Membership Drive

venerdì 31 marzo 2017

Bericht unseres Board Directors Lisbeth Speich für das IIW-Jahrbuch.


Every year in May, our district organizes training sessions regarding various topics and targets of Inner Wheel to prepare new IW presidents, IW secretaries, and IW treasurers for upcoming challenges.
 

A major issue is the following question: How do we gain new members for Inner Wheel?
 

To hold its ground, the Inner Wheel’s club life has to remain attractive. Interesting events, regional meetings, and meaningful social projects should contribute to broaden one’s mind. It is also always important to pursue a balanced age structure as well as a suitable club size.

 

What does Inner Wheel Switzerland-Liechtenstein do to recruit new members? 
       
                                  
  • We promote the world’s largest organization for women
  • We emphasize the targets of Inner Wheel
  • We encourage true friendship while actively fostering it
  • We support social commitment, e.g., by announcing and publicizing social projects, locally as well as internationally. This will particularly promote the international understanding between IW members from all over the world. Proclaiming that Inner Wheel is responsible for organizing social projects is important and should be intensified
  • We personally address Rotary members to introduce Inner Wheel
  • We appoint a club member exclusively responsible for recruiting new members. Who could be better suited for promoting a club than one of its own members? Such a position could be created in each and every club
  • We open the doors of our club for women without any Rotarian background
  • Our district has created a new flyer,  printed in the national languages and to be distributed on various occasions (see flyer below)
  • In March 2017, we will organize the first Inner Wheel Primrose Day Switzerland-Liechtenstein. That day, all the Inner Wheel clubs in Switzerland will sell such spring flowers; the proceeds will be given to a social project to increase the awareness of Inner Wheel in Switzerland. We also hope to make new friends and motivate them to serve the community without expecting any personal or financial benefits.

 

What else can we do to increase the number of our members?
 
  • Emphasize that Inner Wheel is indeed a non-profit organization
  • Refer to the fact that Inner Wheel is an independent organization
  • Indicate that, in contrast to other service clubs, attendance is not mandatory
  • Meeting hours should be reconsidered periodically to be able to accommodate new requirements
  • Meetings should be interesting and varied
  • Plan more hands-on activities, possibly with other partners
  • Organize charity events while advertizing them by the local media to make Inner Wheel better known
  • Use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. more frequently
  • Address female relatives of IW members or contact former members
  • Contact potential applicants by phone or invite them to a cup of coffee
  • Invite friends to an introductory IW meeting

 

Cooperation and charity work based on female friendship is satisfying and even makes one happy!
 

Lisbeth Speich

Board Director 2015-2017