Attracting and keeping members

Following last night’s AGM I have been giving some thought to the question of attracting/retaining members.

I’ve also been re-reading the constitution, and I have to say that I don’t think it helps with that problem. While the aims are laudable (although arguably over-ambitious –“Educating all drivers”?), they don’t do much for the individual ADI. We need to appeal to his/her self-interest. For a start, how about adding something along the lines of:

“To promote, protect and represent the views and interests of its members ”?

Maybe also include something about providing opportunities for discussion, social interaction, etc?

And at the risk of turning this into a rant, I also have the following unrelated questions or suggestions:

1. “within the boundaries of Sutton TC”. Are there indeed any such boundaries? Where are they? If they exist, which I doubt, then we’ll need to re-write the constitution when the TC closes! If they don't, it’s meaningless. Why not just “London Borough of Sutton”?

2. There are two lists under "Aims" . The problem with listing things like this is that you are effectively excluding anything not on the list. E.g. we can liaise with the Met, but talking to Surrey police would be unconstitutional, which is nonsense. Better just to say something vague like "by any appropriate means" and "liaison with relevant organisations".

3. Every time we want to change the fees we need to alter the constitution, which is a bit OTT. How about “Membership fees will be payable by all members. Changes to the fees may be recommended by the committee from time to time, and must be agreed by 2/3rds etc....”

End of rant! Any thoughts?

I think the constitution should remain as simple as possible...to avoid confusion and possible errors.

As far as the jargon goes though, are there any guidelines as to what we should have in a constitution? Do we need to have the membership fees in writing? Surely we have to have them in writing somewhere.

SADIA has come a long way in its first year...from a few friends around a table, to 55 members. It is now a (dare I say it) 'proper' association, and with that it needs to have the 'proper' legislation in place to protect it and its members.

I joined SADIA primarily to meet people from our profession (not industry!!!) and it has more than acheived that. I wouldn't want it to become too stuffy and formal, so I think it is important to find the right balance.

If we get it right, new members can come to a professional, well run association, that is fun as well.

Is there someone we can go to and find out exactly what we MUST have in the constitution, and any other documentation we now require? How about any of the other established associations that were mentioned last night?

Lesley x

Lesley wrote:

I think the constitution should remain as simple as possible...to avoid confusion and possible errors.

As far as the jargon goes though, are there any guidelines as to what we should have in a constitution? Do we need to have the membership fees in writing? Surely we have to have them in writing somewhere.

SADIA has come a long way in its first year...from a few friends around a table, to 55 members. It is now a (dare I say it) 'proper' association, and with that it needs to have the 'proper' legislation in place to protect it and its members.

I joined SADIA primarily to meet people from our profession (not industry!!!) and it has more than acheived that. I wouldn't want it to become too stuffy and formal, so I think it is important to find the right balance.

If we get it right, new members can come to a professional, well run association, that is fun as well.

Is there someone we can go to and find out exactly what we MUST have in the constitution, and any other documentation we now require? How about any of the other established associations that were mentioned last night?

Lesley x

I agree - it should be as short & simple as possible.

There's nothing wrong with the bulk of the existing constitution, I'm just concerned that we need to get the first few paragraphs right. They're the only ones that most potential members will ever read!

Absolutely agree!!! Simple and Concise! Just like my lessons!!!!!

Hello,

I totally agree with max & Lesley. The constitution was written initially by Cris & brought to the first committee meeting. Jane was the other input, who then steered things alittle more in the right direction as far as format, she has had experience with constitutions being a parent / governor at her local school. As for the rest of us on the committee we have had no experience of such things.

James did send the constitution to the DIA to check it was in order. It was they who said we needed to add the bit about not being better than any other ADI, which was then duly added at the AGM on wednesday.

I did try & argue several points including those that max has raised & totallly agree with lesley that initially it was supposed to be a 'support group' for local adis. For me the lines are still blurred as to which direction we should & are travelling. To be a local self help group or perhaps to grow to the likes of other larger associations like selkent if that is even possible.

Perhaps we should have an interim meeting in a few months to all those people who are memebers to discuss this further. What do you think?? We are the committee but it is every members group at the end of the day. In my opinion its not just down to us, the committe members to decide how we proceed with SADIA.

This maybe controversial but its my thoughts & thats what for forum is for !!!

It's a difficult one...

I think that we should start the ball rolling at the committee meeting. I agree that all members should have a say in this, but they did vote for the committee! A meeting with all of SADIA will take ages and only a few comments from more assertive members will get heard.

Could the committee come up with some ideas, then ask for everyones input maybe just via email initially.

Depending on the responses, discuss them at the next meeting or organise an interim.

Who knows, there may not be much interest, maybe it only bothers a few of us!!

Hiya,
Its very difficult. Actually I think Lesley your final sentence sums it up pretty well.

Yes they did vote for us & to be honest I think we have done an ok job. It could have been organised better but it could also have quite easily folded too, if we the committe hadnt put in the effort we have.

As the committee, we all come up with ideas at every meeting & we have things on the back burners eg the therory test lessons.
To be fair to us the 'preference sheets' are out at every meeting & there is ample time at meetings for members to raise any issues. Either publically or privately afterwards, for example I had some complaints about the time so it has been shifted to 8pm ideally id like it earlier but as the say 'you cant please everyone all of the time'.

For the last year I have been emailing people.. members & visitors depending on the content & I get very few replies even if I've asked for one. I know speaking to others in my position that is quite normal, but it does make it difficult to guage how people actually feel about the whole assocciation.

I personally would like it to be for the people who do reply & get involved whether its coming to the meetings, just emailing, hopefully posting on here, or just doing the social bit, which again doesn't get a massive response. That is why I replied to your previous comments. If we loose our members because we end up going in the wrong direction then that will be a shame for everyone.

That may sound a bit negative & its not meant to be, just how things are. There are at least 25 people who I consider the core of sadia so that is brilliant. Its 25 people who feel it worth continuing with & so do I.

Julie x

Yep I totally with Julie, and I totally agree with an interim meeting, the Forum has only been available for a few weeks and we expected controversial topics and we are not disappointed.
The original committee had many, many hour’s discussion, even the basic ideas were looked at in minute detail, there was no model to follow so we took a moderate line, and with a little bit of mix n match we finalised the constitution nearly in time for the very first AGM!
We should all voice our opinion, that’s what its there for at the end of the day. Positive ideas and hopefully a possible solution should be applauded. all issues will be discussed and if agreed, we shall take action, have no fear.
SADIA is sure to evolve and its starting to move, hopefully as a model for other associations, particularly with all our proactive members. It’s great to talk huh, without sitting in a bar putting the world to rights, although I enjoy that as well.
Keep them coming folks.
Phil
Moderator

Thanks for agreeing with me Phil..... only thing I can add is who the hell is that in the photo coz its definately not you !!!

Ah that's bad boy George Cloony, I used to be his stand in you know.

I think you have all done a fantastic job - SADIA has evolved and it is down to you lot and you should be bloomin' proud of it!

If any member (committee or not) want to say something, there are plenty of ways to do so - many won't want to shout out at a meeting, fair enough, but there is E mail, text, facebook and face to face as you say.

If there are no replies, then we have to take it as agreement or they have no comment, and do the best we can.

You need to provide an opportunity for all to comment - then it's down to them to make an effort. You spend enough time on SADIA, If they moan after, well, tough.

Can George Clooney come to the committee meeting, and can I sit next to him, please?????

Ha ha
you are absolutly right Lesley thanks. Great you are coming on the 15th, i'll ask my mate George but I might have to be his stand in once again
Time to change my pic me thinks, still better than a goat !!!!!

Great pic!!!

What we need to do is give members a motive for attending our sessions.

I was reading that book again and he talks about rewards and motivation.

A scientist called E.L.Thorndike taught hungry cats to eascape from puzzle boxes by putting them within sight of food.; the cats learned to pull a string or operate a lever to escape from the box and take the food.
If one puts a recently fed cat in a box it will go to sleep. Only hungary cats will learn how to escape.

People are the same, they need to be motivated by something. If the economy gets bad enough that we can maybe tempt them with food, that will make things easier, but people have other needs, if they feel threatened, like changes to the industry, that always works. I know that garage meeting with the MSA used to be full when the theory test was introduced and when ADI's had to sit the Hazard Perception test. if we can give them a sense of community, I think the commitee have that, it would instill loyalty. A desire for acheivement, possibly effective CPD would bring in and retain membership and also importantly members need to feel that it is their association and that they can be involved in decision making and can make their mark in it. What do you think?

What motivates US to come to meetings each time? I wanted to find friends within the profession, and get my name known at the local test centres(hopefully for the right reasons!). SADIA has helped with both those things and I assume that is the same for others too...

How do you sell those things? Talking to other ADI's some are also feeling lonely and in need of support, so we need to be a 'friendly face' to all local ADI's and getting our name known...putting posters up showing the speakers we have organised and maybe business cards that we can hand out should help.

ADI's I've spoken to who weren't interested already have some sort of network of support and said they weren't interested...what could SADIA provide them?

We've already seen a much larger attendence when key figures visited, or when there were changes to the driving test etc...

When we had the MOT talk, there was the chance of winning a free MOT - did that persuade anyone? - must admit, I thought the MOT chat would be boring and had prepared myself for a long evening...and the thought that I may win an MOT did help me to get out the front door!!!

Could we come up with any other carrots like that? Do we have anyone who writes books or creates DVD's to come and talk who could throw in a freebie or two??? Not for the whole evening perhaps, but like a warm up act before the star speaker???!!!!

Personally David Tennant or Alan Rickman could motivate me anywhere!!!

Ha Ha Lesley, Maslow missed out the important something for nothing motive, perhaps he's not so clever after all!!

As you said, the sense of community, belonging, is a big motivator and I think those first couple of meetings in the Claret brought that to to those of us who were there. It would be great if we could organise that type of atmosphere for 70+ people. Social event's like Ruth is organising can go towards that. Maslow also doesn't talk about fun but those first few meetings were good fun, perhaps we need consider how to bring fun speakers as well as informative ones, David Tennant I'm sure will fill that spot. Check with the chairman but I think you should see if you can book him