United Way
of America
United Way 10,000 Hours Show
Frequently Asked Questions
What is it again?
United Way 10,000 Hours Show is a year-round, student-run volunteer recruitment and
recognition program on college and university campuses that culminates annually in a free
concert just for volunteers. It is organized locally, from volunteer outreach to concert
production. Through volunteer fairs, group volunteering, and peer-to-peer outreach, the
student leaders of 10,000 Hours work to mobilize their campus to get out and volunteer in
the community – the true “Show” of 10,000 Hours.
Student and other young adult volunteers that complete a locally-determined commitment
(usually 10 hours) to a nonprofit organization advancing the common good in the areas of
education, income, or health receive a free ticket to a concert just for volunteers.
10,000 Hours Show student leaders are advised by their local United Way and their host
campus. Representatives from these three groups meet regularly as a “Management Team” to
coordinate efforts, support each other, and make sure the project’s goals are met.
United Way 10,000 Hours Show is a special project of United Way’s campus chapters.
What are the project’s goals?
United Way 10,000 Hours Show’s goals, as with all United Way campus and young adult
engagement efforts, are to…
1) Advance the common good on campus and in the community,
2) Help students and young adults develop leadership skills
3) Connect young people to the community and the United Way movement
What sort of volunteering counts?
Each project sets its own Volunteer Criteria within national parameters. Eligible
volunteers serve a set number of hours (usually 10) that are verified by their host
nonprofit organization, government agency, or school in advance of the concert.
What role do the students play?
United Way 10,000 Hours Show is student-led and student-run. A core group of students,
ranging from 10-50 in number, serve as volunteer staff to make the project a success.
They reach out to their campus about volunteering through grassroots outreach,
traditional and new media, and relationships with other student and professional service
groups on campus. Student leaders of 10,000 Hours partner with a campus group such as
campus activities board to sign a band and produce the concert. They also set the budget
and fundraise to generate the resources to support the effort.
What role does United Way play?
United Way helps connect the passionate volunteering of young adults and students to
priority community change areas and help the student leaders succeed in their goals. The
local United Way designates a staff person to be a point of contact for the student
leaders and to advise their efforts. That staff person meets regularly as part of the
Management Team with representatives of the student leaders and host campus. In addition
to their community expertise, partner United Ways often offer advising and infrastructure
around volunteer opportunities, agency relations, and hour tracking. The United Way also
often offers fundraising coordination and advising to the students. Some United Ways
United Way
of America
offer skills training and a nonprofit account into which students gather funds.
instances, United Ways help fund the effort through grants.
In some
United Way of America (UWA), the leadership organization for the United Way movement,
develops best practice guides, template materials, and national parameters for United Way
10,000 Hours Show. Through the “Our 10,000 Hours Show” proposal process, UWA helps
United Ways work with student leaders and host campuses to plan their own United Way
10,000 Hours Shows. UWA then sub-licenses to proposal communities that meet shared
standards use of these materials and the 10,000 Hours. United Way of America also
develops national promotions and competitions to spread the word and help support United
Way 10,000 Hours Shows through corporate partners.
What role does a host campus play?
The host college or university plays a vital in the success of the project. The campus
designates a full-time faculty, staff, or member of the administration as adviser. The
adviser meets regularly as a Management Team with United Way and the student leadership.
The adviser also meets regularly with the student leadership of the project. The campus
usually hosts the concert at one of its venues and, through a student group or
professional unit on campus partnered with 10,000 Hours’ student leaders, produces the
concert. Different units of the campus often support the project financially.
How do you sort out exactly who does what?
It is an essential part of starting and maintaining United Way 10,000 Hours Show that the
student leaders, United Way, and host campus co-create a vision and plan for the project.
This process usually is completed through a semester-long (or longer) process that
culminates in a written Management Team agreement called the “Our 10,000 Hours Show”
proposal. Examples are available upon request.
Should the host campus be a large school? How about the United Way?
Many components of United Way 10,000 Hours Show – the venue and infrastructure for a
concert, the need to raise money to pay for the concert, the desired scale of having many
people attend a concert that costs essentially the same regardless of audience size –
lend the project to larger colleges and universities. That said, smaller campuses can
succeed with the project if they can account for these components or otherwise scale the
project size to fit their goals.
Similarly, larger United Ways able to put staff resources to the project may find the
effort more achievable. However, through the strategic use of loaned executives,
interns, and other staffing options, smaller United Ways can offer the program, as well.
However, the project’s success does require staff from the United Way.
Can you do 10,000 Hours on multiple campuses at once?
Yes, but we recommend you focus on one when starting the project. It is much easier to
get a student-run organization started on one campus. Additionally, students and young
adults see the free concert as less of an incentive the farther they have to travel to
attend it. United Way 10,000 Hours can succeed as a joint effort by multiple campuses,
but it is easier to start on a single campus.
How do I learn more?
United Way
of America
For more information on campus and young adult engagement through United Way of America,
please contact Mike Brooks at mike.brooks@uwa.unitedway.org or 703-836-7112, ext 535.