Page 1 - 2020-12-Rotary-on-the-Move-Newsletter-Zone-8
P. 1
Zone 8
ROTARY ON THE MOVE
x ROTARY
Rotary Coordinator’s Newsletter December 2020 Volume 11 – Issue 6
CONNECTS THE WOR
‘HOW ENGAGED ARE YOUR MEMBERS?’
Article by RI Director-Elect Jessie Harman
As the number of volunteer organisations rises and competition for
volunteer resources increases steadily, organisations which rely on
volunteers are turning their attention to the matter of engagement,
asking themselves the question ‘how do we keep our current and
In this issue: future volunteers active, involved and satisfied?
Our situation in Rotary is identical. Faced with increasing competition and rising
expectations, we must ensure our members are engaged and receiving value from
1 How Engaged are your their Rotary membership. Fortunately, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel; the
Members?
literature on volunteer management provides a host of tips and hints on ways to
increase volunteer engagement. I’ve identified seven of the most common ones
and applied them to Rotary:
2 Regional Membership 1. Create a positive first impression – Take time to understand your
prospective members’ expectations. When they join your club, provide quality
Officer Update
induction and mentoring, make them feel welcome, and check in regularly to
see how they are getting on.
- Succession Planning 2. Provide meaningful volunteer roles – Find opportunities that enable
3 - Staying Connected members to give back using their particular skills and experience. For
members still building their careers, find the opportunities that enable them
to enhance and strengthen their skillset.
3. Communicate, communicate – Communicate frequently and effectively
4 Recharge your Branding with members, using channels that work for them. Make sure communication
is a two-way street, proving ample opportunities for club members to
communicate directly with club leaders. Keep your decision making
transparent and consult widely and frequently. Work on your listening skills.
- What’s the Difference 4. Make it fun – Even the most dedicated volunteers want to enjoy themselves.
5 - New Style Clubs Forum Weave fun and friendship into everything you do and include social activities
in your calendar. But remember – everyone’s definition of fun is different –
- Capitalise on Your so create a social program which is inclusive, appealing to diverse needs and
6 Strengths 5. Recognise and appreciate – Make sure your members know their
lifestyles.
- Do Good contribution is valued and appreciated. Grand gestures aren’t necessary; a
- Transforming Rotary, simple ‘thank you’ will usually suffice. Celebrate members’ contributions -
Part 2 profile them on your website and social media channels, nominate them for
7 - Gold Coast’s First community awards and host recognition events within your club.
Corporate Club 6. Show volunteers what they have achieved – We all want to know our
contribution actually makes a difference. Identify opportunities for service in
- Tania’s tasty Treats your community that have a measurable impact, invite beneficiaries back to
8 - The Team the club to share how Rotary’s service has improved their lives, feature stories
of your impact in all your club’s communications.
7. Let them know they’re part of something big – Connect your members
to Rotary beyond the club to help them understand they are part of a global
movement. Encourage them to visit other Rotary clubs around the world,
attend an international convention, join an international fellowship or action
group. Let them know that the possibilities to engage with Rotary are endless.
In short, to Grow Rotary, we need engaged members in member-centric clubs. We
need to ensure that all our members feel welcome and involved, and that they are
enjoying their Rotary experience. Most importantly, we need to build our clubs
around our members, rather than trying to make our members fit our clubs.
