The headlines are discouraging:
“Masons Grappling with Aging and Declining Membership” reports the Capital Times of Madison, Wis. “Involvement Down in Veterans Groups, Fraternal Organizations and Civic Clubs” announces a 2005 Indiana University study. “High Noon for Women's Clubs” ponders Time Magazine. “Can Civic Groups Like Moose, Elks Survive?” asks ABC News.
In Fort Wayne, dwindling membership has contributed to the closing of the venerable Woman's Club; the consolidation of Odd Fellows lodges; and the reorganizing, restructuring or curtailing of traditional activities by groups such as the Shriners and Settlers.
While some civic and fraternal groups cling to long-standing rituals, traditions and symbolism, others have addressed declining membership by making adjustments to appeal to a younger generation — one that finds little meaning in club-based models and prefers instead to choose its own form and frequency of engagement.
Junior League
Junior League traces its history in Fort Wayne to a 1919 charter for the E. Jane Hamilton Society. Current president Courtney Waterman defines the group's mission: “JLFW is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers ... building a better future for women and children.”
Waterman believes women entering the workplace had significant impact on her organization, as membership has declined by 40 percent since it peaked in 1986.
She also identifies another reason for this phenomenon — an increasing number of volunteering options, many of which don't require organizational membership for participation.
“There are so many volunteer opportunities,” she said. “Individuals do not need the support or the membership obligations of an organization to become involved in hands-on, volunteer experiences.”
Waterman does not believe there is a trend toward civic disengagement, however, and statistics support her contention. According to www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov, a U.S. government Web site providing information about volunteerism, 61.8 million Americans contributed 8 billion hours of volunteer service in 2008. More than one of every four adults volunteered in fundraising, collection and distribution of food, mentoring, environmental disaster aid, and other community activities.
“I think the Millennial generation has had the importance of volunteering instilled in them,” Waterman said. “However, what (they) are looking for ... has changed. They want volunteer opportunities that easily fit their schedules, and they want to see an immediate impact for their efforts. If the volunteer opportunity is not meeting their needs, they will quickly move on and look for something that will.”
The Junior League is redesigning its recruiting and new-member program, emphasizing training, relevancy and retention. It is identifying strategies to address 21st-century challenges that will enable it to continue impacting the community positively.
“Groups that do not make changes to ensure they are relevant to their potential future members risk extinction,” Waterman said.
NeighborLink
NeighborLink grew out of a local church's desire to incorporate acts of service into its group dynamics, Executive Director Andrew Hoffman said.
“It was a spiritual discipline and, ultimately, a responsibility to love your neighbors as yourself,” he said. “The idea (was) to create a leaderless, Web-based system that would take minimal management to bridge the gap between those in need and those looking to give back.”
The 8-year-old ministry doesn't have the long history of civic engagement that many local service and fraternal organizations do, and that may be an advantage. As the nature of volunteering has shifted from intensive long-term to episodic, NeighborLink has perfected the concept of the short-duration task as a response to changing attitudes about community service.
“The NeighborLink model creates a choice-based environment,” Hoffman said. “We give the volunteers complete control of which projects they get to choose, how to do the project and when they want to do it.”
The challenge
That approach fits with the recommendations in a Stanford University Graduate School of Business review of volunteer trends in 2009.
The review states in part, “If nonprofit leaders want highly skilled volunteers to come and stay, they need to expand their vision of volunteering by creating an experience that is meaningful for the volunteer, develops skills, demonstrates impact, and taps into volunteers' abilities and interests. People will make time to volunteer if they are stimulated and engaged.”
Hoffman agrees.
“I don't belong to any clubs,” he said, “so I can only guess. Service-based clubs, legions or temples are unfortunately a dying breed, and I think it's mostly generational. The general public just doesn't know enough about these clubs to understand the meaning and value (of) being a member.
“There has to be a fundamental change in the way service-based organizations operate if they desire to have more volunteer engagement,” Hoffman added.
Whether an organization is in decline or experiencing a resurgence of involvement, one truth is evident. A culture of service and the simple act of giving of oneself is intrinsic to the very fabric of society.
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best:
“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?'”
