[Ansteorra] maybe an answer to recruitment problems

[Franchesca Bush]

While not in my twenties anymore, and seeing more years in my thirties than
I would like, I am new so I can give a little insight on some of this.

My husband and I "found" the SCA through a friend who has been a member for
many years.  We started playing because my husband was attracted by the
heavy fighting.  He was very excited to try playing so, while we really
couldn't afford it, we  put some garb together from very good fabric finds,
but at the time with a single income and heavy expenses from moving to
Texas, it was a challenge.

Things like armor bits, fabric, and other things we just got to try, are at
once tantalizing and a drain on the pocket book.  Having met tons of people
who are peers of one sort of another, sort of puts in a position were we
can find out a little bit of everything.  However I think I find that there
is so much to learn, we only learn a little bit of a lot of things.  Maybe
people don't want to overwhelm us, which I can see can be the case, but
sometimes we don't know enough to ask the right questions to get more
focused on something that we might really enjoy.  On the other hand, I know
for me (and I'll probably say my husband as well) don't want to overwhelm
any one we met with too many questions either.  I suppose it could be a
version of peer fear, as we've heard call it.  We don't want to be
annoying, we tend to be pretty shy, and we don't want it to be all about
us.... But we want to learn, we want to get better, but we often don't know
where to start.

We aren't kids; we've been around the block a bit.  I can tell you that I
wouldn't have been so patient and willing to try to figure this out on my
own in my early twenties.  I might have taken more to the drinking and
carousing more than I can now with a 2 year old, but I would have gotten
lost in the "society" aspect and the politics.  As it is I am so outside of
that, I am a bit bemused by the various discussions of politics and drama.
 I might not have the patience to learn it myself with some feedback from
others at that age.  I might have been more impacted by negative feedback
or even perceived apathy toward my attempts to participate.

I don't know that the period stuff actually is a turn off.  It is just how
to incorporate the period stuff without a) looking lame and getting
criticized due to a limited budget b) acting like a fool because you don't
know who is what or when to do/say certain things (I still can't remember
what hats are what) c) looking or sounding crazy to people who aren't in
the sca (How do you explain it to people who think ren faires are the norm
and are completely filled with devil worshipers -ok that last bit just
might be my mom).

Ok, this might just be my experience, maybe not even that of my husband.  I
don't think its too far.  But even if it is just my experience, it may be
helpful.  :)  Sorry for the long winded note.

Francisca

On Sun, Jan 15, 2012 at 10:20 AM, Cait O'Hara
<moc at seneschal.ansteorra.org>wrote:

> Back in the 90's, I was heavily involved with the Collegium Turris
> Animarum at UT Austin. We had many meetings and revels and mini-demos. It
> was a lot of fun. So, I agree that more local activities are essential to
> gaining new members. Here is one possible idea that I will be doing with
> the teens at Gulf Wars this year:
>
> Persona Night
> Come in garb and in persona. I will have quiz sheets and ice breakers for
> participants. If they don't have their persona created, it will help them
> with that process. I thought it would be a good way for teens to get into
> the Dream and forget about the mundane world. I think this might work well
> for a populace meeting. There could be a 30 minute mingling session. I know
> so many members but I know nothing about their personae. I would love to
> know more about their Medieval selves.
>
> I know for us, it is very difficult to make events and even some meetings.
> Times are tough, and even tougher for college students. Maybe we could do
> more demos on college campuses? Maybe have a May Day event on a campus or
> just locally? Steppes has mini-events where they have fighter practice,
> court, and classes all in one place. The event is free (like a fighter
> practice) but has all the amenities of an actual event. Plus, it is more
> lax. If non-SCAdians want to pop by and see what is going on, all the
> better.
>
> I have also been guilty of giving too much too soon. I get so excited
> about what we do that I want to share everything right now. I am trying to
> fix that. Instead, I ask about the newcomer's life. What mundane activities
> are they interested in? Then, I take that interest and try to think of an
> SCA equivalent. That gets them interested. Then, I find someone who shares
> that interest and I introduce them. I know people can get scared off if
> they are inundated with so much period stuff. So, I try to show them that
> the SCA isn't irreproachable. Mundane equivalents can be found.
>
> Cait
>
>
> On 1/15/2012 2:14 AM, willowdewisp at juno.com wrote:
>
>> Hi everyone this is Willow
>> I am speaking as a simple member of the SCA. We have all been talking
>> about why we are not recruiting as many young people as we did in the past.
>> I have some observations
>> First we have a lot of people who have been in for a while.
>> second we have people who have just come in.
>> Third we don't have a lot of people in the middle.
>> For a long time now about 20 year people have been taking new people away
>> from me and telling me I was giving them to much to soon.  I made people
>> think that they had to have all these things and knowledge right now and I
>> was not explaining to people that I had been working on stuff for 40 years.
>> I am not sure we all aren't doing that to our new people. Many of us have
>> been working on our SCA presence for over 5 years  and I want to tell you
>> by that time you have a lot of stuff together and you know a lot. For new
>> people they see the costumes and finery and the tents and skills and they
>> think they need to get that all together in the next 6 months before we
>> will think of them as real members.
>> If they are in their early 20's they know they will probably move in the
>> next 5 years and if they are in college they know that for a fact. The
>> thought of trying to get all that together just so they can have a creative
>>  impute in the group is to much. Many times they look at us and past us
>> over for another kind  of activity that will them "live a Dream" now, not
>> in 6 years.
>> When I was young and yes once I was young we were more rough  and tumble.
>> We dressed in early styles and we often just slept on the green. I remember
>> doing Courtly dancing to a beat played on a pot and young girl singing. We
>> learned as we did and it was great fun.
>> I know I am not up to that  but we need to see if we can create some
>> rustic places where there is atmosphere and  it has the dream but people
>> won't feel that everything has to be perfect.
>> We need to play persona and model behavior so people can learn in a human
>> interactive way.
>> To achieve that goal I would like to ask like minded people to do the
>> following.
>> Try to arrange a gathering area at events that does some period
>> activities and fosters period  behavior like the "the green Dragon" at Gulf
>> war.
>> Take someone under your wing and share people and places that you found
>> entertaining and interesting
>> And find out something that you would do for fun during your period .
>> learn it and teach it and do it.
>> Make your area a part of the "the Dream" . Look  at the world  through
>> the eyes of someone from your time period and open a window to the time for
>> other. What makes us different than other groups  is we teach by doing.
>> Try to bridge the gaps between the oldbies and the newbies. Please act as
>> the translator.
>> Let us work together to bring people back into the kingdom and help
>> people stay in.
>> I tell you that the more people we have enjoying themselves the more joy
>> each and every one of us will have.
>> Please write and tell me what you are doing. I don't get out as much as I
>> used to do but I really enjoy hearing about what you are doing.
>> Right now I am making plans the Spring. As of this moment I will not be
>> going to the War. I was wondering if any of you are planning on something
>> that we could do here at the home front.
>> willow.
>>
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