District Five Year Plan v1.2 - lions105m.org.uk Five Year Plan v1.2.pdf · District Five Year Plans...

District Five Year Plans

District 105M

2011-2016

Created by District Long Range Planning

Committee

Version 1.2

January 2012

Contents

1. Introduction.....................................................................................................................................1

2. Service .............................................................................................................................................2

2.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................2

2.2 District Cabinet Service Structure..........................................................................................3

2.3 General Comments Pertinent to all Committees. .................................................................3

2.4 Five Year Plan for all Committees ..........................................................................................4

2.5 Health and Environment Committee.....................................................................................5

2.5.1 Sight and LEHP...................................................................................................................5

2.5.2 Diabetes.............................................................................................................................6

2.5.3 Message in a Bottle (MIAB) and Medic Alert ....................................................................7

2.5.4 Speech and Hearing...........................................................................................................8

2.5.5 Physical and Learning Difficulties ......................................................................................9

2.5.6 Environment ....................................................................................................................10

2.6 Youth Committee.................................................................................................................11

2.6.1 Lions Young Leaders in Service........................................................................................11

2.6.2 Adopt a Youth Club..........................................................................................................12

2.6.3 Young Ambassadors ........................................................................................................13

2.6.4 Youth Football .................................................................................................................14

2.6.5 Music Competition ..........................................................................................................14

2.6.6 Life Skills/Tacade .............................................................................................................15

2.6.7 Leo Clubs..........................................................................................................................16

2.6.8 Peace Poster ....................................................................................................................16

2.7 International Committee .....................................................................................................18

2.7.1 LCIF ..................................................................................................................................18

2.7.2 North Sea Lions (NSL) ......................................................................................................18

2.7.3 International Relations ....................................................................................................19

2.8 District Service Officer .........................................................................................................20

2.8.1 Five Year Plan – District Service Officer...........................................................................21

2.9 District Officer for the Elderly ..............................................................................................23

2.9.1 Five Year Plan – District Officer for the Elderly ...............................................................23

3. Membership ..................................................................................................................................24

3.1 Introduction – Current Status ..............................................................................................24

3.2 Five Year Plan.......................................................................................................................28

3.2.1 Existing Branch Growth to Charter – Year 1 – Year 4 (2011 – 2015)...............................29

3.2.2 Club Extension - Year 2-5 (2012 – onwards)....................................................................30

3.2.3 Re-Districting ...................................................................................................................30

4. Leadership .....................................................................................................................................31


4.2 Five Year Plan.......................................................................................................................34

4.2.1 Foundation Work – Year 1 (2011-2012) ..........................................................................34

4.2.2 Preparation – Year 2 (2012 – 2013).................................................................................34

4.2.3 Delivery – Year 3 – Year 5 (2013 – 2015).........................................................................34

5. Governors Team ............................................................................................................................34

6. Communication and Public Relations............................................................................................37


6.1.1 Public Relations ...............................................................................................................37

6.1.2 Website management .....................................................................................................37

6.1.3 Internal Communication..................................................................................................37

6.1.4 Midland News..................................................................................................................37

6.1.5 IT Coordinator..................................................................................................................37

6.1.6 Almoner ...........................................................................................................................38

6.2 Five Year Plan.......................................................................................................................39

6.2.1 Preparation – Year 1/2 (2011-2013)................................................................................39

6.2.2 Delivery – Year 2-5 (2012 – 2016) ...................................................................................39

7. Future Considerations ...................................................................................................................41

7.1 Region and Zone Chairmen..................................................................................................41

7.2 Finance and Administration Committee..............................................................................41

1 Version 1.2 – January 2012

1. Introduction

Lions Clubs International’s vision statement is:

To be the global leader in community and humanitarian service

In order to uphold this vision, clear plans are needed for its future development and

direction and this document, created by the District Long Range Planning Committee sets

out to define five year plans to meet the hopes and aspirations of all the Lions in District

105M. It is not intended that this document should be a definitive one-off plan but rather a

‘living’ or rolling plan reviewed, revised and expanded in successive years enabling the

District to adapt as circumstances change. As a starting point, the Long Range Planning

Committee has reviewed and set out plans for service, membership and the Governors

team.


2. Service

2.1 Introduction

Under the motto ‘We Serve’ the definition of service is wide ranging for Lions Clubs and

their members. Lions Clubs International has a clear vision statement:

To be the global leader in community and humanitarian service

This is backed by an equally clear mission statement:

To empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage

peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs

In addition, the Lions Clubs International Purposes include:

To create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world

To promote the principles of good government and good citizenship

To take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community

To encourage service-minded people to serve their community without personal financial

reward, and to encourage efficiency and promote high ethical standards in commerce,

industry, professions, public works and private endeavours

Last but no means least the Lions Clubs International Code of Ethics includes:

To aid others by giving my sympathy to those in distress, my aid to the weak and my

substance to the needy

For most Lions Clubs and their members it is this last statement that represents what they

think of as service, for example providing entertainment for local OAPs, organising litter

collections, digging a disabled person’s garden, providing transport for local elderly or

buying equipment for a local playgroup. District, Multiple District and International service

projects and initiatives are often viewed by many as just that, projects and initiative dreamt

up by ‘on high’ and many do not see the relevance of such projects within their

communities. Much of this perception may be down to the fact that District, and indeed

Lions Clubs International as a whole, provides little or no direct support for clubs’ local

‘bread and butter’ service or fund raising activities. If this is true, it is clearly a failing of the

District and its officers in putting over the relevance of these projects at a local level.


2.2 District Cabinet Service Structure

In District 105M, service is covered by three committees, Heath, Youth and International

comprising a chairman and District officers covering specialist portfolios as shown in Figure

1. This structure mirrors the MD committee structure and lends itself to upwards and

downwards communication between MD, District and clubs.

2.3 General Comments Pertinent to all Committees.

It has already been stated that although many of the projects, especially youth and health

involve local activities they tend to be seen by many clubs as separate from their service

activities and this may well explain why many of the projects are poorly supported. One aim

of the District Plan must be to raise the profile of International, MD and District initiatives

within clubs. The District and its officers must make them causes that clubs want to support

as part of their normal service activities. Most of the onus for this must fall to District

officers. Indeed, at Autumn Forum in October 2010 the view was expressed by many Lions

that they wanted to see more of District officers.

One way of achieving this would be to tighten up the objectives of the various committees

to include coverage of all clubs via club, Zone or Region visits. For a number of years, District

officers have presented each other’s portfolios within their specific committee to varying

degrees of success. This is no reflection on any individual officer, rather the lack of a

consistent story to tell by each committee and different levels of presentation skills of each

officer. The proposed solution to this is for each committee to develop a presentation that

covers all portfolios within its remit which can be delivered by any member of the

District Governor 2nd

Vice District

Governor

1st

Vice District

Governor

Health and

Environment

Committee

Youth Committee International

Committee

Clubs Clubs Clubs


committee. Additionally, the District GLT will assist in the development of presentations and

training of District officers in presentation skills.

The Five Year Plan should also include targets for the District officers to work towards where

appropriate. These targets will enable District officers to plan their year to fulfil the

obligations of the post and meet the expectation of District Lions and allow the District

Governor Team to monitor progress and measure the performance of the District. Targets

should include:

• Target number of club or zone visits by individual officers

• Target number of clubs participating in activities, such as Young Ambassador and

Peace Poster entries

2.4 Five Year Plan for all Committees

The following is pertinent to all committees for Years 1 to 5.

• Define targets for committee chairmen and their committees to cover all clubs in the

district via club, Zone or Region visits and target numbers for uptake of District

projects by clubs.

• Develop a presentation that covers all portfolios within the committee and that can

be delivered by any member of the committee with the assistance of GLT.

• Undergo presentation skills training by GLT were necessary.

• Create a programme of visits for each committee member.

• Carry out visits to meet targets.

• Attend and support relevant club, Zone, Region and District activities and liaise with

other District officers such as PR, webmaster Midland News and GMT to maximise

publicity and impact.

• Publish a quarterly committee newsletter and circulate to all Lions and clubs in the

District.


2.5 Health and Environment Committee

Currently the Health and Environment committee comprises seven portfolios:

• Sight and Lions Eye Health Programme (LEHP)

• Speech and Hearing

• Learning Disabilities

• Diabetes

• Medic Alert

• Message in a Bottle (MIAB)

• Environment

2.5.1 Sight and LEHP

Lions association with projects relating to sight impairment in District 105M is long and

proud and include Campaign Sight First, our involvement with Sight Savers, bringing

awareness of sight impairment through World Sight Day and LEHP, the establishment of

Moorfield’s Eye Bank and Korle Bu and our latest project with St Dunstan. Whilst Lions have

been generous with their response to the major sight related projects appeals such as

Campaign Sight First and St Dunstan, other sight related projects have been less supported

in recent years. Whilst a lot of effort was goes into promoting ‘World Sight Day’ or as of last

year ‘Sight Weekend’ but only 10% of clubs or 6 out of 60 take part in District 105M in 2010.

Similarly, although many clubs enthusiastically promoted LEHP after its initial launch, few

have followed it up as medical knowledge has advanced and information has been updated.

The aim for the next five years is for the District Officer to work with Zones and clubs to

promote sight related projects and help develop activities that raise the awareness and

profile of those with visual impairment within our communities.

Year 1

• In the first month of the Lions year, create a programme with date of sight related

activities and circulate to all clubs in the District.

• Encourage each Zone to appoint Zone Sight Officer to coordinate sight programmes

in the Zone.

• Meet with the Zone Sight Officers to set out a strategy to promote sight awareness

issues, ideas and information in their Zone clubs.

• Promote/re-launch the Lions Eye Health Programme (LEHP) as a regular routine

activity/awareness promotion and ensure that clubs have access to and use of any

new LEHP literature for distribution at every Lions event.

• Promote MD Sight Projects such as Sight Savers, Korle Bu and Saint Dunstan’s

appeal.


• Arrange and coordinate a major sight related activity in one Region in the District.

• Review progress and refine objectives if necessary.

Year 2 onwards

• As Year 1 except arrange and coordinate a major sight related activity in each Region

or at least one Zone in each Region in the District. Ideally, this should be aimed at

different Zones each year to ensure over a three year cycle all Zones in the District

are covered.

2.5.2 Diabetes

During the Lionistic Year 2007-2008 in 105M, the District Diabetes Officer created new

guidelines for promoting diabetes awareness and in particular for running diabetes

screenings. These were necessary to reflect changes in legislation, particularly that relating

to Health and Safety issues that had come into being since the early days of screenings

carried out by Lions. Since then diabetes service activities appear to have ‘gone quiet’ and it

is not certain what activities have occurred. This may be because there are difficulties in

organising medically qualified staff for diabetic screenings by staff qualified and insured to

do so, i.e. Doctors, Pharmacists, and Practice or Diabetic Nurses. However, there are other

diabetes related activities that many clubs in MD105 are carrying out which this District can

and should be involved within our communities by promoting the education side of the

Lions Diabetes Awareness Programme. The aim over the next five years must be to raise the

profile of diabetes and diabetes awareness activities within the clubs of our District.

Year 1

• Review the guidelines to and obstacles to diabetes screenings within this District.

• Promote diabetes awareness within each Zone in the District.

• Ensure all clubs are aware of and have access to the latest promotional material

relating to the Lions Diabetes Awareness Programme.

• Encourage clubs to carry out one diabetes awareness activity with the aim to achieve

33% of clubs in the District participating.

• Arrange and coordinate at least one major Diabetes Screening within the District to

promote the public’s awareness and Lions involvement with Diabetes UK.

• Review and refine objectives as necessary

Year 2

As Year 1 except:


66% of clubs in the District participating.

• Arrange and coordinate at least one major Diabetes Screening in each Region in the

District.


Year 3 onwards

As Year 2 except:


all clubs in the District participating.

2.5.3 Message in a Bottle (MIAB) and Medic Alert

As both MIAB and Medic Alert are both means vulnerable people within the community

alerting medical services of their medical conditions and medication in the case of

emergencies, it seems sensible that both are covered by one District officer.

MIAB in one guise or another has been available within District 105M for many years.

Originally launched in Northamptonshire as Lions Lifeline about ten years ago (and still

known and promoted by that name in Region 3), there was a great reluctance by Lions in

that area to roll it out across the District because of the logistics and pre-financing of bottles

from Region 3 Lions. As a result over the following years, Lions across the remainder of the

District have embraced the MD initiative of ‘Message in a Bottle’ which is managed by

MDHQ and so there are now two competing systems resulting in confusion. This is clearly

nonsensical and time has come to unify Lions Lifeline with MIAB and this must be the first

objective for the District Officer.

Medic Alert is a well promoted project at Multiple District level at conventions, the Lion

magazine and mailers although donations this year on are significantly down. At District

level there seems to have been limited promotion over the last few years. Zone Chairmen

have been given promotional leaflets to distribute to their Club Presidents but recent

District Officers do not seem to have been particularly proactive. This is not a criticism, but

perhaps reflects the role. Much depends on the general public approaching clubs for

sponsorship of bracelets and therefore clubs have less control over Medic Alert as a

community service activity than most other activities.

The aims for the next five years are as follows:

Year 1

• Review MIAB in District 105M and identify the areas in the District where the

programme has still to be launched.

• Unify MIAB and Lions Lifeline under the umbrella of the MD Programme MIAB.

• Coordinate the re-branding of Lions Lifeline as MIAB in Region 3.

• Coordinate the launch of MIAB in one new area in the District.

• Set up a programme of a biannual refreshing of MIAB with the emergency service

within the District and coordinate with the appropriate Zones.

• Promote Medic Alert in each Zone of the District and encourage clubs to advertise

through their local doctors and pharmacists

• Promote donations by clubs to Medic Alert


• Review and refine objectives as appropriate

Year 2

• Coordinate the launch of MIAB in two new areas in the District.

• Coordinate refreshing of MIAB with the emergency service within the District in the

appropriate Zones.





Year 3 onwards

• Complete launch of MIAB across the District.

• Coordinate refreshing of MIAB with the emergency service within the District in the

appropriate Zones.





2.5.4 Speech and Hearing

As people all get older, their ability to hear diminishes. As this is a gradual process, many are

unaware that it is happening until it is too late and the sufferer has to adapt their way of

life. As this is not a visible problem, society tends to not to take it seriously. If one is blind,

society sees the white cane, if one is physically handicapped, the disability is generally

apparent. Modern technology has made deaf aid virtually invisible and so hearing

impairment has become ‘invisible’. Deaf Aware Training Sessions have been carried out for

Lions in Districts 105D, 105EA, 105SW and 105NE. There are five trained Lions who teach

Deaf Awareness and three Lions who are in the final stages of their training to become

qualified trainers. Clearly there is no-one trained within District 105M and so this needs to

be addressed so that the awareness of hearing disabilities within our communities can be

raised.


Year 1

.

• Identify and train at least one Lion within the District in Deaf Awareness.

• Once trained, organise and run a District Deaf Awareness workshop, perhaps at

Forum

• Agree on and circulate to clubs in the District a week within which to hold District

wide Deaf activities to promote Deaf Awareness within the community similar to

Sight Awareness week with the aim to have 33% up take by clubs


• Promote Deaf Awareness and programmes, such as speech aid, door handles,

recycling of hearing aids, “I see what you’re saying” badges, hearing dogs for the

deaf, and Music for the Deaf at Zone meetings

• Review and refine objectives if appropriate

Year 2

As Year 1 except:



Sight Awareness week with the aim to have 66% up take by clubs.

Year 3 onwards

As year 2 except:



Sight Awareness week with the aim to have all District clubs participating.

2.5.5 Physical and Learning Difficulties

Over the last two years within District 105M, apart from the new involvement with the

Midland’s Disability Games it is not at all clear what has been achieved under the remit of

Physical and Learning Difficulties. At a Multiple District level, the main involvement has been

with Special Olympics GB and Lions new involvement with a mission called Project Unify.

There are 1.2 million people with special needs in the UK. Most of them are misunderstood

and very many have been subjected to bullying and antisocial behaviour. Most of this is

because of general ignorance and a fear of the unknown or the unusual.

Project Unify hopes to break down barriers and clear confusion with Lions being asked to

spearhead this project through contacts with all schools in their area. It is hoped to not only

educate all children about the needs and aspirations of each other, it is also hoped to

persuade able-bodied children to become mentors or even trainers to the less able. It is

proposed that this is progressed through Young Leaders in Service award scheme. It will

hold to the long term objective of helping vulnerable people, encouraging the young on to

the path of Service and maybe even laying the basis for future recruitment into Lions Clubs

or possibly even the earlier route of Leos. Clearly, the District’s continued involvement with

the Midland’s Disability Games, the MDs involvement with the Special Olympics and the

future Project Unify makes this office more suited for the Youth Committee portfolio.

It is proposed to refer this office back to the Long Range Planning Committee to review and

further define as part of its yearly rolling review of the District plan.


2.5.6 Environment

In past years, the District Environment Officer has focussed on Lions activities relating to

improving the environment locally. This has included litter picking, planting trees and bulbs

and clearing derelict sites. This year, the District officer has focussed on environmental

issues differently by encouraging Lions to take a ‘greener’ approach to running their clubs

and in their lives in general. This has been met with varying degrees of enthusiasm by Lions

in the District. Nevertheless, there is a place for both aspects of environmentalism in Lions.

The aims for the next five years are:

Year 1 onwards

• Circulate to clubs environmental dates in the year, such as WWF Earth day and

Climate week

• Promote and encourage to undertake at least one environmental project within their

communities per year, particularly to coincide with an environmental date

• Promote and encourage clubs to take a ‘greener’ approach to running their clubs and

lives

• Review and refine objectives.


2.6 Youth Committee

Currently the Youth committee comprises eight portfolios:

• Young Ambassadors

• Youth Exchange

• Youth Football

• Music Competition

• Life Skills/Tacade

• Vulnerable Persons

• Leo Clubs

• Peace Poster

The future of any society is youth and their development. Lions have always recognised this

and the programmes shown above reflect their commitment to youth development.

However, it is true that Lions within this District find it hard to young people who are willing

to participate in these youth programmes, particularly Young Ambassador, Youth Football,

Peace Poster and especially Leo Clubs. It is difficult to pinpoint the reason; it may be that

these programmes do not interest the young of today; it may be that Lions in this District do

not promote the programmes adequately; or it may be that the young do not know who

Lions are because Lions do not interact with them sufficiently. Clearly, as Lions we believe

the youth programmes are valuable in youth development and maybe a way to improve

their uptake is to interact and work with young groups in our societies, to develop their

involvement in community service and through that involvement prepare them for other

programmes such as Young Ambassador and Youth Exchange.

Two initiatives exist that do not fall within the remit of any of the current District Youth

Officers’ remits, namely:

• Lions Young Leaders in Service

• Adopt a Youth Club

2.6.1 Lions Young Leaders in Service

Young Leaders in Service is a scheme by Lions clubs aimed at recognising, encouraging and

directing young people for their service within the community. Each young person records

their service activities in a logbook, activities that can include service to the young, the

elderly, family members, the homeless and hungry or the environment. These activities

count as hours towards an award, either silver or gold depending on the hours served in the

community. The young experience the rewards of community service, become involved in

their local community and an award. The community recognise Lions commitment to young

people and the community and benefit from the efforts made by the young people. Lions

experience the rewards of supporting young people and more importantly, increase the

profile of Lions in your community.


Young people from all sorts of walks of life can be found to enter the scheme including St

John, Red Cross, schools, youth clubs, scouts, guides, churches, sports clubs, cadets, young

carers and all youth organisations.

2.6.2 Adopt a Youth Club

Adopt a Youth Club is a scheme originating from District 105SE which aims to support

affiliated Youth Clubs. 105SE District Youth Team has worked together to benefit young

people across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Local Youth Groups often need the support of

funding and volunteers, the scheme offers youth Clubs additional support for one year.

Lions have a lot to offer in terms of advice; they know where to go when legal advice is

needed and are experienced in fund-raising and community service. Youth Clubs often need

this link between themselves and the community.

Both schemes are perfect ways to introduce the many activities that Lions have for young

people within an easy framework (e.g. Young Ambassador, Football, Tacade, and Peace

Poster). These give Lions a built in audience for the projects and the youngsters have

programmes to look forward to.

The aims for the Youth Committee over the next five years to achieve greater involvement

with youth in their community are:

Year 1

• Promote and encourage clubs within the District to take up either or both schemes

with the aim to achieve 33% of clubs in the District participating

• Work with clubs where necessary to identify young people for the Young Leaders in

Service candidates

• Advise on publicising and attend award ceremonies

• Monitor and review

Year 2

As Year 1 except:


with the aim to achieve 66% of clubs in the District participating

• Help clubs to identify candidates to be for other Lions Youth programmes, such as

Young Ambassador, Youth Exchange, Youth Football and Peace Poster.

• The Young Ambassador Officer to help clubs by mentoring potential candidates for

Young Ambassador programme

• Encourage clubs to use their new contacts working with the young to promote

awareness of Lions Youth programmes

• Monitor uptake of other Youth programmes through involvement with these

schemes


Year 3 onwards

As Year 2 except:


with the aim to achieve all clubs in the District participating.

Success with these aims is likely to have a beneficial knock-on effect with other youth

programmes.

2.6.3 Young Ambassadors

Acknowledging the work that so many of the young people in the community carry out is

important in the development of community service minded people for the future and the

Young Ambassador programme is an excellent means to do it. However, for years clubs in

the District have struggled to find candidates and the concept of holding club, Zone or even

Region rounds of the competition has long disappeared. This is unlikely to change in the

short term, but the opportunities available to clubs through their involvement with the

youth in the community outlined above means that in the mid to longer term this should

improve. The plans for Young Ambassador reflects this, accepting a status quo situation for

the first couple of years improving as the effect of greater involvement with youth in the

community kicks in.

The aims for the following five years are:

Year 1 and 2

• Promote the Young Ambassador competition to clubs through Zone meetings with

the aim to achieve a contestant from each Zone in the District, advising and working

with each Zone to help find and develop each candidate.

• Promote and encourage clubs to support candidates in their service to the

community for the long term (not just during the year they are candidates for Young

Ambassador)

• Monitor and review progress of emerging candidates from club involvement with

youth in their community

Year 3

As Year 1 and 2 except:

• Add one emerging candidate from each Region into Young Ambassador programme

Year 4

As Year 1 to 3 except:


• Add two emerging candidate from each Region into Young Ambassador programme

Year 5

As Year 1 to 4 except:

• Add one emerging candidate from each Zone into Young Ambassador programme

2.6.4 Youth Football

Youth football seems to have a history of being difficult to promote because of the number

of competing competitions football clubs already participate in through the FA. Certainly

many clubs are put off sponsoring teams because of the unknown level of financial support

that is needed; it might be low if the team is knocked out in the first round or expensive if

the team reaches the MD Final. Timing is also an issue; teams need to be registered at the

beginning of the season (August) following the long summer close season, when often the

football clubs are uncertain whether they have a team or not. Clearly to take this

programme forward in the District needs the input of Lions that understand the workings of

the FA and can best develop the plan. It is therefore proposed to create a sub group of the

LRP with the District Youth Football Officer and Lions with interest in this area in the coming

year to develop the District plan for Youth Football to implement in the subsequent years.

2.6.5 Music Competition

The Music Festival is an excellent competition and allows our young to compete against the

best in Europe. The number of entrants from this District is not as high as it could be and

perhaps it is caused by clubs finding out too late which instrument and musical pieces are

chosen for the next competition to find sufficient contestants of the correct standard. If this

is the case a solution may be to create a District wide database of music colleges and

institutions so competition details may be sent directly from the District Officer. This should

shorten the time taken to find candidates and potentially increase numbers taking part. It

would also be possible to marry up local clubs with contestants when applications arrive.


Year 1

• Promote the Music competition to clubs through Zone meetings with the aim to

achieve a contestant from each Zone in the District

• With the assistance of the clubs in the District, identify and create a database of

music colleges and institutions to target for competition candidates.

• With the assistance of the clubs, contact and promote the completion at the

identified music colleges and institutions to get sign up.

• Circulate the identified music colleges and institutions with application forms and

follow up with the aim of getting at least three candidates


• Monitor and review success of contestants arising from the database.

Year 2 and 3


achieve a contestant from each Zone in the District


follow up with the aim of getting at least six candidates


Year 4 and 5


achieve two contestants from each Zone in the District


follow up with the aim of getting at least ten candidates


2.6.6 Life Skills/Tacade

Lions Clubs association with ‘Tacade' reaches back for over 25 years and in general seems to

have had varying degrees of appeal to Lions. ‘Skills for Adolescence’ was enthusiastically

embraced at the beginning of the association along with ensuing courses. In recent years,

there seems to have been less enthusiasm. Whilst clubs appeared to be happy making

donations towards the programme, its promotion and embedment in school curriculum

appear to be less evident within 105M. However, the latest programme, ‘Life Changes’

together with its voucher scheme has caused a revival of interest within the District and

now it is important that this is built on over the forthcoming years.


Year 1

• Promote Tacade programmes in each Zone encouraging clubs to sponsor

programmes into their local schools. Particular emphasis should be put on those

areas in the District where the latest Tacade programme has not been offered to

schools

• Encourage clubs to build on their relationships with local schools to promote other

programmes such as Peace Poster

• Monitor and review progress

Year 2 onwards

As Year 1 except:


• Contact schools and local authorities that have taken up Tacade programmes for

feedback and views

• Disseminate feedback to District Lions through newsletter or workshop

2.6.7 Leo Clubs

Successful Leo Clubs are the life blood for the future of Lions Clubs. In the past there have

been many Leo Clubs in District 105M but these have now dwindled almost to extinction. A

lot of these centred on the children of Lions but as these children have grown older and left

Leos, the clubs have not been sustained and have gradually closed. If there is to be a Leo

presence in the District this issue needs to be addressed quickly. Being a similar problem to

that of the general levels of membership in Clubs in the District, it needs the input of the

GMT and GLT committees to move forward. It is therefore proposed to refer this issue back

to the Long Range Planning Committee and GMT to create a plan for Leo development in

the District during the next Lions year.

2.6.8 Peace Poster

Peace poster is an opportunity to encourage the young people in local communities to think

about the importance of world peace, tolerance and international understanding, and to

pass it on. Like other youth programmes, Lions find it difficult to promote and taken up by

schools because of a number of reasons:

• It invariably is an extracurricular activity that needs the support of a teacher

• Bad timing as all the preparatory work needs to be done during the summer when

schools are closed

• LCIs insistence on the use of US paper sizes that are not common in Europe

Of course, whilst Lions in the District see this as a programme solely for schools, that is not

necessarily the case. As Lions become more involved with youth clubs and similar youth

activities in their communities, the opportunity to promote Peace Poster to a wider

audience will arise.

The aims of the next five years are:

Year 1

• Promote the Peace Poster competition to clubs through Zone meetings with the aim

to achieve at least two entrants from schools in each Zone in the District

• Encourage clubs to look at alternative routes to promote and get contestants for the

Peace Poster competition, e.g. youth clubs, scouts and guide groups, boys brigade

and church groups

• Monitor and review progress

Year 2


As Year 1 except:

• Achieve one entrant per Zone in the Peace Poster competition from a non-school

route

Year 3 onwards

As Year 2 except:

• Achieve two or more entrants per Zone in the Peace Poster competition from a non-

school route


2.7 International Committee

Currently the International committee comprises four portfolios:

• Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF)

• North Sea Lions

• Water Aid and Street Children

• International Relations

Most of the International activities are supported through financial donations that are

presented to clubs through the District Governor’s ‘Shopping List’. This year, the District

Governor departed from tradition by recommending topics for donations to allow clubs to

decide their own level of charitable donations. This was met with mixed responses,

welcomed by some clubs and rejected by others. Other clubs are questioning whether the

District Governor’s ‘Shopping List’ should exist as they feel obliged to donate. It is

recommended that this issue should be referred back to the Long Range Planning

Committee for consideration.

2.7.1 LCIF

District 105M has a good history of supporting LCIF, as designated programmes such as

Campaign Sight First 1 and 2 and disasters such Haiti, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand and

Japan. Clubs also see LCIF as a means to meet their contribution towards International

activities through undesignated activities. It is difficult to see how this can be improved.


Year 1 onwards

• Promote LCIF and undesignated donations to clubs through meetings at each Zone in

the District

• Promote the award of Melvin Jones Fellowships to worthy recipients, particularly

non Lions carrying out exception service within the community

• Promote donations to designated/disaster appeals directly to clubs as they arise.

• Review and revise objectives if appropriate

2.7.2 North Sea Lions (NSL)

North Sea Lions, initiated by PDG John Court in 1979, has been set up as an alliance between

Districts in the UK, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. Its fundamental aims were to raise

money to help less fortunate in the Third World, whilst at the same time enjoying the fun

and fellowship of Lionism between the Districts. Over the years the main aim has been

upheld and many projects have been completed around the world. However, in recent years


the other aim to enjoy fun and fellowship has dwindled. Whilst Lions from Europe have

continued to visit 105M on Convention weekend and participated in social events, it

appears to be some considerable time since Lions from District 105M have reciprocated. It

would seem that half of the original aim of North Sea Lions is not being met.

Getting Clubs in District 105M to support NSL financially does not appear to be a problem

as:

• 105M Lions feel that NSL is their project and have a long affinity to it

• It is a annual item on the District Governor’s Shopping List

• As with LCIF, it meets Clubs contribution towards International projects.

Getting Clubs to support the social aspect of NSL is less certain. Certainly those that

participated in earlier years thoroughly enjoyed the fun and fellowship. But those Lions have

got older and perhaps their personal finances may not stretch so far. For newer Lions there

is no longer the tradition of visiting NSL Districts and so again, it is uncertain how much

support such trips would have. Therefore before planning to re-introduce visits to NSL

Districts, it would be prudent to gauge the response from Lions within the District.

The aims for the next one year are as follows:

Year 1

• Gauge the views of District Lions on the resumption of NSL social trips and the

numbers that would participate

• Gauge the views of District Lions on the format of such social trips

• Report findings to the LRP committee for review and decisions for future plans.

2.7.3 International Relations

Developing International relationships by twinning with other clubs has been a long

tradition within Lions Clubs International. However as with the social side of NSL, twinning

and twin visits have declined significantly in recent years as many clubs have declined in

numbers and Lions have got older. This has resulted in a loss of fellowship and friendship

and for the foreseeable future is unlikely to change. The strategy moving forward must be

as it is now, for the District Officer International Relations Officer to promote and facilitate

twinning activities as required, but it would seem unreasonable to set growth targets.


2.8 District Service Officer

Every year throughout the District, clubs carry out an enormous number of hours of service

in their communities. The types of service cover all areas of health, youth and international

activities and are very varied. However, clubs rarely share these ideas outside of their Zone

and no mechanism exists to disseminate these good ideas to the rest of the District. In

addition, whilst clubs do embrace service activities promoted by District Officers, for

example awareness of the visually impaired on World Sight Day, these activities tend to be

seen as separate from their service activities, lack the good ideas which can results in the

activity being poorly supported, poorly executed and lacking the impact the activity should

have in the local community.

It is proposed to create a new District Service Officer role to be the conduit for collating,

disseminating and championing good service ideas to clubs throughout the District, to

develop best practices for running service (and fund raising) events and to coordinate

resources and expertise within the District. The District Service Officer will interact with the

service committees as shown below.

District

Governor

2nd

Vice District

Governor

1st

Vice District

Governor

Health

Committee

Youth

Committee

International

Committee

Clubs Clubs Clubs

District Service

Officer supported by

Insurance Officer H&S Officer

Vulnerable Persons

Officer

PR Officer

Competitions

Club Club

Club


2.8.1 Five Year Plan – District Service Officer

Being a new role within the District, this five year plan will be split into a number of phases,

definition, development, implementation, review and refining.

Year 1

• Define the job description for the District Service officer to include:

• Interaction with District Clubs to develop up a database of ‘good ideas’ for

service activities

• Development and maintenance of best practice for service and fund raising

events

• To assist clubs to gain access to resources and advice needed for their service

and fund raising events.

• Interaction with the three main Service Committees to champion initiatives

and activities throughout the District and to coordinate these events to

maximise impact and PR opportunities.

• Identify suitable candidate and add to cabinet if appropriate

Year 2

• Arrange and attend Zone and club meetings to develop a database of good ideas for

service activities from across the District

• Develop a best practice guide for service activities in conjunction with the Insurance,

H&S, Vulnerable Persons and PR Officers

• Carry out trial run of best practice guide on at least three events (preferably one per

Region) and review

• Disseminate database and procedures to clubs through visits, Zone meetings,

workshops and District website

• Liaise with Health, Youth and International Committee Chairmen to identify potential

events and plan for coordinated events starting in year 3

• Identify publicity opportunities within the work of the committees and from clubs’

local events

Years 3-5

• Update database and further disseminate to clubs through visits, Zone meetings,

workshops and District website

• Organise and run coordinated events as planned for year 3.

• Plan further events or repeat events for years 4 and 5.

• Identify further publicity opportunities within the work of the committees and from

clubs’ local events


• Review and refine

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Define District Service Officer's job description and scope. Identify suitable DSO candidate Visit clubs to promote role and collate 'good ideas' Develop database and update

Develop best practice guides Trial run on best practice guides Disseminate database and best practice guide

Identify and plan coordinated events with committee chairmen Run coordinated events Identify publicity opportunities

Milestone Point - District review of DSO impact

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016


2.9 District Officer for the Elderly

The feedback from the District clubs through the Club Questionnaire on their views of the

level of service on youth, the disabled, those with sensory impairment, the environment and

international projects shows the majority feel these are likely to remain at their present

level over the next five years. The exception is service for the elderly which the majority feel

will increase. Few would disagree with this, but if we analyse the structure of District 105M

cabinet, there is no District Officer that specifically focuses on the needs of the elderly. The

elderly with physical and learning disabilities, sensory impairments or suffer with diabetes

fall within the remit of District Officers within the Health and Environment Committee.

However, within our society there are many elderly who are fit but are lonely, they may feel

vulnerable and certainly want company. Some of the Clubs in the District already address

these needs, but many do not. This is not necessarily the fault of Clubs; certainly data

protection vulnerable persons’ legislation has made it more difficult for Lions in recent years

to identify the elderly who are lonely. If we are to be compassionate towards the elderly

and to be leaders in this area of the ‘big society’ there is a need for a District Officer for the

Elderly.

2.9.1 Five Year Plan – District Officer for the Elderly

Similar to the implementation of a District Service Officer, the role of the District Officer for

the Elderly, this five year plan will be split into a number of phases, definition, development,

implementation, review and refining.

Year 1

• The LRP Committee make recommendations for the job description of the District

Officer for the Elderly. It is envisaged that this will need a significant input from the

Vulnerable Persons Officer.

• Define objectives for the District Officer role

• Identify a suitable candidate for appointment in Year 2 to work with the LRP

Committee to finalise the definition for the District office and set and agree objective

for the role.

Year 2 onwards

• Appoint a District Officer for the Elderly to Cabinet.

• Review and refine role as necessary


3. Membership

3.1 Introduction – Current Status

Membership within District 105M has, for a long time, been a source of concern through

dwindling numbers for a number of different reasons. The District is currently in transition

not meeting the minimum requirements of 35 clubs and a minimum of 1,250 members. The

following graph (Figure 1) represents the June membership numbers since 2003 until 2010

and shows a steady decline until 2007 and since then numbers appear to have stabilised at

about 1,060 members.

950

1000

1050

1100

1150

1200

1250

1300

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Figure 1: District 105M Membership Numbers since 2003.

The current membership figures have been analysed further (Table 1) to identify individual

club membership numbers to identify clubs severely at risk with membership less than 10

(red), vulnerable clubs with membership between 11 and 15 (amber), reasonably stable

clubs with membership between 16 and 20 (light green) and healthy clubs with membership

greater than 20 (bright green). This information has also been overlaid onto a map of the

District (Figure 2) to identify potential vulnerable ‘hotspots’. There are currently 13 clubs

‘severely at risk’ and that includes Brixworth and District branch club whose numbers have

dropped over the last three years and Alcester branch whose increase in membership has

stagnated. If over the next few years, any or all of these clubs were to fail, the District would

lose up to 104 Lions. If those ‘vulnerable’ clubs are added to the equation, then the District

could potentially lose a further 131 Lions. Additionally, hidden within the ‘healthy clubs’ are

those with high membership numbers but few active members that are really vulnerable or

‘severely at risk’.


There appear to be two vulnerable ‘hotspots’ within the District, the main one being centre

on Northamptonshire involving ten clubs, predominantly Zones H and I. The second

‘hotspot’ centres on the Birmingham and Wolverhampton, predominantly Zones A and B.

Not everything is negative, the fact that the decline in numbers has stabilised over the last

three years implies that Clubs recognise the need to recruit new members and are doing so.

However, at the moment recruitment of new members each year balances those that are

lost. District has supported this recruitment through funding ‘yellow card’ drops and

promoting branch clubs. This support, though, mainly has been reactive to requests from

clubs rather than identified and driven from District. It is recognised that each club is

autonomous and many resent ‘interference’ from District and so mostly clubs have been left

to organise and coordinate their own membership recruitment. As a result, returns have

been somewhat ‘hit and miss’ and most successes have taken much longer to achieve than

predicted.

Club No Club No Club No

Birmingham Northfield/Kings Norton 1 Birmingham Acocks Green 16 Solihull 21

Kidderminster (Tenbury Wells) Branch 2 Birmingham Sheldon 16 Barwell & Earl Shilton 21

Shakespeare (Alcester) Branch 5 Birmingham Exhibition 16 Towcester & District 21

Birmingham Edgbaston 6 Stour Valley 16 Nuneaton 22

Rushden & District 6 Bromsgrove 16 Rugby Rokeby 22

Bilston & Willenhall 8 Marston Green & District 17 Worcester 23

Sutton C'field & Erdington 8 Bushby 17 Birmingham Handsworth 24

Evesham Vale 8 Birmingham Moseley & Kings Heath 18 Shirley 24

Northampton 8 Sandwell 18 Castle Bromwich & District 24

Dudley 9 Northampton 80 18 Wellesbourne & District 24

Wolverhampton 9 Market Harborough (2005) Branch 18 Malvern Hills 24

Coventry Phoenix 9 Thurnby 18 Shakespeare 26

Hinckley & Burbage 10 Droitwich 19 Kingswinford & Stourbridge 27

Lutterworth 10 Redditch 20 Warwick 27

Rowell 11 Knowle & Dorridge 28

Walsall 13 Southam & District 30

Birminghm Chinatown 13 Coventry Godiva 33

Kidderminster & District 13 Kettering & District 33

Bedworth 13 Balsall Common 34

Aldridge & District 14 Coventry Leofric 35

Birmingham Handsworth Ladies 14 Kenilworth 41

Wellingborough & District 14

Corby & District 14

Market Harborough 15

Table 1: Club Membership Numbers.

The changes to the District structure by Lions Clubs International through the introduction

of the Governors Team, the Global Membership Team (GMT), Global Leadership Team

(GLT), and the launching of new initiatives such as ‘My Ideal Club’ and Certified Guiding


Lions allows this District to review its approach to membership retention and extension and

develop a strategy for the future.

The following is a proposed strategy for the next five years.

27

Ve

rsio

n 1

.2 –

Ja

nu

ary

20

12

Fig

ure

2:

Dis

tric

t C

lub

‘H

ea

lth

’ M

ap


3.2 Five Year Plan

This five year plan for membership concentrates on building existing District clubs and

branches for the first two years before addressing extension in Year 2 for implementation

from Year 3 onwards.

Foundation Work – Year 1 (2011-2012)

• Align the District with the new Lions Clubs International structure for GMT and GLT

• GMT and GLT coordinators to identify and train potential candidates throughout the

District to become Certified Guiding Lions (CGL).

• Aim to have sufficient CGL in place across the District by December 2011 to

start a rebuilding of Clubs programme from January 2012 with a full team of

21 certified by end of June 2012.

• District GMT and GLT to launch and train District clubs in ‘My Ideal Club’ tool.

Rebuilding of Clubs – Year 1-3 (2011 – 2014)

• GMT coordinator and team to identify clubs ‘severely at risk’ and ‘vulnerable’ in

terms of numbers, active members and age to define a programme of club

rebuilding.

• Discuss and gain agreement from those clubs for rebuilding to embed a CGL within

the club. (This is likely to be met with resistance from some clubs).

• CGL to work with the members of the club to develop a membership recruitment

and, if necessary, an activities strategy for the club.

• The membership strategy should aim to achieve a club membership of at

least 16 members.

• The membership strategy will include a mentoring programme for new

members supported by the District GLT.

• Organise and run one membership drive in Year 1.

• Follow up interested potential members, recruit and induct into the club after an

appropriate involvement in activities.

• Carry out mentoring programme with new members.

• Review progress of club rebuilding programme at end of June 2012 with District GMT

coordinator.

• Repeat membership drives, recruitment, mentoring and review in Years 2 and 3.

• NB Mentoring of any recruited members in Year 3 will continue into Year 4


Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Align membership committee with GMT guidelines

Re-build of Existing Vulnerable Clubs (<10 members)

Identify CGL candidates

Train CGL candidates

Launch and train District Clubs in 'My Ideal Club'

Identify vulnerable clubs to benefit from CGL

Get club agreement to accept CGL

CGL to develop membership strategy with members

Club membership drive

Appoint new member mentor(s) from within club

Milestone Point - District review of membership increases in vulnerable clubs

Mentoring of new members

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Assuming ‘healthy’ clubs can maintain a status quo on their membership levels, stabilising

‘severely at risk’ clubs to 16 members by Year 3 gives the District up to 104 further members

and by stabilising ‘vulnerable’ clubs adds an additional 29.

3.2.1 Existing Branch Growth to Charter – Year 1 – Year 4 (2011 – 2015)

• The following plan refers to Alcester, Brixworth and District, Daventry (to be formed

February 2011) Market Harborough 2005 and Tenbury Wells branches only.

• The District GMT coordinator to review the current recruitment and activities

strategy of each of the existing branches.

• The District GMT to review branch mentoring strategy, include if missing

from current strategy and arrange appropriate training through the GLT.

• As a branch needs 20 members to charter and with current experience, it

is anticipated that this will require at least 4 years to achieve.

• The District GLT to train existing club guiding Lions to become CGLs.

• The branch and CGL to organise and run one membership drive in Year 1.

• Follow up interested potential members, recruit and induct into the club after an

appropriate involvement in activities.

• Carry out mentoring programme with new members.

• Review progress of club rebuilding programme at end of June 2012 with District GMT

coordinator.

• Repeat membership drives, recruitment, mentoring and review in Years 2, 3 and 4.

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Develop Existing Branch Clubs to Charter

Review existing branch status with existing Guiding Lion (membership and activities)

Train existing Guiding Lion as a CGL

Organise and run one membership drive

Induct new members

Appoint new member mentor(s) from within club

Milestone Point - District review of membership increases in branch clubs

Mentoring of new members

20162011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Chartering the existing branches within the District (assuming that Daventry forms at a

predicted 7 members) gives the District an additional 4 clubs and a potential 67 members by

Year 4.


3.2.2 Club Extension - Year 2-5 (2012 – onwards)

• The District GMT to identify potential areas within the District and carry out

feasibility studies for club extension through the formation of branch in Year 2.

• The feasibility study should include potential branch clubs to support existing

aging clubs similar to the Market Harborough model, explore the potential

for new format clubs e.g. internet clubs, weekend clubs, breakfast or lunch

clubs.

• Agreement should also be reached with appropriate clubs to act as mother

clubs for each proposed branch.

• The District GMT to propose a programme of branch formation in Years 3 to 5

prioritising the branches to be formed. This is likely to be no more than two

formations in any one year.

• The District GMT together with the sponsoring club and Zone Chairman to appoint a

CGL to lead the branch formation locally.

• The District GMT, sponsoring Club, Zone Chairman and CGL to develop and activities

programme, promote Lions within the designated area, run a yellow card drop and

hold a ‘Meet the Lions’ function.

• The District GMT, sponsoring Club, Zone Chairman and CGL to follow up interested

potential members, organise and hold meetings and undertake the activities

programme.

• The District GMT to review the progress of the potential branch and at an

appropriate time, induct the members and form the branch club.

• The sponsoring club and CGL to work with the branch club to build a strong and

active club with a membership of twenty for chartering. This is likely to take up to 5

years.

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Develop New Branch Clubs to Charter

Review District for the formation of potential branch clubs

Feasibility study on potential branch clubs

Milestone Point - Branch formation priority list

Appoint CGLs for each branch formation

Develop branch programme, promote Lions in area and run 'Meet the Lions' meeting

Develop embryonic club through activities

Form branch and induct members

Develop membership to 20

Charter branch club

Milestone Point - District review of formation of branch clubs

20162011 2012 2013 2014 2015

3.2.3 Re-Districting

If and when MD 105 reorganises the District boundaries, the District and GMT should be

flexible to adapt to any changes. However, until such announcements are made by the MD,

it is not possible to create any plans.


4. Leadership


For the Lions’ year 2011-12 Lions Clubs International have split the leadership role away

from the old MERL team forming two new teams, the Global Membership team (GMT) and

the Global Leadership Team (GLT). The role of the latter is still being defined at MD level but

within 105M it can probably be summarised into four separate needs. These needs and the

interaction between the GLT and other parts of the organisation are represented in the

following diagrams.

32

Ve

rsio

n 1

.2 –

Ja

nu

ary

20

12

NE

ED

IN

TE

RA

CT

ION

G

LT

OU

TP

UT

NE

ED

IN

TE

RA

CT

ION

G

LT

OU

TP

UT

Wh

at

Ne

ed

Fu

ture

Go

ve

rno

rs

Act

ion

De

fin

e r

eq

uir

em

en

ts o

f G

ove

rno

r

De

fin

e/i

de

nti

fy:

•

Wh

o –

wh

ich

Lio

ns

•

Wh

at

– n

ece

ssa

ry t

rain

ing

•

Ho

w –

pro

gra

mm

e

•

Wh

en

- t

ime

sca

le

Fu

ture

Go

ve

rno

rs

Lia

ise

an

d a

gre

e

Ad

vis

ory

Co

mm

itte

e

Pa

st D

istr

ict

Go

ve

rno

rs

Se

nio

r D

istr

ict

Lio

ns

Se

nio

r Le

ad

ers

hip

Tra

inin

g

Org

an

isa

tio

na

l sk

ills

Ma

na

ge

me

nt

skills

Co

mm

un

ica

tio

n s

kills

Tra

ine

d L

ion

(s)

to s

up

po

rt C

lub

(s)

Wh

at

Ne

ed

(G

MT

)

Re

ten

tio

n /

Gro

wth

Vu

lne

rab

le c

lub

or

bra

nch

Ne

w c

lub

s

De

fin

e/i

de

nti

fy:

•

Clu

bs

•

Pri

ori

ty

•

Loca

tio

n in

Dis

tric

t

Act

ion

Ass

ess

re

qu

ire

me

nts

De

fin

e/i

de

nti

fy:

•

Wh

o –

wh

ich

Lio

ns

•

Wh

at

– n

ece

ssa

ry t

rain

ing

•

Ho

w –

pro

gra

mm

e

•

Wh

en

- t

ime

sca

le

Lia

ise

an

d a

gre

e

Re

qu

est

GLT

su

pp

ort

MIC

Gu

idin

g L

ion

Clu

b E

xce

lle

nce

33

Ve

rsio

n 1

.2 –

Ja

nu

ary

20

12

NE

ED

IN

TE

RA

CT

ION

G

LT

OU

TP

UT

NE

ED

IN

TE

RA

CT

ION

G

LT

OU

TP

UT

Wh

at

Ne

ed

(G

ov

ern

ors

Te

am

)

Ca

bin

et

Off

ice

rs

•

Re

gio

n C

ha

irm

an

•

Zo

ne

Ch

air

ma

n

•

Co

mm

itte

e C

ha

irm

an

•

Sp

eci

ali

st O

ffic

ers

Act

ion

Ass

ess

re

qu

ire

me

nts

De

fin

e/i

de

nti

fy:

•

Wh

o –

wh

ich

Lio

ns

•

Wh

at

– n

ece

ssa

ry t

rain

ing

•

Ho

w –

pro

gra

mm

e

•

Wh

en

- t

ime

sca

le

Lia

ise

an

d a

gre

e

Re

qu

est

GLT

su

pp

ort

Tra

ine

d D

istr

ict

Off

ice

rs

Off

ice

r T

rain

ing

Sp

eci

ali

sati

on

Tra

inin

g

Pla

nn

ing

ski

lls

Pre

sen

tati

on

skills

Wh

at

Ne

ed

(C

lub

s)

Clu

b O

ffic

ers

•

Pre

sid

en

t

•

Se

cre

tary

•

Tre

asu

rer

•

Co

mm

itte

e C

ha

irm

an

•

Se

rvic

e

•

Fu

nd

Ra

isin

g

•

Me

mb

ers

hip

•

PR

Act

ion

Ass

ess

re

qu

ire

me

nts

De

fin

e/i

de

nti

fy:

•

Wh

o –

wh

ich

Lio

ns

•

Wh

at

– n

ece

ssa

ry t

rain

ing

•

Ho

w –

pro

gra

mm

e

•

Wh

en

- t

ime

sca

le

Ad

vis

ory

Gro

up

Re

gio

n C

ha

irm

an

Zo

ne

Ch

air

ma

n

Tra

ine

d C

lub

Off

ice

rs

Off

ice

r T

rain

ing

Pla

nn

ing

ski

lls

Me

eti

ng

skills

Pre

sen

tati

on

skills

Ad

min

istr

ati

ve s

kills

Acc

ou

nti

ng

ski

lls


The following is a proposed strategy for the next five years.

4.2 Five Year Plan

This five year plan for leadership concentrates on the formation of a district training team,

the expansion of the training portfolio and the delivery of training.

4.2.1 Foundation Work – Year 1 (2011-2012)

• Align the District with the new Lions Clubs International structure for GMT and GLT

• Identify and select members of the training team

• Prioritise training and leadership needs

• Outline required training and leadership events to meet needs and produce plans for

production of training content.

• Preparation and delivery of new Spring Training events for district and club officers

4.2.2 Preparation – Year 2 (2012 – 2013)

• Review Spring Training and consider feasibility of a Spring Forum training event for

2013

• Conduct review with training officers of existing material and revise as appropriate

• Develop new material as required to meet needs

• Commence reduced schedule of training and leadership events to meet priority

needs

4.2.3 Delivery – Year 3 – Year 5 (2013 – 2015)

• Regularly review success of training delivered and revise material to address any

weaknesses

• Deliver full schedule of training events

• Revise schedule to meet changing needs

5. Governors Team

Introducing the post of 2nd

Vice District Governor to supplement the existing District

Governor and Vice District Governor to make a three person team, allows the load on the

District Governor to run the District during his/her year of office to be reduced. Currently in

105M, the three Governors meet on a regular basis to discuss District, Multiple District and

International issues that have a bearing on District 105M and to agree management


decisions and this works well. A further easing of the load on the District Governor is the

sharing of Club visits; indeed Lions Clubs International guidelines recommend that club visits

should be shared between the three Governors each year in such a way that each Governor

visits each club in the District over a three year period. This allows the District Governor

more time to in his year of office to manage the District, ensure that objectives and goals

are met and have more time to support District, Regions, Zones and clubs activities and

events. A number of Districts within MD 105 have already implemented this procedure and

as a result are seeing benefits for the District Governor and the District in general.

There are a number of models that can be followed:

• The District Governor visits half the clubs in the District in his year with the 1st

and

2nd

Vice District Governors sharing the remainder equally.

• The District Governor visits half the clubs in the District in his year with the 1st

and

2nd

Vice District Governors sharing the remainder, the 1st

Vice District Governor

visiting a greater proportion than the 2nd

Vice District Governor.

• The 1st

and 2nd

Vice District Governor sharing the club visits equally between them

during their terms in office and the District Governor managing the District and

attending Zone meetings and supporting District, Regions, Zones and clubs activities

and events.

Whichever system is adopted, it is essential that it is phased in allowing each current

Governor the opportunity to visit each club in the District during his/her term of office. In

addition, the District Governor should make every effort to prioritise Charter invitations to

allow him/her to visit each club during the year socially if not at a business meeting. This

should ensure that clubs do not feel ‘snubbed’ by having a visit by a Vice District Governor

rather than the District Governor in any given year. A trial run by the 2nd

Vice District

Governor has been carried out this year (2010-2011). The feedback by clubs is positive,

members believing it not only reduces the burden on the District Governor but might

actively encourage Lions to put themselves forward for the position of Governor who might

otherwise be discouraged by the amount of work perceived in the position.

The following is the proposed five year plan to implement the change in club visits;

Year 1

• At the beginning of the Lions year, the Governors team will meet and agree the club

visits for the year.

• The District Governor will visit all District clubs at a business meeting.

• The 1st

Vice District Governor will visit between twenty and twenty five clubs at a

business meeting.

• The 2nd

Vice District Governor will visit fifteen clubs at a business meeting.

• The District Governor will attend as many Charter celebrations as possible in the

District.

• The Vice District Governors will attend the remainder of Charter celebrations

between them.


Year 2



• The District Governor will visit between thirty five to forty District clubs (i.e. the

remaining clubs) at a business meeting.

• The 1st


• The 2nd



District, prioritising clubs not visited at a business meeting.


between them.

Year 3 onwards



• The District Governor will visit between thirty District clubs (i.e. the remaining clubs)

at a business meeting.

• The 1st


• The 2nd



District, prioritising clubs not visited at a business meeting.


between them.

• At the end of the year, the Governors team will meet to review the implementation

process and acceptance of the visit procedure by District Clubs.

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

DG team agree club visit programme for the year

District Governor visit all clubs in the District

Ist VDG visit 20 - 25 clubs in the District

2nd VDG visit to 15 clubs in the District

DG team to attend club charter celebration

District Governor to visit 35 - 40 clubs in the District

Ist VDG visit 15 clubs in the District

2nd VDG visit to 15 clubs in the District

District Governor visit 30 clubs in the District

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5


6. Communication and Public Relations


The Communication and Public Relations Committee currently performs the following roles:

6.1.1 Public Relations

The District PRO has a number of functions within the District. He should:

• Promote good public relations practice within the clubs, encouraging the appointment of

a PR officer in the club and providing templates for press releases and other promotional

material

• Seek to obtain publicity for Lions’ activities across a wider area than that covered by an

individual club through the linking of common events, e.g World Sight Day, or by

exploiting the newsworthiness of a local event.

6.1.2 Website management

The District Webmaster manages the layout and updating of the district website

(www.lions105m.org.uk) ensuring that it is up to date and relevant. He is not responsible for

the content of the site, however, and relies on district officers to provide material covering

their portfolios. The Webmaster acts as editor, not author, for this material.

6.1.3 Internal Communication

The District Webmaster also manages the district’s internal mailing list which is used to both

circulate district information to clubs and to publicise individual club events around the rest

of the district. All Club Presidents and Secretaries together with all District Officers are

required to be on the mailing list, all other Lions can be added to the list on request. Each

year the list is updated with any new officers added. Members are only removed from the

list if they so request. The current list contains around 380 members.

6.1.4 Midland News

Midland News is the internal newsletter for district 105M although it is published on the

website and is therefore available to the general public. The Midland News officer

encourages clubs to provide articles publicising forthcoming events as well as reporting on

past events. The Midland News officer acts as editor, not author, of the material used.

6.1.5 IT Coordinator

The District IT Coordinator is currently a shared office with District Webmaster and is responsible for

promoting the use of information technology by clubs. Primarily this involves encouraging and

assisting clubs to produce and maintain club websites. Recently this has expanded to include the use


of social media such as Facebook and Twitter by clubs. Around 75% of the district’s clubs have

websites currently.

6.1.6 Almoner

The District Almoner is responsible for the welfare of members throughout the district

specifically through messages of condolence or congratulation on behalf of the district to

members who have suffered a loss or illness or achieved personal and Lions’ milestones.

The Almoner relies on being informed of such events by club members.


6.2 Five Year Plan

This five year plan for communication and PR focuses on three areas, Public Relations, club

websites and social media. That is not to say that the other areas of the committee are not

important but that there is little forward planning required other than to carry on with

regular reviews of activities to ensure they are still relevant.

6.2.1 Preparation – Year 1/2 (2011-2013)

PR

• Work with Health, Youth and International Committees to plan for events or occasions

that can deliver wider publicity, e.g. World Sight Day, Lions Awareness Week, Young

Ambassador Finals.

• Encourage clubs to plan their own events to coincide with the above

• Continue to encourage clubs to appoint a PR officer

• Develop templates for press releases and other publicity material and get Webmaster to

add them to website

Web Sites

• IT Coordinator to visit clubs without a web site and offer to set up e-clubhouse site for

them

• Investigate possibility of running a training session for e-clubhouse management during

2012/13

• Aim to have at least replaced generic pages on district website with a generic e-

clubhouse site for all clubs by end of 2011/12.

Social Media

• Provide instructions on the use of Facebook and Twitter to all clubs by the end of June

2012

• Aim to have 10 new clubs on Facebook by end 2012.

6.2.2 Delivery – Year 2-5 (2012 – 2016)

PR

• Aim to deliver at least one publicised district wide event in conjunction with service

committees during 2012/3

• Aim to have 75% of clubs or more with a named PR officer by end 2012/13

• Press release template available on website by December 2012

Web Sites

• Review clubs’ web sites and encourage clubs to keep them up to date.

• Aim to have 100% of clubs with up to date or generic information by end 2012/13

Social Media


• Monitor club use of social media and advise on best practice

• Plan social media training session during 2012/13 to be run by end 2012/13


7. Future Considerations

This year, the Long Range Planning Committee has continued to focus on Service and

Membership in the District and the implementation of a Governors Team. In addition

sections on Leadership and Communications and PR have been added. Two areas have not

been considered:

• Region and Zone Chairmen

• Finance and Administration Committee

7.1 Region and Zone Chairmen

In 2008, the District carried out an exercise to re-Region and re-Zone the District. In doing

so, the number of Regions in the District was reduced from five to three, the number of

Zones from ten to nine and the number of Zones in each Region increased from two to

three. A number of other changes were introduced:

• Improved training for Region and Zone Chairmen by the District Leadership Officer

• Introduction of two Region and Zone Chairmen review meetings during the year to

measure progress, discuss issues arising from clubs to gain view from other chairmen

and to share experiences

• Holding pre-Cabinet meetings with the District Governor for two-way discussions

about District club issues in a confidential environment

Currently, Regions and Zones and the clubs therein are working effectively with the District

and therefore there appears no reason to change things at the moment. However a review

is being conducted by the Long Range Planning Committee to validate this opinion.

7.2 Finance and Administration Committee

The aim of the Finance and Administration Committee is to achieve being the global leader

in community and humanitarian service at the lowest costs to Lions and their families. Over

the past couple of years the District has been managed financially so as not to require

increases in its dues to the members. This has been achieved to a large extent by a

reduction in administrative costs by embracing modern technology in the form of e-mail.

Monthly mail shots have become a thing of the past and with it printing and postage costs.

Whilst many Lions believed that it was transferring printing and associated costs from

District to their own pockets, in reality most Lions read communications electronically and

print very little.

Nevertheless there is no long term financial plan for the district and the Finance and

Administration Committee have been asked to consider how such a plan could be

formulated and implemented.

District Five Year Plan v1.2 - lions105m.org.uk Five Year Plan v1.2.pdf · District Five Year Plans...

Documents

Transcript of District Five Year Plan v1.2 - lions105m.org.uk Five Year Plan v1.2.pdf · District Five Year Plans...