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

[Fiona the Needleworker]

That was why I had suggested some sort of uniform token/favor that  
would be discrete. Perhaps some woven thing on a loom in the Ansteorra  
colors. If they're new and they don't want it, they don't have to take  
it, but if they want folks to know, "I'm here, and I could use a  
friend or perhaps some help." they'd have it and could wear it  
proudly, and we could know who they were and they'd know each other. I  
still feel new to the SCA as a whole. There are lots of things I still  
have questions on, but because I don't know too many people very well,  
I don't feel comfortable going up and asking face to face all the  
time, even when I have a question. Even at populace, I sorta sit back  
and listen more than talk, because I feel so apart sometimes. I think  
something like this when I had gotten here would have helped me to  
mingle more. :) And I'm a talkative person when I get to know you!

Fiona

On Feb 19, 2010, at 4:18 PM, L T wrote:

> 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>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
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