Recruitment and retention of young people - Help please

[<<] [>>] by Brian Kitching
8th December 2005 (CqE Official News)

In time for next season the CA Marketing Committee is hoping to provide its member clubs with guidance on the subject of recruiting and retaining young people into croquet. In preparation for this I would be grateful if those in the UK wishing to offer their advice and comments on this subject, whether from actual experience or as an interested observer, would write to me, directly please, using the following framework and adding to it as necessary.

Thanks.

Brian Kitching
TheKitchings#aol.com

• Why does your club want to recruit young people - how has it improved the club - have the youngsters been welcomed by other club members?
• How is the scheme financed (presumably young people do not pay an adult sub - for how long do they pay a reduced sub)?
• How young is young?
• Where do you look for potential recruits - word of mouth - local schools - youth movements?
• What do you offer that succeeds in attracting your recruits?
• Do you need a separate section, or can you integrate young and old?
• What is your success rate in keeping youngsters - if they drop out, at what age does this happen, what reasons do they give for not staying?
• Do they start with Golf - is this enough - do they go on to Association - are other "fun" games played?
• How do you retain their interest in the winter?
• Are your recruits mainly boys, how do you get a balance?