[Ansteorra-announce] Recruitment. Retention. Mentoring.

[Erik Langhans]

Recruitment.  Retention.  Mentoring.

The number one reason that demo crews get burned out is by focusing too much on non-recruitment demos. Make an effort to reduce the number of non-recruitment demos and focus on recruiting more adults.  Commit to going to one adult-focused demo this year.  Use the media contact ad materials which are online and in the seneschal's handbook in order to have your demo placed on media events calendars.  Treat the demo like a mini-event.  Give 1-on-1 attention to those that express interest.  Follow up with those that leave contact info within seven days.  Invite them to a local event or meeting so they can see the SCA at its finest.

If you are at en event or demo or practice and you see a newcomer, talk to them, engage them, and make them feel welcome.  Show them around.  Those 5 minutes will make or break their SCA experience. Is 5 minutes so much to give?

Assign mentors and contact people to newcomers based on their areas of interest.  No, this task is not just for the local Hospitaler.  Look to offer these newcomers something to do at events - waterbearing, helping out in the kitchen, trying out the archery or equestrian activities, anything.  People want to feel like they are needed and are doing something to help out.

Don't say no to newcomers who want to pitch in.  Find ways to say yes and to fulfill their desire to help.  Integrate them into your group.  Don't say, "You don't have enough experience to hold that job" or "That's not the way we do things in this group." Newcomers have great energy and enthusiasm.  They want to help and to hold offices.  Yes, they may not be equipped to be Seneschal or Exchequer right away, but there are other offices they can hold, or they can be deputies or deputies in training.  We are struggling to fill many local, regional, and Kingdom officer positions, so it's vital that we encourage our newcomers' enthusiasm and desire to help.  It is all of our responsibilities to help these newcomers become whatever they dream about.

This is OUR Dream.  But we each dream in different ways.  We need to remember that our individual Dreams are not the One True Way.  We are Ansteorra, with 4000 individual Dreamers all exploring different parts of the Society and yet coming together to make this Kingdom and this experience into a second family.  For that is what we are: a second family full of characters and individuals who can be inspiring or annoying or a source of great comfort and friendship.  Yet it is the Dream that is our commonality.

Thank you for sharing this Dream.

Modius