[Ansteorra] maybe an answer to recruitment problems

[Jeffrey Clark]

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

On Jan 15, 2012, at 8:14, "willowdewisp at juno.com" <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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