[Bryn-gwlad] Upcoming Demo - Pirates of the Caribbean. Pleaseread, I need input.

[Marlin Stout]

Susan wrote:

>But for a total new comer, they do need to have "someone lead them by the 
>hand".  A new comer would have no idea that you exist, and wouldn't know who 
>to ask for.  I think this is a large part of the problem; let the newcomers 
>ask if they need help, rather than how can the SCA get them involved and 
>interested.
>
Perhaps. However, I am but one person, and there are often several 
newcomers at a given fighter practice. Moreover, it is possible to talk 
to a newcomer too much, give them too much information without time to 
absorb it, and leave them feeling overwhelmed. And it would be pointless 
to spend 30 minutes discussing heavy fighting to a newcomer who has no 
interest in it, but wants to know about other topics.

Can we as a Barony do things to welcome newcomers? Of course we can. But 
you would place the total burden on the Barony, or even a single member 
(the Hospitaler) when it's best for the newcomer to take some initiative 
on their own.

Everyone who joins the SCA does so for their own reasons. They have an 
idea what they want out of it, if only in the most general sense (I want 
to fight, I want to be a lady, I want to perform, etc.).

Even more, I am a single person. I have a single deputy. There are 
literally dozens of people at tuesday practice, not all of them well 
known to me. Often we have people visiting from nearby groups, as well 
as newcomers. Now, I try very hard to notice the new faces and to go 
meet them, but I can't be everywhere, see everyone, know everything. 
What I do is try to find out what a newcomer is interested in and direct 
them to those who can assist them with it.

Now, if you've shown up on a tuesday night and neither I nor my deputy 
found you, I apologize. If nobody else spoke with you, that is 
regrettable. We do the best we can.

Charles,
Hospitaler