1. Young people and soroptimists
Fiona Braybrooks SI Cootamundra

2. About me Live in Cootamundra
Member of SI Cootamundra for a year (only member under 50!)
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher
India enthusiast
Coota Bollywood All Stars

3. The Ultimate Question...!
Why would young people want to engage with your club and become a member?

4. ~ We will discuss these throughout the workshop ~
4 Discussion Questions
How do we engage young women?
Who are the young women we want to engage?
How do young women like to volunteer and contribute in your communities?
How do we expand our thinking and move forward with the current trends so that we increase millennial membership?
~ We will discuss these throughout the workshop ~

5. Assumptions we may have:
People are motivated, goal orientated and are always engaged and interested as much as we are
We share the same reality
If we are passionate about something, our passion will definitely resonate to others

6. Why do people volunteer?
To make a difference
Support a community organisation or cause
To feel better about themselves
To meet new people
To learn something new
To have fun
Gain perspective about their own lives

7. Barriers to volunteering
Lack of time
Lack of interest
Disempowerment
Length of time to commit
Money
Lack of knowledge about volunteering opportunities
Feeling like they don’t belong in the “clique”

8. Millennial Volunteer Motivation Survey
An online pilot survey open to Millennials (born between 1980 – 2000)
Participants responded to 10 questions
Opinions and motivations regarding volunteering

9. Millennial Volunteer Motivation Survey:
Highlights
47 responses collected over a 3 week period
Female and male respondents, 84% and 15% respectively
Respondents were from city (51%) and rural (49%) areas
100% of respondents said they enjoy volunteering!
Highest percentage of respondents volunteer 2-3 times a year
Only 37% were a member of a club or association
More than half volunteer for a charity

10. Discussion Question 1 and 2
How do we engage young women?
What has been successful?
What has been unsuccessful?
Who are the young women we want to engage in our communities?
Who do you currently engage? Is this long term, or short term engagement?
~ Discuss and report back ~

11. SI Cootamundra – the way we engage the community –
Baby alive program at the Cootamundra High School
Women’s health information expo
Host an annual International Women’s Day dinner
Girl Guides MasterChef evening
Lion’s Club Christmas Carnival
White Ribbon Longest Picnic
Uplift Project
Self Defense education program

12. Focus on Q6: Are you a member of a club or association?
Comments Included:
Rugby club
Dance School
Teachers Association
Salvation Army
Local Show Society
YMCA
SI (3 respondents!)
Swimming Club
Basketball Club
RSL
Church
Local Dog Rescue
Local Multicultural Society
Yes 36%
No 64%

13. Focus on Q8: What motivates you to volunteer?
Top 3 selected responses:
To foster community inclusiveness
To gain experience
To meet new people

14. Important – Very Important: Unimportant – Mildly Important:
Focus on Q9: reasons for volunteering
(5 point Likert scale)
Important – Very Important:
To help others
To give something back to the community
To do something worthwhile
To make a difference
Somewhat important:
To work with different people
To interact with community/social groups
To gain more practical experience
To feel proud
To feel part of the community
Unimportant – Mildly Important:
Have free time to fill

15. Discussion Questions 3 and 4
How do young women like to volunteer and contribute in your communities?
How do we expand our thinking and move forward with the current trends so that we increase millennial membership?
~ Discuss and report back ~

16. Millennial Volunteer Motivation Survey Comments / Reflections
Final question of the survey
Comment / Reflection about their volunteering experiences
“Being a volunteer is a challenge and its motivating and I’ve learned a lot of new things...”
“I’d like to do more of what I’m passionate about...”
“...I find that it is difficult to sustain the commitment of volunteering, especially in a club, when I’m trying to study, build a career, engage in mentoring and network opportunities. The pressure to perform and contribute can be difficult...”
“...Millennials are time and money poor. Therefore when we do volunteer, what and how we volunteer shows what *really* matters to us”

17. Millennial Volunteer Motivation Survey Comments / Reflections
Final question of the survey
Comment / Reflection about their volunteering experiences
“It has actually been my experience that it can be difficult to break into tight cliques that exist in rural organisation in order to volunteer”
“ I like volunteering as it allows me to give back to my community and share the experience with other like-minded people. It also provides me with an opportunity to learn from others”
“I am a very busy mum nowdays but in the years gone by I have loved helping with my community at local and major events. I know and understand and truly appreciate that there is so much behind the scenes work in making our community a better place”

18. My thoughts about volunteering ~ my response to Q10 ~
Any support, big or small makes such a difference. My experience, particularly volunteering in India, has taught me so much about the world, life and about myself. Above all, it’s afforded me the opportunity to help empower young women who will go on to change lives in their villages, country and the world. And that, is the greatest, most rewarding experience of all