[nabs-l] Role of a student division

[Arielle Silverman]

Hi Jim,

Great questions. Joining a student division shouldn't be mutually
exclusive with local chapter participation. In fact, student divisions
help the affiliate to the extent to which they get young people and
students involved in their local chapters. Ideally, when people join
your student division they will simultaneously also join their local
chapters. Getting the first few students to join the local chapters is
tough, but after that happens and more students start flowing in, the
average age of chapter members will drop, which in turn will attract
more students. Patience is key here.

As for marketing, it's probably best to focus on students and student
issues in your mission statements and event descriptions. But you can
also mention that those who are thinking about enrolling or
re-enrolling in school are welcome as well, as well as kids who aren't
in college yet (high school and even junior high aged kids can
benefit).

Arielle

On 5/23/09, Jim Reed <jim275_2 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Arielle,
>
> Thanks for clearing up the confusion about who is eligible for NABS and its
> state affiliates.
>
> One question though. In Montana, recruiting the 20-somethings, non=students
> would be a good way to boost MABS membership (and MAB/NFB membership as
> well), but I wonder if this couldnt cause an age related problem amongst the
> older state affiliate members. How do we avoid becoming the young persons
> alternative to local chapter participation? Is this even a problem if we
> becoming the young persons alternative to local chapter participation? The
> other issue is marketing. We can't exactly say "If you're under 40, join our
> Division!!!", so how to be market it to attract the young, while not
> explicitly excluding the old?
>
> Thoughts?
> Jim
>
> Homer Simpson's brain: "Use reverse psychology."
>  Homer: "Oh, that sounds too complicated."
>  Homer's brain: "Okay, don't use reverse psychology."
>  Homer: "Okay, I will!"
>
>
>
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