How to encourage club membership?

[distracted]

Branching off from the thread on withholding details:

Above all else to recruit them to volunteer!

As others have said, that's the problem with certain clubs.

If a person does not feel that being a club member offers them any benefits, and is just a member out of necessity, why should you expect them to give anything back to the club i.e. volunteer?

Going further than this - if we are trying to increase membership of our clubs, what are clubs offering that makes them attractive to new members? Why would I want to join your club?

[yted]

What a bizarre attitude! As though the club is somehow different from the members who run it. What can the club offer except whatever it's members are willing to produce? The whole point is that by grouping together, we can put on events. By ourselves we can't. That applies to all sports. If a significant number of people just sit back and say "put on some events for me", then that will be the end of the sport. And anyway it's enjoyable to help. It will give you pleasure to see others enjoy your efforts.

[SeanC]

It sounds like you're being a bit hard on AIRE Distracted, if AIRE is who you are referring to? It doesn't sound from Seabird that they are being too aggressive.

All clubs have this dilemma - we offer low cost Orienteering but the price is voluntary effort.

However it's an interesting problem. When I take my son to swimming lessons I hand over a decent sum of money and in return I'm not expected clean the floats or volunteer to teach the children. If I was expected to volunteer I would probably go somewhere else. Orienteering is much cheaper but there is the requirement that many volunteer or the sport cannot grow. I suspect that more in the the younger generation would prefer Orienteering to be a high cost/low or no volunteering sport , though that might change now disposable incomes are falling.

Distracted, you should join us because we need a third M21 for our Compass Sport Cup team.

[seabird]

Distracted, I have already addressed the incorrect conclusion you have derived from my quote, in the main thread on this theme.

You are really drawing negative conclusions from what is a positive process.

The recruitment of new members is really another issue. We were talking about already recruited members.

But to take Yted's theme; people come to events and if they enjoy it, they come again. Most quickly realise that part of the fun of orienteeering is in arranging races / events in one guise or another.

We currently are recruiting a lot of new M/W21 participants through our midweek series. Some have already become members. Some of those have already translated into volunteers. Nobody has resented being asked, whether or not they are able or willing to help.

The point is that we should be able to contact people to see if they want to help. Sure I will encourage them - but helping is not and never has been a compulsory activity.

[distracted]

Seabird/Sean - there was no intention to point at any particular club by using that quote. Just using it to try to illustrate a point.

yted - it's interesting to hear that you think my attitude is "bizarre." I came into orienteering having been a member of a few other sports clubs. In the majority of cases, the current setup of an orienteering 'club' is unlike any other type of sports club I've ever been a member of:

If I joined my local running club then there is a regular, organised training schedule with a group of like-minded people and a qualified coach running certain sessions/who you can turn to for advice. There's also a decent social programme.

If I joined my local football/cricket/rugby club then there'd be midweek training/skills sessions and weekend matches, with post-training/post-match socials.

My local tennis/badminton clubs offer dedicated facility time, coaching and the chance to aspire to competitive teams if I wish.

At university, all the sports clubs had a regular training schedule and, if not qualified coaches, individuals knowledgeable in their sport who were willing to give up their time to help you improve.


Outside of a "formal" setup, I can enter a 10k race without being a member of a club - it may cost me a little bit more. There's always the informal jumpers for goalposts football option. I can turn up at a local park and play tennis if there's court space.

Informally, I can also turn up to any low-key orienteering event (if I can get there) and "pay-and-play" without being a member of a club, run round the course and go home again. There's generally little reason to hang around afterwards especially if it is cold and wet...


Now say I'm new to the sport - gone around a couple of courses, enjoyed my runs but the results show me well down the list - I'm interested in improving my orienteering. From my experience in other sports, surely the natural thing is to look to join my local club?

But when I go online the website of the local club shows the next local event they are organising is in March, and I don't really want to travel more than 10-20 miles. I see nothing on instruction/coaching, and no technical training sessions. How, as a newcomer, am I meant to learn the basic skills? I might carry on going to the nearby events, but with the setup it's never going to become one of my main sports.

I'm not saying that this is the attitude every newcomer takes. But times change, and its fairly clear that the same model that attracted those hundreds in the 21 classes during the 80s, and meant people travelling up and down the country for their 'fix', doesn't work now.

[Big Jon]

Clubs need to offer training for adults as well as juniors - make it a regular part of your event structure and make sure newcomers (of all ages) are offered a chance to learn proper techniques and develop good quality skills.
How about offering a family package for 2 adults and unlimited children to turn up to 3 local events (preferably closely spaced time wise) for a fixed sum - say £20 and provide them with proper coaching - talk through course beforehand, then discuss after how it went. Several advantages - makes the newcomers feel welcome, helps them make the jump in knowledge of how to enter and event, what the map means, course symbols, control descriptions etc, improves their chance of success, so increasing the chance they will enjoy it and come back in the future. once they come to training sessions as opposed to events then make sure they are drawn into discussions about improving. In short make it easy for them and they are more likely to return, and they are more likely to pass on good words to friends.

[Mrs H]

surely Distacted the things you are talking about are the very things the BOF satellite club nights are specifically designed to address?

[Paul Frost]

However it's an interesting problem. When I take my son to swimming lessons I hand over a decent sum of money and in return I'm not expected clean the floats or volunteer to teach the children. If I was expected to volunteer I would probably go somewhere else. Orienteering is much cheaper but there is the requirement that many volunteer or the sport cannot grow. I suspect that more in the the younger generation would prefer Orienteering to be a high cost/low or no volunteering sport , though that might change now disposable incomes are falling.

I've thought for a long time that the "cash rich, time poor" statement particularly applied to orienteers. Look around car parks at the number of high value cars, and think about how many orienteers you know that are earning minimum wage or near.

Each club has to look at what it's current mix of members is and respond to their wants/needs first, then think if this is attractive to newcomers. If it's not, then try out new initiatives, but make sure that these don't alienate your existing members.

[Big Jon]

Sean C: "When I take my son to swimming lessons I hand over a decent sum of money and in return I'm not expected clean the floats or volunteer to teach the children."

Not the usual in Deeside - the parents are heavily leant on to help and take coaching qualifications so they can teach the beginners. And it still costs a fair whack of dosh! mind you there is a high degree of burnout in both swimmers and parents, more, I reckon, than in orienteering where all ages can participate. I know a family locally who are moving to orienteering precisely for this reason.

[frog]

I think most of us do largely want to recruit new members in the hope that they will help in volunteering. I'm happy to organise some low key come and try it events, but don't want to spend alot of my personal free time putting on events which don't interest the majority of the club membership because they perceive them as too easy and that attract non sporty parents whose kids fancy a treasure hunt. I have no desire to be a Brownie leader. Part of the problem is the popular perception of orienteering as a thing scouts do in packs at a snail's pace and the reality of orieteering as a volunteer and time consuming sport requiring a reasonable level of fitness and preferably some IT knowledge.
We have found the nonsporty parents of keen kids often don't last long in the club and I think attracting sporty adults would help the club grow more in a way that benefits orienteering as a whole.

[RJ]

Quite a few clubs have robust 'development' models, that involve a weekly fitness session, the 'Club Night', and a series (not necessarily the whole year round) of weekly informal 'O' events. These are shown to encourage new participation and provide the opportunity for those new to the sport to gain the skills and understanding to be fairly competent.

New people, if they are enjoying what the club provides, will attend regularly, and will take part in the 'banter'. Once they feel comfortable and are made welcome they will want to become members of the club. Often this happens when they are on first name basis with other members.

Once in the club they will become aware of what is actually needed to stage an event, and they will want to be part of it. Some clubs have several teams made up from the whole membership, with one team being responsible for an event in turn. Being part of a team means folk will more readily volunteer to help.

All the main skills, planning, organising, coaching and controlling take time to get involved with, and aren't for everyone necessarily! But an active club will find the ways and means of creating the atmosphere to achieve a full complement of what they need. It does need a strong, committed and youthfull(!!) committee to drive the club forward.

[seabird]

We have found the nonsporty parents of keen kids often don't last long in the club and I think attracting sporty adults would help the club grow more in a way that benefits orienteering as a whole.

i would tend to agree with you, Frog.

But I come from a club that has only made one very unsuccessful stab at the club night idea. Clearly some clubs are finding it successful, and it would be worthwhile getting some feedback as to how they are translating this into sustained membership increases.

Personally I find it very hard to get enthused about the activities that have been described for club nights. But I am willing to learn from those who are enthused, even if my personal energies will probably remain focussed on producing more local maps and more local races to attract the sporty adults.

[SeanC]

Did you see the articles in the recent focus seabird? There was a bit more information/evidence.

It did seem from the articles, that local events were needed to encourage those going to club nights to move into mainstream O. Occasional district events 20-50 miles away seemed too far.

Club nights is an easy to remember term, but it doesn't have to be a weekday night does it? I think it's possible to do these on Saturday daytimes and somehow integrate with local Saturday events, which might work better for some clubs?

[roadrunner]

If I joined my local running club then there is a regular, organised training schedule with a group of like-minded people and a qualified coach running certain sessions/who you can turn to for advice. There's also a decent social programme.

That's true of my running club as well. But if your running club also organises races - whether a low-key cross-country or a major marathon or half - doesn't it also ask its members to volunteer as marshals? And volunteering has more of an impact in a running event, because in most cases you can't compete and help - whereas in orienteering, with staggered starts, most volunteers get to be able to run as well.

[Street]

I suspect that more in the the younger generation would prefer Orienteering to be a high cost/low or no volunteering sport , though that might change now disposable incomes are falling.

I have never heard such garbage in my life.

Younger orienteers are extremely keen to help out where possible.
Examples:
Edinburgh Uni Big Weekend
Sheffield Uni City Chase every other year + Harvesters
Cambridge Uni Sprint Weekend
As well as various individuals doing mapping and planning.