Women LionsRecruitment and

Retention

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PURPOSE AND GOALS

What’s Past is Past – Looking at the Future

Most clubs with women grow in size, have more new diversified service activities, and embrace

more new fund-raising efforts.

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Why Focus on Women?

• Amendment passed in 1987

• Today - 229,469 women Lions (as of June 30, 2004)

- 16.8% of Lions membership

• Comparison: - Lions – 16.8% women- World – 52% women

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WOMEN LIONS RECRUITED IN 2003-2004

Worldwide 60,182 U.S. 18,213 Other 41,569Percent 100 30.4 69.6

NET INCREASE IN VIRGINIA24-A 62 24-B -124-C 35 24-D 1224-E 20 24-F 25

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JUNE 30, 2004MEMBERSHIP IN VIRGINIA

District Women Men Total

24-A 457 1,569 2,02624-B 248 1,337 1,58524-C 428 1,507 1,93524-D 377 1,466 1,84324-E 205 1,067 1,27224-F 218 969 1,187

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PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN LIONS IN MD 24

24-AJUNE 2003

19.57

JUNE 2004

22.56

24-BJUNE 2003

15.14

JUNE 2004

15.65

24-CJUNE 2003

20.34

JUNE 2004

22.12

24-DJUNE 2003

19.44

JUNE 2004

20.46

24-EJUNE 2003

14.26

JUNE 2004

16.12

24-FJUNE 2003

16.06

JUNE 2004

18.37

MD 24JUNE 2003

17.85

JUNE 2004

19.63

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MEMBERSHIP STATS VIRGINIA2003-2004

•WOMEN – Net increase of 153

•MEN – Net decrease of 277

•TOTAL MEMBERSHIP – Net decrease of 124

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Membership July 1- August 30, 2004

DistrictWomen Men Women Men24-A 457 1569 453 155824-B 248 1337 250 1325

24-C 428 1507 402 149524-D 377 1466 368 1446

24-E 205 1067 198 1051 24-F 218 969 219 968 MD 24 1933 7915 1890 7843

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Number of ClubsNo Female Members

• District 24-A 9• District 24-B 9• District 24-C 10• District 24-D 5• District 24-E 9• District 24-F 9

WHAT IS YOUR

CLUB’S PROFILE/IMAGE?

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Tools Used to Succeed in 2003-2004

• “I am a Lion” Brochure

• District Governor’s Award

• Women Chairpersons

• Waiver of entrance fee

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“I am a Lion”

• Purpose - Used by Lions to recruit women members

• Function - Development, content, tone, and emphasis guided strongly by results of Lions Women’s Workshop

Communicating to Women: Brochure

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“I am a Lion”(Continued)

• Design - High impact Strong visual presence Appeals to quality women Lions seek

Over 170,000 brochures were distributed in Fiscal Year 2003-04

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District Governor Award for Recruiting Women

• Sponsored by International President Lee

• Pin: Emphasized women and men united in service

• Rules: District had to show net increase of 25 women versus same period year ago to qualify.

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Women’s Membership Development and

Participation Chairpersons

• 401 chairpersons appointed in 2003-04

• Position: 3-year term

• 77% of districts had Women Chairperson

• Average net increase of 23.8 women members for districts with Women Chairpersons

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Results

• Over 60,000 women recruited as Lions

in 2003-04

• A net increase of more than 25,000

women Lions

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MD Women Chairpersons

What worked• Working as member of MERL team• Appointing sub-district Women’s Chairperson• Working closely with the two to develop

strategic plans and improve current activities• Presenting programs and conducting seminars• Publicity• Booths at health fairs and other public events• Social/informal meetings, inviting community

women leaders to participate

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Women Chairpersons

Challenges and Solutions

• Providing information and presentions to clubs, districts and multiple districts

• Changing mind set of male clubs to add women

• Encouraging new clubs to be formed• Cliques in Clubs – rotate seating• Lack of club leadership – organizing

leadership training

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Women Chairpersons

What is being done differently this year?

• Expand on the work done last year• Increase number of club visits to raise

awareness and initiate plan for women growth

• Conduct more panels at conferences/conventions, featuring new women Lions

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Women Chairpersons

What is being done differently this year? (Continued)

• Increase focus on retention of current and new members

• Encourage all MERL teams to include women chairperson

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POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES FOR MAINTAINING

INVOLVEMENT AND INTEREST• Strong leadership at club and district levels

• Effective orientation sessions• Great meetings – interesting• Efficiency (no time wasted)• New/innovative ideas• Community-oriented fund raisers• Hands-on community service• Acceptance by all members• Sponsor fulfillment of responsibilities• Immediate involvement in areas of interest

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Positive Attributes

• Open/friendly, no cliques

• Cost – dues are a bargain

• Open to family/spouse participation

• Value added training in useful skills

• Fun

• Solid Budget/Finance

• Members treated like family

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What Do You Think?

• Is your club better off today, than a year ago?

• If more women were in leadership positions…

would more women become Lions?

• How do we attract more individuals,

regardless of gender, to be Lions?

• What should the goals of Lions Clubs

International be?

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What’s New in 2004-05

• International Officers’ Growth

Initiative (IOGI)

• Symposium

• Continuation of District

Governor and Women Chair

Recognition

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IOGI = International Officers Growth Initiative

• Created to increase membership worldwide by 5% (68,400 net gain)

• Team – 6 Lion Leaders (IOGI officers), all (33) members of International Board, 746 district governors, 46,000 club presidents, and 1.4 million Lions

• IOGI goal will be surpassed if every Lions club has net gain of two

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Lions Women’s Worldwide Symposium

The purpose of the Lions Women’s Worldwide Symposium Program is three-fold:

1) to identify new community projects that are of interest to women;

2) to identify potential members; and

3) to promote Lions clubs within the community.

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Lions Symposium Partnering with the

Community

• Chamber of Commerce• American Red Cross• Junior Women’s Clubs• Americorps • Big Brothers/Big Sisters• Association of Trial

Lawyers of America

• United Way• Girl Scouts• American Association

of University Women• Parent Teacher

Student Association (PTSA)

• Nurses and Physicians’ associations

Holding a symposium offers Lions clubs the chance to partner with other service groups in the community, such as:

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Symposium Funding Component

• The Lions Worldwide Women’s Symposium program funding component

• Up to $2,000 to help defer symposium costs

14 symposiums are budgeted for FY 2004-05

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How to applyTo receive LCI funding:

• Women Chairpersons may apply according to application guidelines and the Rules of Audit outlined in the Symposium Planning Guide (MP101). Memberprog@lionsclubs.org or 630-571-5466, ext. 390 The guide contains complete details regarding the

funding aspect of the program as well as a grant application.

To receive funding, Symposium must be pre-approved by LCI Extension and Membership Division.

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Symposium Guide

Lions Symposium Guide (MP101)

The guide offers step-by-step suggestions for: determining an event theme choosing a partner organization setting a date finding a location planning the presentation inviting speakers inviting participants adding additional elements to the event publicizing the event.

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Symposium Guide(Continued)

The guide also contains:

• an event planning timeline/checklist • suggested presentation schedule• sample publicity materials• an action plan form to help set goals and

design programs to meet the needs identified during the symposium

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What Do You Think?

• What is the next step for LCI?

• What are you going to do?

• What are you waiting for?

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Thank You