[Ansteorra] maybe an answer to recruitment problems

[Ren Fridenberg]

This is one reason Mooneshadowe is such a fantastic groups for college students. Mooneshadowe does more locally than other groups. They have meetings every week as well as fighter practices.  Then there is the fact that they travel together and camp together as a group. This enables more students  to be able to afford eventing. 

They have figured out how to work with a college student's schedule and pocket book. It works because many of the "old timers" in the group started out as college students and it is now their culture. They are very good about thinking how to attract and keep the new person active within the college students mindset.  

Unfortunately for the college student this isn't how a normal group is run. The average local groups are geared towards the person who has a full time job and possibly a family. 

I suggest Alassandro that you transfer to OSU and become part of Mooneshadowe.  Hehe. 

In service,
Katrine la Escolpiera 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 15, 2012, at 3:01, Jeffrey Clark <jmclark85 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Duchess Willow,
> 
> Speaking as a younger member in the SCA (26 years old, playing since 2003 -- on and off) and as a college student, I would venture that the major problem with recruiting younger people is that they do not habe the means to commit the time required to attend SCA functions.
> 
> Going to an SCA event is a very expensive proposition: you have to drive to wherever the event is (odds are it'll be a 3+ hour drive and that's a lot of gas -- provided that you are fortunate enough to have access to a car), you'll need garb, potentially camping gear and feast equipment, plus gate, plus whatever else you need for your SCA interests.
> 
> Then, of course, the major events in the SCA happen on weekends, which means that you have to fight with your family and your job (classes during the week). The way things currently are represents a huge commitment to a younger newcomer, and when you can't make events regularly it gets really hard to feel particularly involved, especially when you have so many opportunities offered right there on campus.
> 
> I wish there was a greater focus on local activites. Let's face it, the SCA loses out becuase most of the things that it offers to younger adults are generally offered in other places with more consistancy and accessibility than provided by the SCA. If you want to attract younger people, especially college kids, then the focus needs to be on things that they can do in their free time -- getting together and hanging out locally. I'd like to see mini-feasts and revels held every few weeks or a dance party or something of the kind.
> 
> --Alessandro Zorzi
>