Sunlit Forres wrote:SMF wrote:most of these ie 30-40 don't renew
Yes, we see a bit of that too Simon. Clubs in our situation need to be asking ourselves why these members are drifting away.
I do sometimes wonder if we orienteers are as friendly as we pretend to be - ie if you see someone at your club's event and don't recognise them, introduce yourself and ask how they got on.
I once tried an exercise at a committee meeting and picked some specially-selected names from the club membership list. I asked committee members who these people were. The results were as expected. I'm as guilty as the next man, but I'm determined not to be in future.
I do agree that we need to be charging more to the people who don't contribute to making orienteering happen. However,there are club members in most clubs who never help out, but more often than not it's because few people know who they are, and nobody asks them to.
Just thought you might be interested in a couple of things done differently over here(Italy):
Firstly, you cannot become a member of the Club only an aspring member in your first year. After 9 months the Committee review the aspirants looking at primarily how much orienteering they have done and other contributions to the Club before deciding whether to make you a membership offer in year 2. If your membership is approved you are called up to the front at the annual dinner and given a club shirt and formally introduced by the President to make sure everyone knows who you are (pretty much the whole club was at the dinner). A total different slant on renewal methinks.
Secondly, the club runs a points system for competing and helping. Big points for orgnising and planning, points for controlling and points for helping and competing. These points are totalled up and the end of your year and is reflected in your next years membership. I, as an inveterate volunteer, was actually paid 10 euros to be a member this year - was not expecting that!
Different approach completely, which I offer to inform your interesting discussion.