There are all kinds of ways to recruit students to your program. Recruitment can be done through establishments such as synagogues, youth groups, and Jewish schools.  It can also be done through word of mouth and alumni connections.  Beyond the establishments, the next step is often finding allies within your community.  Allies can be parents, professional staff (Rabbis, educators, principals) and lay people.  It will be helpful for you to partner with these community members so that they can advocate on behalf of your program.  Once the program is up and running, teen participants can be encouraged to recruit other teens.

Every Jewish youth philanthropy program has a different perspective on the optimal level of involvement of participants' parents.  Some want the parents to be fully involved in the program, some request practical assistance, and some request that parents play a background role.  It is important for you and your community to determine what type of role you want your participants’ parents to play and it is important to make your expectations very clear from day one.

In addition to recruiting teens and getting their parents on board with the program, it is important to inform your local community of your program development and successes.  This can be done through a variety of methods, including press releases in local newspapers and announcements in synagogue and school bulletins.

Teen philanthropy programs use a variety of application styles to market themselves to potential applicants. Some program position themselves as competitive leadership programs, while others aim to serve as an inclusive program for all interested teens.

Some examples of program application forms can be found below: