fund-raising ideas that are fun and profitable.

Each SADD chapter is unique. You will decide what activities work best within your community. You may decide to form a chapter at school, but you can also establish a SADD chapter in places of worship or in community centers. Sometimes youth groups decide to form SADD chapters.

Remember: SADD is open to all students. It is an inclusive organization. Students work together in the chapter to spread SADD’s message about the following:

• SADD’s "No Use" policy with regard to alcohol and drugs,
• The elimination of death and injury due to underage drinking, impaired driving, and other destructive behaviors, and
• Information about the dangerous consequences related to the use of alcohol and other drugs.

Let's Start at the Beginning
As you form your chapter, you'll want to understand the history of SADD, the important role this organization plays in helping young people make positive choices, and the valuable part you and your chapter will assume in fulfilling this mission.

Founded in 1981 as Students Against Driving Drunk, SADD has grown to become the nation’s dominant peer-to-peer youth prevention organization, with thousands of chapters in middle schools, high schools, and colleges. In 1997, in response to requests from SADD students themselves, SADD expanded its mission and name and now sponsors chapters called Students Against Destructive Decisions.

SADD’s unique approach involves young people delivering education and prevention messages to their peers through school- and communitywide activities and campaigns. Projects may include the following:

• Peer-led classes and theme-focused forums;
• Teen workshops;
• Conferences and rallies;
• Prevention education and leadership training;
• Awareness-raising activities; and
• Legislative work.

SADD students inform, support, and assist their peers to obtain the best tools needed to make healthy decisions. Through its expansive network of chapters across the country, SADD can deliver information and messages to hundreds of thousands of teenagers.

SADD is committed to YOU.

• SADD believes in the power of young people and their ability to make positive, informed decisions.
  
• SADD empowers students to act on their convictions.
• SADD puts the responsibility for making safe, informed choices on teens rather than telling teens what to do or what not to do.
• SADD encourages teens to consider the impact of their choices on their friends, their families, and their future.
  

SADD relies on scientifically grounded prevention principles. As a youth prevention program that begins and evolves from local-level efforts, SADD is age appropriate, culturally appropriate, long-term (continuing throughout students’ school careers), and cost effective.

In addition, SADD promotes programming that includes the following:

• Targeting all forms of drug use;
• Skills to resist drug offers;
• Social competency skills;
• Normative education designed to correct students’ misperceptions about their peers’ drug use;
• A parent component;
• Outreach to all populations, including children with behavior problems or learning disabilities;
• Interactive methods, such as peer discussion groups; and
• Media campaigns and working for policy changes.

We're Here to Help: Getting Started
On the national, state, and local levels, SADD can help you form your chapter and succeed in the goals you set for yourselves.

National
Contact SADD National at 1-877-SADD-INC (723-3462) or visit the SADD Web site at www.sadd.org to request materials to start a SADD chapter. You will receive a chapter registration form along with SADD background materials and brochures to promote parent-student communication.

Register your chapter by returning the registration form enclosed in the packet or by completing the form online. Registering will ensure that you receive all mailings from SADD National. Please be sure to re-register your chapter every fall.

Once you have registered, you will receive a New Chapter Packet, including a Certificate of Membership, SADD National’s most recent newsletter, and other materials. In addition, you will be qualified to participate in a variety of SADD National-sponsored activities, including the annual SADD National Conference each summer. The national office will provide you with details about the conference registration, cost, and transportation.

Stay in touch with SADD National. We're eager to hear about your wonderful work. Please send pictures and details of your events and activities; your chapter might be featured on the SADD Web site, in the SADD newsletter, or in the annual report.

State
SADD has a State Coordinator in many states. State Coordinators are responsible for identifying existing chapters, promoting new ones, supporting the work of chapters, regularly providing information and resources to chapters, advocating for SADD programs within the state, and providing a link between chapters and the SADD National office.

By contacting your State Coordinator, you will receive important state information, including details about available state conferences, program grants, state leadership boards, campaign information, and training opportunities.

Your State Coordinator can be a valuable resource. Check the SADD Web site at www.sadd.org or contact SADD National toll-free at 877-SADD-INC (723-3462) to see if your state has a SADD State Coordinator.

Local
The National office and your State Coordinator can help you find other SADD chapters in your area. Veteran SADD chapter students and advisors can provide valuable perspectives. They may be interested in co-sponsoring activities and events or sharing with you what has worked well for their chapter and what has not. This kind of communication may be especially helpful for smaller chapters or for chapters in rural areas.

Student Leadership Council
SADD has developed a process for selecting up to 15 talented and energetic students, each from a different state, to serve as ambassadors for SADD and advisors to SADD National’s Board of Directors and staff in carrying out SADD’s mission. These students are accomplished individuals who have demonstrated their commitment by reaching out to peers, friends, and younger students through SADD and other peer support programs. You can e-mail them to ask questions from a youth perspective at info@sadd.org.

Getting Approval for Your SADD Chapter

Obtaining Permission First
If your chapter is going to be based at school, set up a meeting with your principal to obtain his/her approval and support for the program. Choose a spokesperson, and bring other students with you to the meeting. Remember, this is a student-run organization, so it is preferable that your spokesperson is a student. Secure a monthly, weekly, or biweekly meeting time and location. Set a time and place for your first general meeting. Follow the same general steps if you are planning to meet at a community center, as an offshoot of a youth group, or in a house of worship. You’ll want to meet with the leaders of that organization and get their approval and support.

The Need for SADD
When you meet with school administrators, begin by explaining the need for SADD. Alcohol is the biggest substance problem for teens, and data shows it can be considered a gateway drug (meaning it leads to use of other drugs). Explain that alcohol-related crashes remain a persistent problem among teens: consistently, more than 2,000 teens die in impaired-driving crashes annually. SADD covers other destructive decisions, too, so do some research about dangers that are especially troublesome at your school, such as bullying, hazing, or drug use.

Assure your administrators that SADD does not condone safe rides programs in which sober teens offer their intoxicated or drug-impaired friends a safe ride home. SADD promotes a "No Use" policy for alcohol and other drugs. Explain that the SADD message is one of empowerment and responsibility. Provide SADD’s literature to your school administrators and stress SADD’s peer-to-peer influence in helping teens make positive choices.

Finally, remind your administrators that SADD adheres to and embraces science-based prevention principles. If they continue to have concerns or questions, have them contact SADD National at 1-877-SADD-INC (723-3462).

Your Chapter Advisor
Although SADD is a student-run organization, you will need an adult advisor (if you don’t already have one).

Appeal to a teacher, coach, counselor, or administrator who is trusted and well respected by the school community. It is important to find someone who is passionate about your cause and who has the time, energy, and creativity necessary to be an effective SADD chapter advisor. The advisor’s role may be more facilitator than leader. Most important, the advisor must have the ability to listen to what students have to say and treat what they offer with respectful consideration.

Though having expertise in alcohol- or drug-related issues is helpful, being a prevention specialist is not required. The only real requirements are that the advisor cares about and is committed to the SADD philosophy and can empower students to spread the SADD message in the school and community.

Be sure to communicate your expectations to your potential advisor.

Advisors should be …

• Able to attend all SADD chapter meetings;
• Willing to sponsor and chaperone SADD chapter activities; and
• Willing to act as a liaison between the SADD chapter and the school administration.

The 6 R’s of Membership

The Florida SADD organization has created a helpful pamphlet: "The 6 R’s of Membership." You can order it by contacting SADD National by e-mail at info@sadd.org or by calling 877-SADD-INC (723-3462). Some highlights are detailed below.

REFLECTION – Before you start, take time to consider your chapter’s image. Discuss how you would like your chapter to be perceived and ways to project that image.

RECRUITMENT – Remember that everything you do has an effect on recruiting new members. Students will make decisions to join your chapter based on what they see and hear about it. Therefore, recruiting is a continual process. Always be prepared to discuss how students from different groups can join and to encourage them to give SADD a try.

RETENTION – Getting SADD members is one thing, but keeping them is another. It is very important to always motivate your members. The saying "Attitude is everything, so pick a good one" is true! Find ways to develop a good attitude and keep motivating your members. Constant positive motivation is the key to the success of your chapter.

RECOGNITION – All of your members need to feel important. Recognize their specific contributions to the chapter. If you value the work of your members, tell them! The rewards you reap for your organization will be invaluable.

RIP ROARING – Finding a way to make your meetings more exciting will be critical to retaining your members and keeping them interested. The energy you create in the meetings will spread to your programs and affect members’ enthusiasm. Have fun! (Don't take yourselves too seriously!)

RESOURCES

Fund-Raising

• Familiarizing yourself with your school’s fund-raising rules and regulations will give you a framework from which to start. Soliciting money at certain times and from certain people may have restrictions.

Faculty and Staff Support

• Your school’s faculty and staff can be some of your greatest allies. Create a plan to work with faculty and staff members. Develop ways to keep them informed about your SADD chapter and include them in your activities and events.
• Your school is part of a bigger community. Work with community members and businesses and advertise in the community to draw more attention to your SADD chapter and its messages. This effort may help you reach more people.

Getting People to SADD Events

• You can have the best programs in the world, but if no one knows about them, your work will not be seen! Focus first on your target audience and develop a plan to get participants to your event.

Prevention Programming

• SADD focuses on prevention in all of its programming. Awareness materials from SADD National and your State Coordinator are sent to schools throughout each school year to help you plan events.

Recruiting

SADD is an inclusive organization. It is important to have as broad a chapter as possible. Here are some tips for encouraging students to join SADD.

• Recruit a diverse group of students to appeal to everyone in your school. When students see a diverse group of their peers, they will realize that SADD offers something for everyone.
• Reach out to students in all grades to ensure the future leadership of your chapter. You may be likely to attract younger students and new students who are looking to belong to a group that is safe and fun, like SADD.
• Be sure to avoid exclusivity. SADD’s message is critical, and it’s important that no one feels alienated by those promoting it. Always welcome new or prospective participants warmly. Ask them for their input and suggestions. Make a point of following up with everyone who expresses interest in being part of SADD.
• Approach your friends, members of your school’s student government, team captains, and students who volunteer or mentor regularly. Work with class presidents to identify students who are eager to be active members of the school community. Try teaming up with other clubs and organizations in your school. Collaboration is powerful.
• Recruiting is a yearlong process. Always be prepared to discuss how students can join your chapter. Remember that personal contact is more effective than distributing fliers. Nothing can replace the simple act of getting to know people and asking them to join your SADD chapter.
• If your school has an Activity Fair at the beginning of the school year, create an interactive and fun display. Hand out candy.
• Don’t expect individuals to come to a meeting in a room full of people they don’t know. Offer to meet new attendees at a central location and walk with them to the meeting. Be sure to introduce everyone to each other before the meeting begins.
• Recruit fellow students by mentioning the issues that interest them. Ask them to work on a specific campaign or project that suits their interests and talents.
• Pair up returning and new participants to complete tasks and serve on committees. There may be a tendency for returning students to want to work together. Remember, the success of your program rests on the ability of returning students to spread their knowledge and know-how while incorporating fresh ideas and perspectives that can only be offered by new participants.

Timing Is Everything – and Don't Forget Food!

Pick a meeting time when you are likely to get a good turnout. Check other club and athletics schedules to avoid conflicts.

Strategically hold meetings to meet the needs of your SADD students. You might divide meeting times or hold two different meetings, before and/or after school; consecutively during lunch shifts; during homeroom; during an approved club meeting time; or at a student’s home in the evening.

Free food is always an incentive for prospective attendees. Make sure you publicize that snacks will be served. Having food at meetings regularly will encourage people to return (especially if your meetings are after school).

Before you lock in a regular meeting time, make sure that time is convenient for your advisor.

Get the News Out

It is important to ensure that other students and the community know about your SADD chapter and its upcoming activities and events.

• Put up posters, send out fliers, and make announcements over the public address (PA) system to announce your SADD chapter and the first meeting. Be sure to include the message that refreshments will be offered! Set the meeting time when you are likely to get the most students.
• Post meeting notices on electronic boards in lunchrooms, at playing fields, in gyms, etc.
• Get connected online so people can find information about your meetings and activities and how to reach you. If your school has a Web site, create a page devoted to SADD.
• Visit the incoming high school classes: reach out to eighth graders and freshmen by distributing information about SADD. Have a special meeting just for incoming classes – they may be skittish about joining in.
• Write an article about SADD for your school newspaper that explains the SADD philosophy and mission and invites students to join.
• Ask every SADD student to recruit another person for the meeting.
• Invite people personally. A personal invitation is likely to strengthen the response. Consider printing special invitations to hand out.
• Co-sponsor events with other area SADD groups so that your SADD chapter receives publicity.
• Make your own recruitment video, perform skits, and make announcements to the entire student body. Remember to make your chapter look like fun!
• Ask a local pizza merchant to stick a SADD flier on its delivery boxes (or offer to tape them onto the boxes yourself). This approach will reach a huge number of middle and high school students as well as their parents.€ Send news releases to local newspapers about your chapter and its upcoming activities.
• Always bring a camera to SADD events. Send photos and write-ups of your programs to local newspapers and to SADD National.
• Set up a SADD bulletin board or display case with posters, pictures, and news clips about SADD and its activities. Include a message that students can join anytime. Include recent photos and information about past events and upcoming ones.
• Build chapter awareness campaigns and bring SADD materials to other events, such as "Back-to-School Night," school orientation, morning arrival, lunchtime, school dances, or other school activities.

Organizing Your Chapter

Before you can start planning activities and projects, you need to determine the kind of leadership your chapter will have: executive board or officers.

• Executive Board: The group acts as a team instead of having individual titles and duties
• Officers (Traditional Model): President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Class Representative

For either leadership model, make sure that your student leaders are not overextended in other activities and that they understand their responsibilities and duties to the SADD chapter. The officers/executive board should represent the SADD philosophy of a substance-free lifestyle.

The work of SADD officers is extremely important. If some officers of the chapter do not take their responsibilities seriously, the advisor should speak with them. The significance of the work of SADD should be reemphasized and any questions should be addressed. If an individual cannot dedicate himself to spreading the message of SADD and upholding its principles, then the officer should consider stepping down: the work of SADD is too important to be left undone.

Violating the mission of SADD by drinking, using other drugs, or driving impaired is a serious offense by SADD officers. Have your advisor discuss with the chapter’s officers the significance of their responsibilities and of SADD’s "No Use" policy. Many chapters ask their officers to sign a contract that commits the officers to remain substance-free and to serve as active participants in the chapter’s activities. If a student feels that it will be difficult to follow these guidelines, he or she should consider declining the office. If the guidelines are violated, and action must be taken, every effort should be made to support the individual. It’s very important that each incident be handled individually; no blanket rules should be made. SADD is an inclusive organization and, above all, the primary concern is for the young people involved.

If your chapter has an interest in establishing a chapter constitution or bylaws, visit www.sadd.org to download a copy.

Officer Descriptions and Responsibilities

The following is a suggested, traditional model in which the officers of the SADD chapter have individual responsibilities.

President
The president must attend all meetings. These are the president’s responsibilities.

• Report directly to the advisor, who must confirm/approve plans.
• Work with fellow officers to plan meetings and set agendas and notify those who may be required to attend the meetings.
• Lead officer meetings.
• Delegate responsibilities for projects to officers, subcommittees, and participants.
• Maintain responsibility for the committees’ meetings and establish deadlines.
  
• Facilitate general SADD chapter meetings.
• Serve as spokesperson and role model for the SADD chapter.
• Approve financial expenditures.

Vice President
The vice president must attend all meetings. The vice president’s responsibilities are listed here.

• Report to the advisor, as requested by the president.
• Assume leadership for the president in any role he/she cannot fulfill or in any role that is requested.
• Attend all meetings and actively participate in planning, assisting with delegation of responsibilities, and implementing activities and programs.
• Serve as spokesperson and role model for the SADD chapter.
• Serve as public relations contact.
• Act as liaison to the SADD State Coordinator.

Secretary
The secretary must attend all meetings and fulfill these responsibilities.

• Keep accurate records of each meeting and provide a copy to all officers and attendees as well as to the advisor.
• Keep track of names and attendance.
• Maintain committee lists.
  
• Maintain chapter correspondences and other contacts in the community.
• Assume the duties of the vice president when requested.
• Work with other officers to plan meetings.
• Post meeting and activity times and places.
• Actively participate in planning and implementing chapter activities and programs.

Treasurer
The treasurer must attend all meetings. These are the treasurer’s responsibilities.

• Keep account of all chapter income and expenses.
• Maintain bank accounts and pay bills as necessary.
• Provide an up-to-date report of chapter finances at each meeting.
• Work with other officers to plan meetings.
• Actively participate in planning and implementing chapter activities and programs.

Class Representatives
The class representatives must attend all meetings and fulfill the following responsibilities.

• Represent his/her grade level and serve as primary SADD role model for that class.
• Recruit classmates to help with projects.
• Provide information about SADD to classmates.
• Attend various officer meetings and other meetings as requested.

Sample SADD Officer Contract

As a SADD Officer, I promise to take the following actions.

• Abstain from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and any other illicit drug, including over-the-counter stimulants.
• Promote and uphold SADD’s "No Use" message.
• Wear a safety belt at all times and encourage others to do the same.
• Encourage friends to make positive decisions.
• Be a positive role model for my peers and younger students by demonstrating sound decision-making skills, avoiding enabling behaviors, and engaging in positive activities that do not involve alcohol and other drugs.
• Work hard to assist those who are in need, rather than turning my back on those who have made a destructive choice.
• Attend meetings and participate in as many chapter activities as possible.
• Learn as much as I can about prevention and being an effective leader.

I realize that failure to comply with these rules may result in disciplinary action or removal from office.

Print Name

Signature

Date

Process for Removal of an Officer

Removal of a SADD officer from his/her position is a serious step and should be taken only after certifying the accusations and having an in-depth discussion among all concerned. Remember that the individual may be removed from office but not from the SADD chapter. Also, make sure to work with your advisor as you go through the process.

Above all, the primary concern is for the young person involved – to help the student, not to alienate him or her. Under all conditions, be sure to provide plenty of help and support to the individual involved.

Each situation should be handled individually and as a separate issue. Although the advisor is the only person who can remove an officer, a mutual agreement on a recommended course of action with the involved student might be preferable. A probationary period, instead of removal, may be recommended. If an informal agreement cannot be reached, then the situation should be discussed and a course of action chosen.

To prevent such situations from arising, have a workshop at the beginning of the school year to address responsibilities of officers and other SADD students when they are representing the chapter and consequences for inappropriate behavior. By doing so, everyone involved will know what is expected and what to expect. The potential for success is much greater when all chapter participants and representatives know what is expected of them.

How to Run Meetings

Make sure that your first meeting is fun, informative, and enticing so that everyone will want to return and bring their friends with them. Don’t be surprised if not everyone is ready to immediately embrace the "No Use" policy and the Contract for Life.
A good meeting takes planning. Set an agenda and follow it. It’s easy to get off course and chat with friends. You can factor in time in each meeting for socializing and for bringing up unexpected issues – but you want to accomplish the items on your agenda, too.

First Meeting
At your first meeting, review SADD’s philosophy and mission statement. Generate a list of issues that your chapter thinks are the most pressing in your school. You may want to design a survey of student concerns and behaviors. Consider what kind of decisions students in your community have to make on a daily basis and define the pressures that they regularly face. Discuss what an appropriate response to these pressures would be and what activities your SADD chapter can sponsor to empower your schoolmates to make positive choices.

First Meeting Sample Agenda

1. Student spokesperson should welcome attendees, thank everyone for attending, and introduce the advisor.
2. Give a brief overview of SADD.
3. Play a new game.
4. Share your ideas for SADD, why you initiated this meeting, and what you would like to see happen.
5. Ask the attendees why they came, what they’d like to do, and what they’d like the chapter to accomplish.
6. Explain the leadership opportunities – President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Class Representatives, committees, etc.
   
7. Elect the officers and announce the election results at the meeting.
8. Explain what will take place at the next meeting.
9. Set a date and time for the next meeting.
10. Adjourn the meeting.

Chapter Meetings
Once your chapter is formed, hold regularly scheduled meetings. Chapter meetings should be fun and purposeful. Everybody wants to feel needed, and nobody likes to attend boring meetings that accomplish little. Prepare presentations, materials, and an agenda before the meeting. The following are some guidelines for your chapter meetings.

Purpose
Meetings must have focus. The officers and advisor should decide in advance what must be accomplished at each meeting.

Action Plan
Develop a Calendar of Activities and a timeline that will be accomplished throughout the year. You will find the SADD National calendar and activities in SADD’s newsletter, Decisions, or online at www.sadd.org.

Date
Set a regular meeting date and time. For example, officers’ meetings might be the first Tuesday of each month and the chapter meeting the second Tuesday of each month.

Agenda
Each meeting must have a written agenda that is available to everyone. Be sure the agenda is realistic in goals for the allotted time.

Sample SADD Chapter Meeting Agenda

1. Welcome and introductions (2 minutes) – Be sure to have everyone introduce him/herself at each meeting. You may decide to have nametags.
2. Distribution of agenda (1 minute)
3. Approval of minutes from last meeting (1 minute)
4. Report on action items from last meeting – Get an update on how participants have accomplished their tasks from prior meetings (10 minutes).
5. Action items – Review issues that the chapter needs to decide today.
6. Brainstorm and think creatively about future projects. Topics for discussion during this time might become action items at the next meeting (15 minutes).
7. Committee reports (2 minutes each)
8. Officers’ reports (2 minutes each)
9. Any other matter of interest – Attendees may bring up issues or items of information for the group (5-10 minutes each).
10. Conclusion – Compile a list of actions to be completed by the next meeting and decide upon an announcement of the next meeting date, activity, and program dates. End on a positive note.

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