Joe Petro

My Feedback: (1)

I am a member of several clubs, and they all seem to have trouble getting people to participate in any event or help out.
In a club of 70 members, it is always the same 5 or 6 people doing all the work (and having all the fun).

I would like to come up with ways to encourage member participation in all types of clubs (aircraft, boat, car, etc.).

One thing I have been thinking about is membership levels.
This can be done several ways...

Have different dues for participating and non-participating members. The average income would remain the same- increase one and decrease the other.
I imagine that this would create some issues with people "intending" to help out, but never do.

The other way would be rewards. Stay with me here...

Level one member- paid member. No rewards
Level two member- Level one plus tasks such as work 2 events, etc. Reward Tee shirt.
Level three member- Levels one and two plus obtain at least $50 in sponsor money for an event. Reward sweatshirt or hat.
Level four member- Levels one, two and three plus work 4 events, obtain at least $150 in sponsors and bring in a new member. Reward jacket and pin or patch.

You could also do raffles for level three and above, or a level four dinner, etc.

All rewards would have to be earned (you can't buy a level four jacket, for example).

This is just some hospital bed thinking (appendix) and may not hold water, but I think that for most clubs, these are serious issues.

I would like to hear opinions and input on this.
Working this out would probably help in 100% positive ways, in club general health, community relations and member satisfaction.

What do you think?

Joe

acerc

It has been my experience that seperation of member's in regard's to volunteering creates a rif. More often than not those that are not willing to participate will leave the club for another club under any kind of reward's system for those that do. Best off just to really appreciate those that participate. In other word's accomodate their need's when needed. I have participated with numerous club's over the year's and that has been my experience. There is nothing requiring our member's to be our member's. Example, In our children's sport's if the parent's don't participate the child could be benched or similar for a given day. This is only possible because of bounderies set in place. You live here, you play here and can't go to another area. We don't have anything of the such. No boundaries. Nothing requiring the member to play here.
  That being said,
 I have also experienced that if one approached these individual's person to person, not by phone, not by e-mail but face to face. More often than not that person will volunteer. Not alway's but more often.
  Yes it would be much nicer to have a broader volunteer base from our club's. But it's just not going to happen. Most of our member's are there for one reason, To fly and enjoy themselves one day of the weekend and that's it.

vpresley

My Feedback: (162)

This is an age old problem. Realistically you are not going to get people to do things they dont want too do. Make the effort, I admire people who are motivated and want to do more. But dont expect great results. Seems we all have so much to do these days. So always do what you can do, just dont have high expectations. Take comfort in that you are contributing more than most.



Vince AMA 7051

outdoorhunting

Normally we have around 20 members or so. We gave up trying to get help from any but the 5 or 6 guys that always help. ( We fly a lot more that the other guys. Another couple of guys don't help but, they are the first one to throw in some extra money when needed. I say that's better than some of the work. We finally figured, what the heck, all those guys that don't participate pay their dues, good enough. If they all flew like the guys that always volunteer have the airfield pretty much to ourselves.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I've found that it's pretty typical for most clubs, 10% of the membership will do 90% of the work. I've tried many different things in our club to more people out, but it still boils back down to the 10% rule. 

Joe Petro

My Feedback: (1)

It's worse than I thought!
I agree that members should not be required to do a single thing. This is level one. no different than a current member.
I'm saying reward those that do, and offer incentives for others to as well.

Lets keep going and see what we can hammer out. There are a lot of very smart people on here. There must be a way around this!

Joe

outdoorhunting

Incentives might work. However, our club ( like a lot of other clubs) are barely hanging on. I know our club is just getting by.

Live Wire

Some people take pride in their Club And Flying Sight. Others just could care less there are other sights and clubs that will take your dues and don't care if you do any thing at all That is the way things are anymore, all clubs have the same problem. In order to have a good flying sight you will find those that are willing to get and keep it and do what is needed. Then you have those that think they run the show and they can not get help.

beepee

There was a thread not too far back on the same subject.

The best incentive I can recommend is to make the work-day worth attending. Set it up for morning work. Break for lunch provided by the club. Open flying in the afternoon. You will get more participants than for a pure work day.

This is a hobby for fun. Some guys drive many miles to get to the field. Going just to work will turn back 90% of the well meaning members. Thus the common result.

Bedford

JPMacG

My Feedback: (2)

I think you just have to accept it as it is.

This is a hobby. Be satisfied that you have dues-paying members, whether they participate much or not. If you pressure those who do not want to participate then they may simply drop out.

I am a member of three clubs. I am actively involved in one - I write the newsletters, meeting minutes, maintain the website and prepare membership cards. The other two I merely support with my dues.

carrellh

We have 20 to 30 members on average.

One member owns the property and does 99 percent of the field maintenance. He will not accept any compensation other than having his dues comped. When something needs to be done tha requires assistance he schedules a work party for a Saturday morning. There are 4 or 5 people who always show up.

One member runs our 'friends and family' picnic every year. He does all of the shopping, cooking, etc. The club pays for the food.

I am not capable of doing the physical stuff. This is not a huge contribution but I have served as an officer for most of the years I have been a member.

Joe Petro

My Feedback: (1)

Excellent idea on the morning work party with lunch and open flying later! I never considered the driving distance issue!
So we are moving forward. Keep the opinions and ideas coming.
I will not accept the "do nothing" or "nothing can be done" approach.

One consideration is that if you have some kind of plan or outline in place, new members will know what is expected or preferred right from the start.

I honestly believe that if the "core" members buy into something, the rest of the membership will easily follow.
If that happens to be a strong positive attitude about the club and participation, the problem would not exist.

As for offering incentives, they would be paid for with increased revenue from bigger and better events, or more of them.
If everyone participated, we could have many more quality events and more revenue.

Let's hear from someone that does not participate. What are your feelings?

We will solve this, or at least start a trend in the right direction...

Joe