[Ansteorra] maybe an answer to recruitment problems

[Cait O'Hara]

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.