Create a Project/Park Clean Up
By: ultranova
1. Pick a Cause
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The first step in doing anything project-related is to think about what matters to YOU.
Developing a project can be a lengthy process that takes commitment and energy – and if you don’t have passion for the cause, you won't be able to muster what it takes to complete it. Be thoughtful; don’t rush to jump on whatever seems trendy. Don’t start a project to help Darfur if you don’t know what Darfur is.
I really care about the natural environment, so that is where I choose to focus my energy and time. But how?
2. Research: Figure Out Your Focus
Once you pick your cause... 
- Focus on what ASPECT you'd like to impact.
Take the environment: obviously this is huge and there’s no way to address it all. Do some research – it’s easy to dream big, but much harder to achieve. Your local community probably has a public park with some issues that need attention. Is there a lake that needs cleaning up? Is there an area of the park that has been damaged by
overuse?
Look around and see how your cause is impacted on a local level; then, explore ways to improve it. I saw that my local park was getting messier – we have fewer city resources available for park upkeep. So I decided to focus my attention on cleaning the park up.
3. Determine Your Objectives and Goals
Now it’s time to really get in there and start figuring out the who/what/where/when & how of this project.
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Define your goals and objectives.
In the case of cleaning up my local park, my goal is to organize a group of neighbors who will clean the park on a monthly basis. My objective is a cleaner park for everyone.
4. Develop a Plan
Now the REAL work begins. You have identified what you want to do; now,how to do it?
- Organize the process for implementing this project.
There are a number of questions you will need to answer.
What will I need to carry out this project?
- Money (if so, how much?)
For my park project, I don’t need much. Perhaps enough cash to go to Kinko’s and make copies of a flyer to post around my neighborhood. Whew! – That was easy (fundraising is a whole other ballgame that you may need to incorporate into your plan – if so check out some of the fundraising toolkits for fun ideas).
- People (if so, who and how will you find them?)
I definitely need people. The park is big and I can’t do the clean-up alone. I need to get my neighbors involved. Chances are, if you feel strongly enough to create a project on an issue, there are many others who feel the same way. Broadcast your idea and get others to join. Create a flyer (with a computer and printer it’s easy). It doesn’t need to be fancy or overly “designed” – a simple message can be effective.
I created a simple MS Word document to organize a group to tackle the park clean-up.
Get the call for help out there in advance of the event – it would be pointless to ask for volunteers a day before the clean-up. I put the flyers out two weeks before the first clean-up day. That gives me time to pull together the last few details.
- Stuff (if so, what and where will you get it?)
To do a park clean-up you’ll need garbage bags, brooms, gloves, maybe some kind of litter picker-upper (you know – those pliers-like gadgets that allow you to pick up trash from a standing position). Where do I get that stuff?
You can ask other volunteers to bring these things, but some people may not want
to lug supplies to the park. I asked some local neighborhood stores if they’ll donate a couple things – my local hardware store is happy to provide garbage bags. Another local store gives me a couple of push brooms. Most local businesses are owned by people who want to see the same improvements you do. They may not have time to join, but it gives them satisfaction to contribute something. Don’t be afraid to ask, but also don’t be a pain in the ass. If they say they aren't interested, thank them and move on. You’re not there to convert people or guilt-trip them into contributing.
During these two weeks, I’ve had over 10 people contact me about helping! Not only are they anxious to help, but they are also so thankful that I’ve taken the time and effort to organize this. The love is already flowing and I haven’t even done anything yet!
5. Do Your Project
So the big day arrives – our first Saturday clean-up. I arrive around 7:30 with the donated supplies. The café owner is there to meet me with the refreshments (and another round of thanks for what I’m doing – isn’t doing a project great!?!). I wait at the appointed spot in the park and right on schedule I have all 10 volunteers. Most have bring supplies, and they are impressed that I went out and got donations. There are smiles all around when they see the coffee and goodies. This initial meet-up also allows us to get acquainted – these are our neighbors after all. It’s great to spread some neighborly good will! We spend the next 4 hours cleaning the park – we fill over 4 large garbage bags!
Everyone works hard, but we have fun too. We split into teams of two and tackle different areas. Although cleaning a park doesn’t exactly sound like a rip-roaring good time, the morning actually turns out to be a lot of fun. I make a couple new friends (most of the volunteers are people that I’ve never met before), and it feels good to see the park looking improved.
6. Document Your Work 
It is always valuable to document projects. You can document in a number of ways (or any combo) – written (as in a journal), photographs, video, and audio recordings. The nature of your project will help to determine the best means of documenting it.
With my park clean-up, I tried to keep a good working journal in which I kept track of details and my own thoughts and ideas. On the day of the clean-up, I brought both my video and regular camera. I made a point of taking some ‘before & after’ photos of spots in the park that were dirty. Many people take parks for granted and might not even notice that it is cleaner – this way I can show people that we made an impact. I also spent a bit of time videotaping the clean-up teams – showing the neighbors in action, having fun, and accomplishing our goal.
My next project idea is to expand this park clean-up effort to other parks in the city, but to do that I will need more support, including some financial support. The documentation that I created during my first project is extremely valuable as I look for more community support in developing a larger-scale citywide volunteer park clean-up program.
7. Reflect
Projects are oftentimes experiments in affecting civic change – and with any experiment you may or may not be successful the first time around. After you have completed your project (or the
first phase of it), it is important to take some time to reflect on what are known as “best practices.”
Once I completed my first park clean-up Saturday I took some time to think about how it went and how it could be improved. I realized that there were areas of the park that we did not get to clean, so one thing I want to improve is my outreach. I need to get a larger pool of volunteers so we can effectively clean the entire park. I also got some feedback from the first round of volunteers on ways to improve my flyer (by adding tear-off phone number/email address strips at the bottom). I also now can use my photo documentation to make it even more impressive when I ask local businesses to donate supplies (I want to find another café that will provide some snacks and soft drinks). Seeing the results of our efforts is motivating to these businesses to provide community support.
Pulling together a project isn’t easy and it does require an attention to detail combined with a clear intention. But it can also be a lot of fun while at the same time providing a means to make new friends, takea leadership role in your community, and grow as a person. Now get out there and get your project started!
Toolkit: Become an Activist
Toolkit: Start a Club
MyCauseIs... Conservation
