Young Professionals Forum August 8, 2013

Attracting Young ProfessionalsPart 2 – Identifying Solutions• 10 Tips to attract, recruit and

retain younger members

Tip 1: The first place to look is right under your nose

Consider all those who have been touched by your club in the last 10 years…• Exchange Students

• Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)• Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN)

• National Youth Science Forum (NYSF)

• Ambassadorial Scholars• Peace Scholars

• Indigenous Medical Scholars• Group Study Exchange Team Members

• Rotaractors

The ones that didn’t get away

• Put them on our mailing list

• Invite them to special events (changeover, Christmas dinner)

• Ask them to help at service projects

• Ask them to like your club Facebook page

Keep your warm contacts warm!

• Hold a dedicated alumni night

It’s important to build a relationship before you ask them to join!

Tip 2: You have to be easy to find onlineTip 3: You have to be easy to understand online

Does your club have an independent, tailor made website?

YESNO

Does your club have an active Facebook page? YES

NO

INACTIVE

Online Challenge:Ask a young (under 40) friend, relative (someone who doesn’t know much about Rotary) to see how easy it is to:

1. Find your club online2. Discover your club’s service priorities3. A reason to get involved4. How to get involved5. Contact detailsAsk them to do it in front of you.

Your club’s service priorities3. A reason to get involved4. How to get involved5. Contact details

If your club website has NOTHING else on the home page, make sure it CLEARLY articulates these four items:

Tip 4: Go where the young people are

• Business Networking Groups• Libraries• Universities• Shopping Centres• Welcome to Australia events• Citizenship Ceremonies• Cultural & Ethnic Groups• Partner with other charitable causes and events• Community Concerts• Royal Adelaide Show – Country Shows• City to Bay Fun Run• Sporting Clubs & Events• Careers Expos• Ask your kids or grandkids for ideas

Tip 5: You have to listen

Tip 6: Show them the Big Picture

Tip 7: Ask them what they are passionate about

Tip 8: Manage conflict

Tip 9: Avoid Turnoffs

BEFORE AFTER

Tip 10: Make Meetings Attractive

“If our meetings are not interesting to them, why would they attend?”

Holly Ransom• Inspirational Speakers• Topics focussed around Leadership and

Personal Development• Mentoring & Networking Opportunities• Less formal, more energetic• Intergenerational mix-up games• One “Action” meeting per month• Breakfast meetings cheapest, easiest, punctual

Traditional Rotary Club Meeting Structure

Business • Announcements• Committee & Board Meetings

Meal Guest Speaker

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What about all those announcements?

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As a membership organisation, it’s incumbent upon us to make the change, because we’re the ones wanting the members. Holly Ransom