The Women s Initiative in TU. Mid Atlantic Regional Meeting June 6-7, 2015

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Jeffrey Lane
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1 The Women s Initiative in TU Mid Atlantic Regional Meeting June 6-7, 2015

2 What is the Women s Initiative? The Women s Initiative is a NLC workgroup formed in 2011 to grow and retain female members within TU. 2

3 What is our mission? To create effective strategies and programs to recruit and retain more women in TU To encourage more women members to accept leadership roles at the chapter, state and national levels To ensure every chapter creates a welcoming environment for women members. To create events that help chapters appeal to a broader audience 3

4 What is our role? WI Chapter Coordinator Responsibilities Recruit new women members Engage women in the mission of TU Facilitate the retention of women Promote women into leadership roles Develop or enhance women-centric events Promote meaningful programs to engage women Facilitate women membership drives Communicate directly to the women in the Chapter 4

5 What is our role? WI State Coordinator Responsibilities Create plan for state-wide outreach and communication to women Encourage addition of WI coordinators at the chapter level Provide support and networking of all WI coordinators Work with chapters to provide meaningful engagement opportunities for women Women leadership development Provide support for women recruitment and retention 5

6 What have we accomplished? Generated members. Spring of 2014, we offered a free introductory TU membership to women 2,500 women joined Five became life members $6,000 in renewals Earned additional $4,921 in gifts In the last 18 months, TU s women s membership has increased from 6 to 7.1% (= 10,650 women) 25% of that growth came from the 2014 free membership drive 6

7 What have we accomplished? Created documents to encourage engagement and support outreach. WI promotional video launched in 2012 WI membership retention plan WI action plan Women s-centric event planning/event-in-a-box Updated the Tacklebox with these new resources 7

8 What have we accomplished? Marketed and advertised our work. TROUT magazine articles DUN magazine article Lines To Leaders monthly e-newsletter Facebook: Women of Trout Unlimited 845 members Orvis News blog posts Somerset NJ Fly Fishing Show exposure Women s Annual Retreat & Regional Meeting sessions 8

help outreach, retention, and communication We currently have 37

9 What have we accomplished? Increased WI Workgroup leaders. Worked to establish a WI Coordinator at chapter and state levels to help outreach, retention, and communication We currently have 37 state WI Coordinators We are now filling positions for WI Regional Ambassadors 9

10 Where are we now? We continue to grow our WI leaders and work on our group s communication practices, helping to share these assets with each other and our chapters We have an extensive collection of documents that promote outreach and membership retention, and help chapters plan women-centric events 10

11 Tacklebox & Leaders Only Tools Rosters with gender data Membership changes reports to target new or expiring women Regional meeting notes 11

12 Tacklebox & Leaders Only Tools Brochures & fliers Meeting/event ideas & planning documents Pictures & videos Power Point decks 12

13 Where do we go from here? We are continuing to fill all WI positions from the Chapter level up. We have created a leadership-at-aglance document Clearly states what is expected of each WI position Breaks role down into a task list Lists what tacklebox documents support each task 13

14 We hope to roll out the finished WI Best Practices document soon. NLC Workgroup Where do we go from here? Regional Ambassador State Coordinator Chapter Coordinator 14

15 How can you help? Host a variety of Chapter meetings and events Pre-meeting women casting Fly-tying clinic Women s-only casting lessons Flies & Pies: Family fly-tying and pizza night Women s gear night Women, Water & Wine: Open house for women Woman conservation speaker Don t forget to ask each woman to bring a friend! 15

16 How can you help? Tips on planning Chapter meetings and events Ask for a budget from your chapter for additional women- and family-centric events Try to set up quarterly events to continue to keep members engaged Partner with other groups on events and expos Scouts, 4H, CFR, PHW, US Forest Service, etc. Advertise for the event through your chapter and council s, social media, mailings, etc. Develop flyers/posters for the event and ask an up-and-coming woman volunteer from your chapter to post them at key locations around town (fly shops, event boards, etc.) Keep track of women who attended your event or joined TU through that event Make sure they are all on your contact lists 16

17 How can you help? Be welcoming at Chapter meeting and events In advance of the meeting or event, provide current board members with ideas for making the space more welcoming Provide name tags for everyone to wear Attend meeting or event to specifically welcome all women members Network at events to gauge women s interest in increased levels of volunteering 17

18 How can you help? Grow Women Leadership within your Chapter and State Council Educate women members on leadership opportunities Remember that women are not all the same. Create opportunities (small and large) for school-aged women, women with families, women with careers, retired women, grandmothers, etc. Encourage women to sign-up as a WI Coordinator Host leadership networking events and invite a panel of TU women leaders in your region Encourage your chapter to use women speakers at events If you hold a leadership position, start looking for your replacement 18

19 How can you help? Engage & Communicate Develop a letter introducing yourself, including your contact information and a personal invitation to the next chapter meeting or event Pull membership roster monthly and send out to new female members Contribute regularly to chapter communication vehicles Facebook, newsletters, blasts, tu.org blog, etc. Set up membership booths at fly fishing expos, conclaves, women expos, etc. to advertise future events and membership drives Do a survey of the women members to find out what type of events they are interested in Check out the Tacklebox for tips on surveying 19

Thank you from the NLC WI Workgroup and TU Staff Kerri Russell

Buchta (right) buchtake@hotmail.com Jackie Jordan jordanj@orvis.

org NLC WI Chair NLC WI Vice Chair NLC WI Secretary VP of Mid-South

20 Thank you from the NLC WI Workgroup and TU Staff Kerri Russell (left) Kelly E. Buchta (right) Jackie Jordan Beverly Smith NLC WI Chair NLC WI Vice Chair NLC WI Secretary VP of Mid-South Ambassador Mid-Atlantic Ambassador Northeast Ambassador Volunteer Operations AR State Coordinator NJ State Coordinator VT State Coordinator 20

(essential, effectual, manageable) for Your Chapter. illustrations by peter grosshauser

10 (essential, effectual, manageable) ways to recruit and retain members for Your Chapter by mary rubin and Earl Hower illustrations by peter grosshauser This article is the fifth in a series on helping