Story By Ken McLennan, Specialist Adviser Team Lead for Membership

What do we mean by club membership?

Club membership is the principle ongoing membership model in our North ​Star project. It is how Rotary started and will continue to be the base for ​supporting all Rotarians, irrespective of membership type.

With the revolution in new club models, Rotarians have a wealth of ways to enjoy ​their Rotary experience. It is that experience which ensures all models of ​membership thrive. The ability to provide service to our communities is the ​backbone of club models, as well as supporting other membership models – ​Direct, Corporate and Enterprise membership.

Let’s explore both of these elements.

Club models generally have a structure with a president, secretary, treasurer, etc. ​and great ones have three-year, or longer, continuity plans.

There are also different types of membership. The principle one is an active, fee-​paying Rotarian and this applies also to Direct, Corporate and Enterprise ​members. Clubs can also have Honorary Members to recognise significant ​service to Rotary, either in the community or as a long-serving active member ​who can no longer devote their energy to Rotary.

Associate membership has been discontinued, although previous associates can ​be Friends of Rotary to continue supporting our activities. Take time to look at ​the Corporate Membership article to understand those opportunities which ​exist within clubs.

Our founder, Paul Harris, said that, like everything else, Rotary should be ​evolutionary and at times revolutionary. At the Rotary Convention in Singapore in ​May this year, our CEO and General Secretary, John Hewko, outlined five areas to ​focus on going forward:

1. Make your club brand new: think of ways to address your club's challenges
   
2. Embrace new club models
   
3. Focus on achieving more by doing less: focus your resources on well-planned ​projects based on community assessments
   
4. Look for and find allies everywhere
   
5. Embrace new technologies
   

We will expand on each of these elements in future editions of Rotary Magazine, ​but let’s pick on new club models highlighted above. The list is endless with ​traditional clubs, passport clubs, impact or companion clubs, cause based clubs ​and e-clubs, to name but a few. The name reflects the format, interest or ​different ability to support the Rotary ideals and service.

You can find more details about how these club models work from last ​October’s Rotary Magazine when the theme was “Growing Rotary”

Great clubs ensure that the Rotarian Experience is valued and looked after. ​Experience can be summarised in this graphic and applied to all membership ​formats:

Meeting Enjoyment: Members have fun, and feel they are included and belong.

Confidence in Leadership: Members feel they have input, leaders are open to ​their ideas and leaders are trusted to make good decisions.

Personal Growth: Members feel their club AND Rotary offer ways to develop ​skills and grow.

Connections: Members feel that they’ve formed valuable relationships through ​Rotary.

Meaningful Service: Members feel that the service their club does makes a ​difference in the world and community.

GROWING CLUB MEMBERSHIP -

THE PURPOSE OF NORTH STAR

Having the right projects which inspire people, along with the best public image ​is critical to success.

There are three ways of growing membership – bringing in new people, ensuring ​Rotarians are fully engaged and starting new clubs.

Bringing in new people: Growing membership is easy – just ask someone. In ​fact, ask them to bring a friend or two also so they feel supported. Ensure that ​first contacts are informal. Have a coffee with them, discuss what they want out ​of Rotary whilst explaining what Rotary is all about. Working on the principle that ​current members are the present, and new members are the future, ask ​prospective members what Rotary should look like and what Rotary should feel ​like for them.

The format, their time availability, their passions of what they want to do should ​all be considered. Rotary can be tailored to suit the ability those new Rotarians ​have, and what they want in terms of time and commitment.

Fully engaged: Retention is key. Ensure current Rotarians are fully engaged and ​getting the experience they deserve. Regularly ask each and every Rotarian how ​they are, how they feel about Rotary and if anything needs to change. Mentor ​everyone and carry out satisfaction surveys at least annually. ‘Club Health Check’, ​‘Club Visioning’, and ‘Community Assessments’ are just some of the tools we can ​use.

Starting new clubs: This is critical to North Star’s success by developing new ​club in a format which suits the demographic of each location. Rural, urban and ​city areas have quite different needs and support mechanisms. Quite often we ​just need to replace clubs that we lose. A recent experience with the properly ​developed marketing material, personal invitations and the right style of initial ​engagement attracted sufficient people to start a new club at the first session.

Similarly, the new Doncaster Knights Rotary was formed in a rugby club from ​players who wanted to give back to the community in a structured way. The ​possibilities are endless.

Let’s not forget, we can and do recruit people – in fact 11,000 Rotarians have ​been recruited in Great Britain & Ireland over the last four years. But, it is ​important that, if a club format is not for them, there are other ways of “doing ​Rotary”.

You are not alone in managing any of this. District Membership Leads, Specialist ​Advisers and My Rotary all have a wealth of knowledge, experience and material ​that can help. Follow this link to membership material here – and you can contact ​me at: krmcl@hotmail.com