Dear Northernone,
The advice that KWS gave you was accurate and useful. I have a background in Rhetorical Theory and Argumentative Writing so I thought I would attempt to help as well, as I find the idea embodied in the proposal very interesting. First, some questions/comments:
KWS’s recommendation that you provide evidence for this proposal before you make your pitch is excellent. If you could possibly take an informal poll of youths who would be interested and get them to sign their names to some document which you could have available for presentation when you present your proposal would be great. If you can get the parents to sign their names as a show of support that would be even better. If there are other youth outreach groups in your community you could network with them to see if they would help you conduct these polls. If there are companies in the area that could provide services for your program I would also contact them to see if they would be willing to lend their support. Showing that interest exists, particular in a large social body, can have a precipitous effect on elected officials when it comes to making decisions such as these.
My second suggestion is this. You mention in the proposal that you would like to eventually take these youths out into the waters of the bay. This leads me to wonder if you have a fishing industry that could possibly object to increased traffic in the area. This may not be a “real” issue but it could become a source of friction for people who are, naturally, concerned with the nature of their income and livelihood. If such an industry exists I would provide data that would indicate that such worries are not valid. A quick search using your local Public library or University Library should provide studies that would back up your position. You could also work with the local fisherman to preempt any concerns. For example, as a gesture of good will and community spirit you could offer to have training divers help local boat owners by cleaning off barnacles and to assist fisherman when they have issues with their props or propellers, such as removing rope or netting when/if it gets wrapped around such parts. Think of it as the equivalent of the High School Band group’s car wash for scuba divers. You could also set up a donation center which would not only help divert the cost of the program but would also seem to offer a degree of automation which might make the board more amenable to your proposal.
Third, you might want to contact DAN, if you have not already done so, and see if they offer any sort of group rate for insurance related to these sorts of programs. I know we usually think of DAN as being the insurance you want when abroad, but they may have such programs available if for nothing else than as a tax break. If you can also show the board that liability is covered in the event of an accident, (knock on wood), then that will go a long way in supporting your proposition. I like to think of these arguments as embodying the first axiom of medical training, which is “first, do no harm.” If you can convince the board that the proposal can be enacted with limited risk and with benefits that have long reaching impact, then you make it difficult to object without proper rationale, which they should be willing to give if they turn down your proposal. Remember, you want to be gracious, courteous, and generous as you box them into a corner.
Best,
Josh
