What We Do
“By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in our youth, our communities, and ourselves.”
With our upbeat outlook, and our commitment to creating a more optimistic future for kids, Optimist Clubs are dedicated to their mission of providing hope and positive vision by doing their part to Bringing Out the Best through community service programs. By believing in young people, and empowering them to be the best they can, Optimist volunteers continually make this world a better place to live.
Since each Club is autonomous and run by members in their community, Optimists have the unique flexibility to serve the youth of their area in any way they see fit. Optimist Clubs see a need in their community and react to it.
Optimist International officially sponsors and encourages the Optimist Clubs to organize the following International Programs:
Scholarship Contests
Optimist International sponsors three scholarship contests for the youth below 19 years of age: the Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH), the Essay Contest and the Oratorical Contest. All the contests are conducted at the Club level, then Zone (if necessary) and at the District level. The District level scholarships are funded by the Optimist International Foundation and awarded by Optimist International. The winner of District level Oratorical Contest gets the opportunity to compete in Oratorical World Championships organized by Optimist International.
Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH)
The CCDHH contest is designed to offer an opportunity for the young people who are deaf or hard of hearing to present their thoughts, in sign language, to a large audience. This experience helps the hearing impaired youths develop the skills and confidence to communicate in public forums. Please CLICK HERE for the details about the CCDHH.
Essay Contest
The Optimist Essay Contest is designed to give young people the opportunity to develop ideas and views around a central theme or topic, and compose an essay in 700 to 800 words. This experience helps the students develop written expression skills, critical thinking skills and formulate opinions regarding the world in which they live. The approach can encompass a young person’s personal experience, the experience of their country or a more historical perspective. Please CLICK HERE for the details about the Essay Contest.
Oratorical Contest
Beginning in 1928, the Oratorical Contest has become the longest-running program of Optimist International. The contest is designed for young people to gain experience in public speaking. Contestants are required to prepare a four to five minute speech on a pre-assigned topic. The winner of District level Oratorical Contest gets the opportunity to compete in Oratorical World Championships organized by Optimist International. Please CLICK HERE for the details about the Oratorical Contest.
Club Community Activities and Programs
In addition to the Scholarship Contests, Optimist International encourages and supports the Optimist Clubs around the world to organize a number of other community activities to Bringing Out the Best in Kids. Please CLICK HERE for the details about the community activities and programs.
Each Optimist Club determines the needs of the young people in its community and conducts programs to meet those needs. Every year, Optimists conduct more than 65,000 service projects and serve well over six million young people.
Junior Optimist International (JOI)
Junior Optimist International (JOI) is the Optimist International affiliated umbrella organization of Junior Optimist International Clubs (JOI Clubs). It basically serves as an excellent training ground for future community leaders. Youths who involve in Junior Optimist Clubs learn about and practice good citizenship, teamwork, communication and other life skills. Active participation in JOI Club activities helps them feel good about themselves and boost self-esteem. There are opportunities for personal growth and leadership positions at Club, District, and International levels.
Junior Optimist exposes members to optimism as a philosophy of life, provides members with an improved sense of kindness, increased awareness for those in need, and a better sense of coping with cultural diversity. It also provides members the opportunity to complete community service hours required for graduation.
There are three types of JOI Clubs that are separated by age groups:
Alpha Club: 6 to 9 years old
Junior Club: 10 to 13 years old
Octagon Club: 14 to 18 years old
Please CLICK HERE for the details about Junior Optimist International.
Wellbeing Initiatives
Wellbeing Promotion is the core commitment of Optimist International Nepal, which is rooted in our primary purpose of developing optimism as a philosophy of life. As part of the commitment, the organization has adopted a set of strategies, collectively known as Wellbeing Initiatives, designed to assist individuals in cultivating wellbeing and achieving fulfilling lives.
The Wellbeing Initiatives structured by Optimist International Nepal is primarily based on Martin E. P. Seligman’s PERMA model of wellbeing, which is a fundamental framework of Positive Psychology grounded in the concept of Learned Optimism.
Please CLICK HERE for the details about Wellbeing Initiatives.