5. Scoop Shops >
5.3 Scoopers Making Change
Scoopers Making Change
Scoopers Making Change is
a new Ben & Jerry’s program aimed at helping young Scoop Shop
employees develop 
leadership and social activism skills. Our first year of the program was a huge success!
We asked scoopers around the country to send us their ideas for how to promote positive social change in their own communities, and then we brought nine of these scoopers to Vermont for a jam-packed week of work and play. During their stay with us, these activists-in-training developed their ideas, learned community organizing skills, and refined their action plans, working closely with mentors Ben & Jerry’s and our partners. We sent each scooper home with a grant of up to $1,000 from Ben & Jerry’s to help with project implementation.
Watch this video clip about the Scoopers Making Change program |
We’re proud of the 
energy and commitment of these young people who tackled important issues facing their communities, including:
- Providing school supplies and support to school children from low-income neighborhoods
- Educating high school students about the risks of teen pregnancy
- Connecting homeless people to information and resources in their local community
- Using photography to educate people about HIV and AIDS in the African American community
- Providing free art classes for children attending schools in low income communities that don’t offer art.
The week was a powerful experience for 
employees in our Central Support office. We were inspired by the passion and dedication of the scoopers to making their communities a better place. It was also affirming for many of our employees to participate directly in activating our company’s Social Mission through this innovative program.
Next July we’ll do it again, and this time we’ll extend an invitation to at least one scooper from the United Kingdom and one from Canada. Other goals for 2007 include:
- Increasing the number of participants from 8 to 12
- Encouraging at least 50% of participants to become active in the Youth Venture network
Maybe we’ll go global in 2008!
We’re grateful for the expertise and support of our friends from Youth Venture and the Vermont-based DREAM Program who have collaborated so closely with us and helped make Scoopers Making Change a pivotal experience for everyone involved. Our gratitude also goes out to the franchisees who 
sponsored the participants for our pilot program.
Learn more about Scoopers Making Change.