[Ansteorra] tagging newcomers (was: Newbie's perspective on NMS and other things)

[L T]

In both groups I lived in in Ansteorra...it was tried about once every 5 years.

Reaction varied...some people didn't want to be "marked" as "new;" others loved it.
Since the symbolism was local...usually only the 10%ers in the local group ever really reacted to the badge/sash/etc... 

I just taught new people that if they got in an uncomfortable situation or felt pressured that they needed to speak up and say "I'm new so I don't quite understand xxx"... It made the newcomers self starters instead of having them rely on some symbol and rely on older members to remember the symbol...which often became way too complex...the simpler, more direct way is usually best.

L DeerSlayer




----- Original Message ----
From: Fiona the Needleworker <danab-steppes at tx.rr.com>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Fri, February 19, 2010 3:50:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] tagging newcomers (was: Newbie's perspective on NMS and other things)

What if we created some sort of discrete favor of some sort, like a ribbon or something that would attach to the belt or dress or something, that we could keep a look out and know they were new. And we could/would/should let them know that it means that people will be watching out for them, making sure they're okay and taken care of. That if they need anything, they would be able to walk up to anyone without one to ask questions about something, and that they would be able to also see anyone else that was in the same boat as them and new to the SCA?

Sorry...long. I know.

Fiona

On Feb 19, 2010, at 3:12 PM, Coblaith Muimnech wrote:

> Donnchadh wrote:
>> One idea that was brought up was having a badge or sash that we could give to newcomers.  The idea being that others would then recognize that the person wearing it was a newcomer and we could offer whatever help and guidance was needed.  As a newcomer, what would your feelings on something like that be?
> 
> At a recent event, a newcomer commented to me that when her sister was hired as a freshly-minted nurse, she had to wear some sort of identifying doohicky (I forget what it was, exactly) at work for the first 6 months so everybody who saw her would at a glance understand that she couldn't yet be relied on to know all the rules and procedures, and that she felt like she needed something like that to wear at S.C.A. events so people would understand things needed to be explained to her in a way they wouldn't to someone who'd been around for a while.
> 
> Personally, I've always thought something like that was a good idea.  The only coherent objection that I've ever heard is that it might make newcomers feel marginalized or make the shy ones uncomfortable, and that doesn't hold water if the only people using them are the ones who want to.
> 
> 
> Coblaith Muimnech
> <mailto:Coblaith at sbcglobal.net>
> <http://coblaith.net>
> 
> 
>