Junior Optimist International Clubs

 “Bringing Out the Best in Our Youth to Make a Difference”

JOI stands for “Junior Optimist International” and is the organization that connects all of the Junior Optimist Clubs throughout the World.

JOI clubs offer a great opportunity for young people to find out that others need them and that they can make a difference! It also gives adult Optimist members the opportunity to show that we think our youth are important. We are able to mentor, to teach, and to allow them to see how leadership and teamwork can change the world.

With special guidance & support from a sponsoring adult Optimist Club, JOI Clubs help students to complete fun projects & create activities to better the lives of people within their community. As a member, they have opportunities to polish their leadership & planning skills, learn to work with others, and practice good citizenship. Members collect service hours toward graduation and are given leadership opportunities in the District. There are clubs in all levels of school and even in organizations outside of school.

Building Leadership in Our JOI Students

“Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” – Sam Walton

Here are just some of the qualities our JOI students learn while in JOI Club:

• Enthusiasm – A “can-do” attitude
• Sensitivity – Concerns about the feelings of others is essential to the success of any leader. You need the troops!
• Decisiveness – Make informed decisions and don’t wait until the last minute to make them.
• Communication – Communicate important information to the Club.
• Listening – Club Members have great ideas! Listen to those ideas!
• Delegation – There’s enough work and glory to go around! Share Both!!
• Innovation – Be creative, welcome change and look for new, imaginative projects and activities.
• Cooperation – Cooperating with Members works much better than commanding them.
• Integrity – Stick to your code of values. Members respect you for your honesty and dependability.
• Sense of Humor – If you can laugh and not take yourself too seriously, you will succeed.
• Accountability – Ultimately you are the one who makes thing happen and keeps track of the success or the lack of success of a Project. If it doesn’t succeed, how can we make it succeed in the future? What are the issues that caused it not to succeed? What can we do differently next time? This is a learning experience and can only help us to succeed going forward.

For more information on how to start a JOI Club near you contact the District JOI Club Chairperson.