Working Together for the Good of Rotary:A Membership Initiative

When looking at the historical data in detail to plan the strategy, another trend became apparent. Clubs in the smaller, distinct communities of the district were growing, while their sister clubs in Vancouver were shrinking. As the majority of the district’s population resides in urban Vancouver, this discovery carried an alarming prognosis if a solution was not found. For decades, the Vancouver (Downtown) club was considered to be the flagship in the region: in size and influence, and as the creator of multiple new clubs. For some years; however, the district trend had been going in a different direction: clubs in the stand-alone communities were gaining strength at the same time membership was shrinking in Vancouver, declining to the extent that some clubs were now struggling for survival.

In digging further, the leaders determined a key factor in this trend was “identity.” The smaller communities had a distinct identity, as did their Rotary clubs which had built an affinity with their communities. In the “big city,” there was less of that connectivity as residents often commuted across the city from home to job, passing though many neighborhoods, losing the bond and sense of support to any of those communities. Compounding this effect was the lack of coordinated membership and visibility development between the nine city-based clubs. With each conducting its own initiatives in different ways, it presented a confusing and fragmented message to the public. Finding a way to address these issues, a way for urban clubs to create a unified identity and common approach to membership, was crucial.

With these findings in hand, a team of district leaders was charged to develop a strategy: PDG Garry Shearer, PDG/membership chair Hans Doge, DGND Don Evans, and AGs Tom Smith and Bala Naidoo, all residents of the Vancouver area. To make the strategy truly effective, they recognized the best way, no matter what it was, needed to come from the clubs. They would provide the stimulus and an environment where club leaders could come together, to join in a discussion of the issues and identify common action. The target would be to help clubs see the benefits of working together --- rather than competing --- to solve road blocks related to growing membership. Tom Smith noted the primary objective from the district’s perspective was to find a way to stabilize clubs and to increase membership, using whatever path it took.

To launch club involvement, a pub night was scheduled to open the door for discussion and problem solving. Representatives of the area’s Rotary and Rotaract clubs participated in the facilitated session, with a small group of district leaders joining as observers. To ensure it was a club-driven process, the task force made a commitment to stay in the background and refrain from suggesting ideas. At the conclusion of this first meeting, participants concurred to move ahead and agreed on the next steps: