Leadership & Membership Challenge

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by NYSUT RC 43 VP Felicia Bruce

 

Remember the old song that began, “Everywhere I go...People want to know...”? I can't sing, read music or remember lyrics but sometimes certain phrases just tickle your memories or something....Such is the case with those words to a long forgotten song.

The message resonates. As a member of several organizations, I hear the same questions asked, listen to the same challenges posed, and see the same faces. The reason is simple; every group is experiencing similar problems: too few new members, too many aging members, too few people doing the work. That dilemma is why when I went to a recent Leadership Training of the F-REA (Florida Retired Educators Association) I was duly impressed!

REA is the parent of AARP. Many decades ago, REA founder, Elizabeth Andrews, was seeking a former teacher and shocked to find her living without a home (she called a smelly chicken coop 'home'); money; or health benefits. Her very existence was in peril. Andrews formed AARP to make a positive change for seniors. Today, AARP exceeds her wildest dreams, BUT REA is not faring as well. The Florida Retired Educators Association is determined to meet the challenges of membership expansion, diversity and innovation head-on and has shared some guidance.

The following action items can be easily adapted to your TRIF Unit:

1.    Look at the situation with 'fresh eyes'. Savor the opportunity to learn new ways, grow in new directions, experience the challenges

2.    Identify your audience! Try not to think in narrow terms. If you are going to grow, invite newcomers whenever you can and be welcoming when they attend

3.    Create a culture that gives your audience an experience to remember so they will want to return

4.    Develop strategies to support your goals and achieve your objectives

5.    Encourage 'Associate Membership'

6.    Write press releases; get on your local newspaper's community calendar

7.    Tell members to bring a friend, neighbor, significant other or guest

8.    Take pix, post on social media, write up in local paper WITH a captioned photo

9.    Develop a 'Buddy Plan': when you meet a potential new member, get their contact information, follow up with a phone call; carry the meeting dates and locations with you so you are prepared

10.   Do a group activity (beach cleanup, phone banking, voter registration...) and have the same color t-shirts on; take a group photo and post it to local newspaper and social media

11.  Do a service project like holiday caroling and follow above instructions

12.  Use the mailing lists provided by NYSUT and distributed by Maxine in creative ways according to your TRIF Unit's time and talents

13.  Reward newcomers and/or their sponsors with (affordable) prizes

14.  Have contests and reward those who bring in the most new members

15.  Write up your success stories for publication on our web site RC 43 Website: http://rc43.ny.aft.org/  and or the RC 43 Facebook Page: New-York-State-United-Teacher-Retirees-In-Florida

16.  Create your own ACTION PLAN to expand membership

If every TRIF Unit got one new member a month, NYSUT Retiree Council 43 & the TRIF Units would be the envy of all retired organizations. WE CAN DO THIS....