MENTORING PROGRAM
Monaco South New Member Mentoring Program
April 20, 2022
By Craig Eley
When compiling the latest Monaco South Directory, I noticed that a number of fairly new members have dropped out of the Club. These are:
Bryan Prosperi
Steve Hick
John Webb
Lincoln Ayle
Nikko Koski
Gary Amelon
Consequently, our membership has dropped to 113 actual members and one Friend of Optimism (FOO).
When we consider our historic high of a few years ago of around 140, we can see that we are experiencing a downward trend. We are not alone in this - the latest email from Optimist International explained the need for a dues increase. One of the reasons given is:
Throughout the past thirteen years, membership has declined by forty-one percent (41%). A 41% decline in membership equates to a loss of over 1.6 million US dollars in annual dues revenue to the organization.
There are many explanations we can look to for the drop in service club membership. Certainly, for our own Club, the lack of in-person fellowship and the dearth of Club projects during the pandemic of the past two years has made it easy for members to drift away from feeling a part of the Club. Also, from 2020 to date we have lost nine members through death.
Dissecting the many reasons for the general loss of service club members is not, in my opinion helpful at this time. Instead, I believe we should focus our efforts on a way to better assimilate the members who do join us during these turbulent times.
We expend a lot of effort, or we should, in bringing guests to Club meeting and turning them into members. Every one is precious, and we should be prepared to spend the time and money necessary to keep them engaged and enrolled in Monaco South.
In the past, we have started mentoring programs, but in my view they have not been successful because of the lack of follow-through. We need to make it an ongoing Club priority.
I have looked at a number of mentoring programs, from OI and other service club organizations. Below is an outline for a mentoring program which I have tailored to the particular circumstances of our Club. I am sure many others have ideas which can be incorporated into a Monaco South Mentoring Program if the Board decides to adopt one.
The purpose of the Optimist Club of Monaco South Mentoring Program is:
- To give new members a sense of fellowship and belonging to the Club.
- To help new members assimilate into the life of the Club by encouraging their participation in Club activities, projects and meetings.
- To educate new members about the history of the Club, its practices and traditions.
- To engender in new members a desire to be of service to our community and youth.
- To give new members an understanding of Optimism as a philosophy of life.
- To retain new members as active members and future leaders of the Club.
Mentors
Mentors should be veteran Club members (not the new member sponsor) who agree to mentor a new member for one year. The reason for having the Mentor be someone other than the sponsor is because we want all Club members to bring in guests and new members without the fear that they will end up being Mentors. We do not want to discourage members from bringing in guests. Not all Club members want to take on the responsibility of being a Mentor, and not all of them would be good at it.
Mentor Responsibilities
- Help the new member feel welcome.
- As soon as possible, take the new member to lunch, coffee, or whatever is appropriate, along with their sponsor, to give the new member an initial introduction to the workings of the Club.
- Determine interests of the new member and pass on any ideas for projects, etc. that the new member has.
- Sit with the new member at meetings for three months. Sit at a different table with the new member periodically to facilitate meeting other Club members.
- If the new member misses two meeting (unless the new member is generally unable to attend meetings), telephone the new member to insure that all is OK.
- Telephone the new member to invite him to participate in Club projects and events. Greet the new member at projects and show him the ropes. Pick up the new member to take to projects, if practical.
- Stay in regular communication with the new member.
- Arrange for the new member to be photographed and interviewed for a biography to be published in GUMS.
- Attend a new member orientation program with the new member.
- Attend periodic meetings of Mentors to discuss problems, issues and ways to improve the program.
- Submit periodic progress reports with the Mentoring Chair.
Mentoring Chair Responsibilities
- Recruit Mentors.
- Train Mentors regarding their responsibilities.
- Contact each Mentor on a monthly basis to check that responsibilities are being met.
- Draft a progress report form for Mentors to submit periodically to Mentoring Chair.
- Draft a new member orientation guide.
- Make a quarterly progress report to Board.
- Arrange periodic meetings of Mentors to evaluate the program and explore improvements.
- In cooperation with Membership Chair, arrange for at least an annual New Member Orientation meeting.
Responsibilities of the Club
- Appoint a mentoring Chair.
- Fund the Mentoring Program (lunches with new members, refreshments at Orientation, etc.).
- Devise a name badge which indicates a new member.
- Consistently recognize attending new members at the beginning of each meeting.
- Devote the space necessary in GUMS to run a short biography and photo of the new member.
- Induct the new member in a dignified, meaningful ceremony.
- Create a Mentor recognition segment at the annual Installation Banquet.
- Assign responsibility for monitoring the Mentoring Program to a Vice President.
- Receive and evaluate Mentoring Chair’s quarterly report.
y awarding new member 
Dick Nickoloff: He is participating in the LAST Cherry Creek Sneak. Bureaucracy and the high cost of Security + other issue finally rang the death knell for one of Denver’s premier community events. For years Bill Michaels was the legendary promoter and manager of the race has been sorely missed.
