How can you actually make an impact? Research ways to be an effective advocate for a cause, someone you know, or even yourself. What are 3 things you could do today to start making a difference? 

Skills

Be an advocate.

If you are 18+, exercise your right to vote and make an impact in the laws and policies that govern your life! Let your voice be heard! 

Career

Register to vote!

Want to effect change in your community? Why not start by running for student government in order to represent and advocate for your fellow classmates! Read these tips on how to get started.

Run for student government.

Social and Community Service Workers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of a social service program or community outreach organization. Oversee the program or organization's budget and policies regarding participant involvement, program requirements, and benefits. Work may involve directing social workers, counselors, or probation officers.

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

First Interest High-Point

Second Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Social and Community Service Managers

Management Occupations

Other Management Occupations

Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies and organizations in community to meet community needs and to ensure that services are not duplicated.

Prepare and maintain records and reports, such as budgets, personnel records, or training manuals.

Direct activities of professional and technical staff members and volunteers.

Evaluate the work of staff and volunteers to ensure that programs are of appropriate quality and that resources are used effectively.

Establish and oversee administrative procedures to meet objectives set by boards of directors or senior management.

Participate in the determination of organizational policies regarding such issues as participant eligibility, program requirements, and program benefits.

Research and analyze member or community needs to determine program directions and goals.

Speak to community groups to explain and interpret agency purposes, programs, and policies.

Recruit, interview, and hire or sign up volunteers and staff.

Represent organizations in relations with governmental and media institutions.

Plan and administer budgets for programs, equipment, and support services.

Analyze proposed legislation, regulations, or rule changes to determine how agency services could be impacted.

Act as consultants to agency staff and other community programs regarding the interpretation of program-related federal, state, and county regulations and policies.

Direct fundraising activities and the preparation of public relations materials.

Provide direct service and support to individuals or clients, such as handling a referral for child advocacy issues, conducting a needs evaluation, or resolving complaints.

Implement and evaluate staff, volunteer, or community training programs.

10-key calculators

Desktop computers

Laptop computers

Multi-line telephone systems

Personal computers

Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge

Client information databases

Corel QuattroPro

Corel WordPerfect Office Suite

FileMaker Pro

Financial accounting software

Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS

IBM Lotus 1-2-3

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft Visual FoxPro

Microsoft Word

Oracle Reports

PointClickCare HER

Presentation software

Web browser software

Executive Director

<p>In Los Angeles, the Roadtrip Nation team interview Jehmu Green, executive director of Rock the Vote. Next they meet with Mason Gordon, creator of Slamball and Ric Birch, executive producer for the Sydney Olympic Ceremonies.</p>

Los Angeles

It's, in a sense, the moment that drives me because I think thinking back to the Vietnam War and major social movements in this country, the civil rights movement, I always think if I was 18, 25, 30 whatever during that time, what would I have been doing? And in my head I think I would've been out there getting sprayed with fire hoses, and attacked by dogs and protesting. And that's what's always been in my head like, gosh, not in a sense like wishing for something like that, but thinking that that's the type of person I am. And so we have a moment with this political climate right now and I have to be active. I have to do everything I can because otherwise then I basically was just posing I guess, in a sense. As I was [LAUGH] growing up, thinking yeah, I would be about it. And now I have to be about it because we are in one of those moments in this country. &gt;&gt; Absolutely. 

Character

Values

I Have To Be Active

If we could start, we usually start with just kinda general question and ask you if you can just trace back to where you were when you were our age, if you were maybe feeling some of that same confusion, or not, if you knew exactly what you wanted to do. >> Wow, okay, where I was when I was 21. I was in Austin, Texas, and I was working on political campaigns. Wanted to do it as a career and trying to figure out how you get into the process. >> And how did Rock the Vote come about? When did you start? >> Rock the Vote actually has been, I think, a lifelong connection for me. I was registered to vote by Rock the Vote at a concert in Austin. And then I become a Rock the Vote volunteer. Getting to register voters, but more importantly getting to listen to Lauryn Hill. And I luckily was able to partner with a bunch of organizations that I worked at with Rock the Vote. So I built some relationships and they recruited me to come out here and help them with partnerships and three years later I guess I'm now the boss. Which is kind of, it's a little overwhelming. >> Why politics then? You said that's what we were involved in when we started the story at 21. But was that something from a very young age you were interested in? >> Absolutely. It came from my parents I think at a really, really early age. When I was five I wanted to be the first black senator from Texas, so it definitely has always been a part of, I think, my core. You know, what did I want to do when I grew up, or do as a living, it was always to make a difference and to help people, and really I think public service, politics, it's the most direct way to have an impact on a very large number of people. >> There's lots of other ways to get involved with politics in this country besides Rock the Vote. So has like music always been a really big thing for you, always been a passion? >> Oh, yeah. >> Can you just talk a little bit about that? >> I'm a country music singer. [LAUGH] I write country music. I grew up in Austin, Texas, which is the live music capitol of the world. And so music has always been a really big part of my life, separate from politics. But the combination of politics and entertainment that Rock the Vote kind of represents, I think is more powerful than anything I've ever been able to work with. At the end of the day, music connects with people. Not to be corny, but like, when Madonna says music makes people come together. It's true, and it's so powerful to use it as the vehicle to communicate a political message. >> So, now what's still driving you? You've achieved your goals. I mean, what's still there for you to keep getting up in the morning and working this hard? >> It's in a sense the moment that drives me because I think, thinking back to the Vietnam War and major social movements in this country, the Civil Rights movement I always think if I was 18, 25, 30, whatever during that time, what would I have been doing? >> And in my head I think, I would have been out there getting sprayed with fire hoses, and attacked by dogs, and protesting, and then, that's what's always been in my head. Like, gosh, not in a sense wishing for something like that, but thinking that that's the type of person I am. And so we have a moment with this political climate right now and I have to be active. I have to do everything I can because otherwise then I basically was just posing, I guess, in a sense. As I was growing up thinking I would be about it. And now I have to be about it because we are in one of those moments in this country. >> I have a question, kind of like on a more personal level, and I'm sorry to take up your time with it. >> No, it's okay. It's okay. >> A while back a friend of mine and I were talking about voting and we were talking and I was like why don't you vote? And he was like specifically because when you vote, you acknowledge that the system exists and that it works. And I think that was like, I kind of thought about it and I was like wow that makes a lot of sense. I mean you don't vote because then you acknowledge that this system is somewhat right which we tend not to agree with. >> So how do you respond to that? >> To that particular one, I might say that's a bunch of BS. Because when you're driving down the street, when you turn your water on, when you do anything that you need to do in your daily life, you're proving that the system exists. Absolutely, the system's broken, but there's no reason why it can't be fixed. It's not gonna be fixed because the people who might disagree with you or are on the other side finally wake up one day and say, gosh you know what I changed my mind, I've been wrong. Let's do the right thing, let's help people. That's never going to happen. The only way it is going to be fixed is if people who disagree with it do something about it. So back to the be about it type of attitude. It's like get up off your [BLEEP] and do something because your contributing to it if your not participating in it. 

Passion

Interview

Rock the Vote actually has been, I think, a lifelong connection for me. I was registered to vote by Rock The Vote, at a concert in Austin, and then I became a Rock The Vote volunteer, getting to register voters, but more importantly, getting to listen to Lauren Hill. And I, luckily, was able to partner with a bunch of organizations that I worked at with Rock the Vote. So I built some relationships, and they recruited me to come out here and help them with partnerships, and three years later I guess I'm now the boss. Which is kind of, it's a little overwhelming. >> Yeah. 

Opportunity

Rock The Vote

It came from my parents I think at a really, really early age, but when I was five, I wanted to be the first black senator from Texas. So it definitely has always been a part of I think my core. What I wanted to do when I grow up, or do as a living. It was always to make a difference and to help people. And really I think public service politics, it's the most direct way to have an impact on a very large number of people. 

Make A Difference

[Roadtripper #1] How did Rock the Vote come about? Like, when did you start? [Jehmu] Rock the Vote actually has been, I think, a life- long connection for me. I was registered to vote by Rock the Vote at a concert in Austin. And um, then I had become a Rock the Vote volunteer. They recruited me to come out here and help them with partnerships and three years later, I guess I'm now the boss, which is kind of... it's a little overwhelming. When you're driving down the street, when you turn your water on, when you do anything that like you need to do in your daily life, you're proving that the system exists. Absolutely the system's broken, but there's no reason why it can't be fixed. It's not going to be fixed because the people who might disagree with you or are on the other side finally wake up one day and say, "Gosh, you know what? I changed my mind. "I've been wrong. Let's do the right thing. "Let's help people." That's never going to happen. The only way it is going to be fixed is if people who disagree with it do something about it. 

Jehmu Greene

Executive Director

Videos

Jehmu Greene

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Music

Politics

Upholding a Cause and Belief