Hi Sailorande,
Are you at the GSLYC?
We've had a youth sailing program for over 40 years: we've run a Summer Sailing Camp every year since the mid-1970s, and we've run intermediate and high school programs too for the last ~15 years as demand required.
Also, we've been a US Sailing accredited training center for the last 20 years. Actually, I just finished a Basic Keelboat Instructor course this last weekend - we now have 8 certified Keelboat Instructors and 7 Small Boat Instructors in a club of ~190 member families.
By all means, start small and build as needs and interest arises, but I recommend establishing a management framework from the very beginning (even just a loose one at first) - you'll be surprised how quickly it'll outgrow the ability if the initial few eager champions.
I would strongly recommend having someone (you?) take the US Sailing Small Boat Instructor course right away, and then bring that knowledge (and course materials) back to the club to form your foundation. It's a very highly evolved program, and it provides $1M in liability coverage to each certified Instructor while teaching a class.
Scroll to the bottom of this link:
https://www.ussailing.org/education/instructor/small-boat-instructor-programs/level-1-instructor/
- to see if there's a course coming up soon that's not too far from you. We're hosting one in the last week of May, but we're a long way from SLC. ;-)
Try to find a suitable 'classroom' space in your club where indoors teaching can be done (could double for another club activity room - we have a dedicated class room) - you'll do a surprising amount if indoor training ... when weather is bad, evenings, etc. Mount a good whiteboard ~3x5' or ~4x6' - ideally with a thin metal backing so that magnets will stick on the front side. Get or make a set of cheap 'sailboat' teaching aids that include a rotating 'mainsail' element. This set's expensive - you can make your own much cheaper:
http://optistuff.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=230_317&products_id=922
This site might have some useful ideas for youth teaching:
https://www.optistuff.com/info/faq/articles/Teach Sailing the Fun Way Activity Guide Draft[1].pdf
Big picture, and planning for growth
Instead of starting just a Junior Sailing Program, consider calling it a Sailing Education Program so it can easily morph into one that
also works for new adult learn-to-sail candidates (you'll use the same physical and personnel resources, and adult LTS programs are a great way to build club membership and as an outreach to the local community).
Depending how fast you think the program will grow over the next few years, you might consider starting the paperwork now to apply for the XYZ Yacht Club Sailing Education Center to gain 501c3 taxation status so it can receive tax-deductible donations (money, boats, etc.), and so you can buy things that are specifically for the program tax-exempt (really helpful for big purchases like a small fleet of Optis, or Bic's or the like.).
Admin: you may think it's premature to think about this, but I suggest you create a small Board of Directors for the Junior/Education Program and start having regular meetings (quarterly? monthly while you have active programs underway?) to draft written policies (SOPs; including a written safety plan), to do short-term and intermediate-term planning of activities, resources and budget. Also, convince your club's Board of Directors to let the Education program to be semi-autonomous as far as day-to-day operations goes - it'll pay off in the end for both the main club, and the education program. I speak from some experience - I was President of our 501c3 education program (Concord Sailing Center) for 6 years, and I'm now in my 3rd (and final!) year as our main club's Commodore (Concord Yacht Club).
GOOD LUCK - enjoy the ride - it'll be hugely rewarding.
