Ideas for Recruiting and Retaining Younger Members

1. Induct several young members at once, instead of recruiting them one at a time. If your club has no younger members, inducting several at the same time gives these new members an immediate peer group in the club.
2. Conduct service projects that are likely to appeal to younger members. The Australian Bureau of Statistics found that volunteers in two age groups, 25-35 and 55-65, do the same amount of service work. But the younger volunteers were more likely to focus on areas such as education, sports, and family matters.
3.Recruit Rotaractors, GSE team members, and other Rotary program alumni. Their participation in RI and Foundation programs shows that they already know about Rotary's ideals and are interested in pursuing its mission.
4. Consider lowering the total cost of membership in your club. Some younger members have trouble meeting the financial obligations of club membership. To combat this problem, some clubs have lowered their fees or have a meal only once or twice a month instead of every week.
5. Consider waiving certain fees or expenses for the first year or two. Younger members who aren't yet fully invested in Rotary may be more apprehensive about committing to all of the financial obligations of club membership. Once they become involved in your club and dedicated to Rotary's mission, they may be more willing and able to pay the full amount.
6. Make sure meetings are efficient and productive. Younger members, who often have competing priorities, are more interested in attending meetings that are conducted efficiently. Also, make sure your club has an appropriate balance of meetings and hands-on projects and activities.
7. Recruit "up-and-comers." Managers who are on their way to becoming important business and professional leaders are often interested in the networking and professional development benefits of Rotary. Getting them invested in Rotary while young can help ensure their dedication to Rotary when they reach top-level management, executive status, or ownership positions.
8. Be open to the new ideas of younger members. Maintaining the status quo in your club may bore and discourage them. Younger members will be more likely to stay in your club if their opinions are valued and appreciated — and if they aren't treated like junior members.

Editor:
Jana Bodensteiner, senior coordinator, R. I. Membership Development

Dear fellow Rotarians,

So much has been said about membership in Rotary. We talk about attracting new members and recruiting them. We talk about membership retention. And we talk about membership loss. We talk so much about membership that sometimes, when a speaker begins to discuss it, you can see all the eyes in the audience begin to glaze over. We've all heard it before.

Building membership is, of course, crucial to building Rotary. Rotary is nothing without its members and its clubs, and as members age, we must find new ones to take their places. More than that, we must always be growing in order to meet the many new needs that arise in our communities every day.

But I believe the best way to strengthen our numbers isn't by focusing on our numbers – it's by focusing on our clubs. A truly strong club is tremendously attractive. A strong club offers opportunities for friendship, fellowship, and meaningful service. It offers new connections within a community and a chance to meet like-minded friends, the kinds of friends who will still be close decades from now.

Again and again, we find that successful clubs have certain features in common. Together, you might think of them as a "to-do" list for clubs that need a boost:

1. Assess. Listen to each other, and find out what members want.

2. Emphasize. Accent the social aspects of Rotary. They are the glue that binds us.

3. Market. Don't sell your club as a product – market it. Find out what people want, and do your best to give it to them.

4. Induct. Bring new members into your club with dignity and class.

5. Involve. Make the whole family part of Rotary. Don't let it be another commitment that takes members from their spouses and children.

6. Mentor. Make sure that a seasoned Rotarian helps new members get started and stays involved for at least a year. Newcomers can get lost easily.

7. Educate. Provide education continuously, but give a little at a time. There's a lot to learn about Rotary, and it can be overwhelming.

8. Enthuse. Show enthusiasm openly! Rotary should be fun.

Membership comes down to one simple statement: Strong clubs lead to a strong Rotary. Without strong clubs, no amount of recruitment and retention efforts will help Rotary grow. With strong clubs, Rotary will flourish and provide another 100 years of service to humanity.

William B. Boyd
Past President, Rotary International

Courtesy: eFlash_Rotary