1. Planning and Consultation
- Plan 5 year development of club, including more local offshoot clubs, website development and how to attract new members who are in 20/30s or black minority ethnic as they make up over 50% of young people in Brum.
- Thanks for the chance to say something without having to attend the AGM
- I think there needs to be transparency in how money spent and consultation with members like this one, which should be repeated annually.
- The membership should be consulted over any major initiatives via an extra-ordinary general meeting.
- Easy to access comments and ideas box on the activity exchange or website perhaps too?
2. Marketing etc
Member A
The biggest threat to IVC's existence is its ever increasing average age group.
IVC marketing material talks about the group being for young graduates and professional people, none of which is true any longer. The photo on the club's website shows a picture of three young ladies - do these people belong to our club - I've never seen them!
The FAQ page states "2. How old are the members? They are 20s through 50s, with the greatest concentration being in their 40s." Again this is an untruth - most members are in there 50's or 60's! By not accepting the facts, IVC is not recognising the biggest danger to the club - that it will die through old age.
You therefore either blow all the money in the next 10 years or so on existing members, or you use the money to set up a new younger members IVC so that IVC continues for many more years, and the remaining capital sum is handed down to them to provide financial security.
Member B
Accept the fact that with the present average age of the membership and the committee you are unlikely to attract a young membership within the club in it's present form.
Member C
Continued publicity is important to encourage more new, younger members.
3. Wednesday Night
- Find a better CENTRAL venue than Bennetts; do SOMETHING to encourage members to come to Wednesday nights EARLIER. Does not look good to new members to find a virtually empty room up to 9pm.
- I think there should be more greeters at new members’ nights - more volunteer members who chat to the new members and make them feel welcome. There could even be phone numbers of members who can 'buddy' a new member.
4. Bulletin / Activity Exchange
I am very irritated by the number of e-mails I am receiving - as many as 10 a day! This seems to me unnecessary and excessive. I was quite happy with the monthly bulletin.
5. Annual General Meetings
The AGM should not be overloaded with motions, it would be better to have an extra meeting (an EGM) rather than overload the AGM.
