The benefits of multi-generational membership

By Katie Ehlis, assistant Rotary Coordinator, Zone 28

I often speak to Rotarians about the importance of embracing the reality of a multi-generational membership. There are so many great things that come from clubs leveraging the different generations that make up their membership. I believe that when a club has an engaged, multi-generational membership, it has access to numerous perspectives about how to do things within your club. Some of these ideas and perspectives may have never been thought of or discussed before; all of them have the potential to make your club stronger.

Brittany Maupin from the United States (in a white shirt) and other attendees at the New Generations Celebration: Connect for Good session. Rotaract Preconvention Meeting, 31 May 2014, Sydney, Australia. © Rotary International

Members from all different generations have varying life experiences. Here are some tips on how to encourage cross-generational idea exchange and collaboration in your club:

1. Ask members from multiple-generations to be part of your annual club visioning or to help solve a specific problem your club may have.
2. Create a multi-generational committee. Ask members from a variety of generations to be part of it and ask them to come up with ideas on how to create awareness, find relevant speakers, and hold some fun multi-generational events.
3. Hold generational training for your club. Have someone (maybe even one of your members) share some common traits and characteristics from the different generations. Talk about ways you can all work together.
4. Think about the possibility of a satellite club! It’s worked for many clubs and can inject some new excitement and energy into your current membership.
5. Set up an internal “mentoring” program and encourage all members to play the role of mentor. Consider flipping the norm – encourage younger members to mentor older members. We have a lot to learn from each other, no matter our age or life experiences. Encourage mentor partners to meet for coffee outside of club meetings, have conference calls, or even sit together during meetings.

The reality is that in some parts of the world our clubs aren’t doing a good job with sustaining a younger membership. It’s time for our clubs to think differently and shake things up! Without multiple generations engaged in Rotary we won’t be able to continue the amazing work we do for those who need it.

Still not sure how to engage multiple generations in your club? Contact ARC Katie or read the following articles to get some ideas about what might work in your club:

• 8 tips for getting young people interested in your club
• Taking Rotary into the next generation
• You are never too young to change the world
• Embracing the true potential of Rotary
• Using social media to show the lighter side of Rotary
• Miami club reconnects with local scholarship recipients

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Tell our success story and increase Rotary’s image around the world

Written by Sambasiva Rao Patilbanda (Rotary public image coordinator, zone 5)

RI President Ron Burton, at the Sydney convention, while talking about membership growth and how we are failing to adequately capitalize on our investment in Rotary said: “The bottom line is that Rotary’s future – it’s very survival – is up to us, we can either get up out of our chairs and really make something happen, or we can just sit there and become an endangered species and eventually die off.”

The above statement is a reflection of the situation we are in. We have to make something happen. We have to capitalize on all the good things we do around the world and encourage others to join Rotary. We have to start telling our story, our Rotary story – our success story.

Each one of more than 3000 rotary clubs in India has a success story about a project or event that can be shared with the world. Each one of more than 1, 30,000 Rotarians in India has a Rotary moment to share. Let us start telling others about how we – as Rotarians – have helped millions of people around the world lead a better life.

I and past district governor (PDG) Kamal Sanghvi, in our role as RPICs, are trained to help others tell their story in a compelling way and with a unified voice. Speaking in one voice will allow us to expand our reach into our communities and will highlight what Rotary has done around the world.

Start talking about our revamped, user friendly website; adopt our new voice and visual identity guidelines. Promote the use of Rotary tools designed to help Rotarians track progress towards their goals (Rotary Club Central) and share their projects with the greater world (Rotary Showcase). Use our Brand Center to let the public know that Rotary brings leaders together to exchange ideas and take action to improve communities everywhere.

Capitalize on our investment in Rotary by presenting ourselves to the world and sharing our stories with others. Bang the drum and don’t stop.