1. CHALLENGES AND CHOICES

2. METHODOLOGY Situation Problem (big?) Options Action

3. SITUATION: MEMBERSHIP - THEN 1997-1998 Annual Report A a Is our Club attractive for new members? X

4. SITUATION: MEMBERSHIP NOW V THEN

5. In 16 years, the Club average has increased 10 years Then: Membership of 42, Average Age 58 Now: Membership 39, Ave Age 68, Median 69 Average age of youngest 22 members has increased by 9 years For our 22 youngest members, average age is 62 Ave age of 22 ‘Active Members’ (97-98) : 53 Club stats don’t include Honorary Members

6. HOUSTON, DO WE HAVE A PROBLEM? Broadly inverse relationship between age & 3 levels of intensity of service: (1) meetings (2) activities (3) running Club / District Fewer ‘young ones’ to do the heavy lifting: Leadership, anyone? ‘Rotary Fatigue’ for leaders Leadership has changed with technology > more communication

7. MIND THE GAP Would a working person join an ‘old’ club?

8. HOUSTON? Kooyong requirement minimum 25 attendance If existing members recruit peers> GREAT but o accentuates young / old age gap o average age of recruits keeps increasing (upward spiral) and o doesn’t help the Club address technology and communications challenges (no inherent reason why older members can’t do this, but takes willingness)

9. PROJECTIONS – ON CURRENT ATTENDANCE By age group for each ten-year bracket, with population in each bracket moved to the next bracket at the end of ten years, and the current oldest bracket no longer included, then interpolated back to today KLTC may not be a viable venue as early as 2016-17 or 2017-18 If we want the Club to be at KLTC in the longer term it is worth thinking about this challenge

10. OPTIONS > WHAT CAN WE CHANGE? Meetings (start & end time, venue, cost, format, frequency) > YES subject to RI Rules > this presentation Membership Fees ? YES > Fee Holidays could be trialed Club Projects / Activities > YES, could be more active Roles that keep the Club and activities running > NO Change the Membership > ahhh … NO! Marketing and Promotion from District > NOT FOR US Recruitment and Retention internally > YES (we could always do better, track record?)

11. MEETINGS: PILOT (2007-2013) - REJECTED Innovation and Flexibility Pilot Program allowed 200 Clubs to meet less frequently (no D9800 participants, 17 clubs around Australia) Most pilot clubs chose to meet twice a month or every two weeks Had most positive impact of all membership pilot programs (83% +ive) Positive impact reported on club morale, member retention, member friendship, club promotion, attracting new members, and attendance.

12. MEETING RULES Rules: Article 6: Section 1(a) The Club shall hold a regular meeting once each week on the day and at the time provided in the Bylaws. (Quorum is 1/3 of Members) Rules: Article 6: Section 1(c): The Board may cancel a regular meeting if it falls on a legal holiday … the Board may cancel not more than 4 regular meetings in a (fiscal) year for causes not otherwise specified herein provided that the Club does not fail to meet for more than three consecutive meetings. Bylaws: Article 5 Section 2 The regular weekly meetings of the Club are held on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm. Reasonable notice of any changes in or cancellation of the regular meeting shall be given to all Club Members. ‘Meetings’, the need for a ‘Quorum’ etc are not defined in the Rules or Bylaws

13. MEETINGS AND THE 50% RULE Rules – Section 4 - Termination – Non-attendance A member must attend or make up at least 50% of club regular meetings.. or engage in club projects, other events and activities for at least 12 hours in each half of the year or a proportional combination of both; Attend at least 30% of this Club’s regular meetings or engage in club projects, other events and activities in each half year (AGs excused from this requirement. Clear as mud (?), not enforceable and not enforced Relies on the Secretary keeping comprehensive attendance and make-up data ad Club Members accurately reporting attendance and make-ups With properly structured service and other activities does not appear to be an obligation on any member to attend any actual club meeting, ever.

14. OUR CURRENT MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES Meetings In 2013-14: 47 weekly meetings, with Average Member Attendance: 27 Average Member Attendance rate of 69% for 2013-14 Member Attendance 25 or less in 2013-14: 8 times Other Events Board Meetings: 1 a month (+ additional Committee meetings) Farmers Market: 15-16 times a year, 2 x shifts of 6 – 8 people Bread Run Sausage Sizzles and other events (Sumba, Garden Design Fest, etc) Notable: BFM provides attendance credits for 26 people for an entire year (15,2,3,7)

15. OPTION: VARYING ORDINARY MEETNGS Proposal: 1 st and 3 rd Tuesday meetings continue as usual at KLTC 5 th Tuesday meeting continue at KLTC, be designated ‘Fellowship’ night with no guest speaker 2 nd and 4 th weekly meetings would be held at a venue away from KLTC, at a time and place nominated by members (at least initially) with no Guest Speaker Attendance requirements unchanged > encouraged to attend KLTC (1/3/5) Alternative (2 nd and 4 th ) weeks Nominate an E-Club Meeting for our meeting alternative Tuesdays Nominate an alternative Cluster Club meeting (eg Yarra Bend, Wednesdays pm) Breakfast Meeting in Glenferrie Road Longer term: develop service projects to fill this space

16. OPTION: VARYING ORDINARY MEETINGS (2) Ordinary Meetings Club meets 47 times / year at KLTC (no Cup Day, Christmas / New Year break) New Meetings format: meet 26 times at KLTC (3 Tues in Mar, Jun, Sept, Nov) Some Benefits Reduces ‘Rotary Fatigue’ and provides space for leaders to source new projects More attractive to new members? (Suck it and see!) Consolidate attendance, higher standard of speakers, fewer meetings to arrange Cultural signals Some Drawbacks What do members think?

17. OPTIONS: THEMES People not Rules Rules are important, but people are more important Lots of examples of Clubs bending rules to meet people’s needs (incl us!) If people attend to comply with the Rules, is their attendance about service? More about activities, less about meetings Consolidating formal meetings doesn’t mean that people need attend less, it can mean that they attend together and this can build fellowship Activities: a more active way of sourcing new members? Perceptions are important: different and new v same old same old? Formal Weekly Meetings: what culture signals does this send? From here > who do we want to join, and how do we market to them? Technology: need to recruit website, database, Facebook-savvy people

18. ACTION: NEXT STEPS Your view is important In the coming weeks you will be asked to vote on whether you support our Club moving to vary ordinary meetings, and (if so) your preference for alternate weekly meetings Board will consider the issue, announce results at Christmas Party meeting Proposed initial six-month trial period (commencing 2015) Separately Member poll about delaying KLTC meetings by 30 minutes later in year Recruitment is still vital – ‘Rotary is changing’ is a great message Board will continue to source other significant weekly-based projects