[MR] census conclusions

Mon Jul 25 22:21:04 PDT 2011

but our membership is not declining.  it is, in fact, up over 7000 members
in the last decade.  thats pretty substantial with a membership now hovering
around 50,000 (almost a 15% increase).  also this census was brought about
to test the desire for a fourth (sic) "peerage" which showed little support.
as such less than 1/5th of the membership (paid or otherwise) bothered with
it.

it is indeed troubling that politics and melodrama was enough to drive 36%
of the 20% of the membership to leave.  but the question asked wasnt
specific enough to really tell much.  some folks, for example, left because
there wasnt enough partying.  more left because they didnt get an award
(have you ever actually received award recommendations?  they are scarce
and, even so, the number of awards given out on a kingdom level has
dramatically increased over the years partially because so many awards have
been created in the last few).  but how upset are folks that a small
percentage left because they felt discrimination because of their sexuality?
i am far more bothered that someone who is gay, black, transgendered, or
whatever left because they felt they were treated poorly than any cat who
was upset because he/she didnt get the cookie they felt they deserved.
awards?  really?  if your real life isnt awarding you enough then, perhaps,
you should look at that.  treating someone like less of a person based on
who they sleep with or how they present themselves, or the color of their
skin is far more of a shame than that.

"force someone to bow to the king"?  really?  first i doubt there was any
"force".  second, in our little make believe world of nobility and all that
shouldnt someone bow when the king walks by?  i mean if we talk about the
middle ages and we suggest that chivalry and honor are important in that
portrayal why would we be upset about someone being educated?  there have
been a king or two that i have no respect for as a person but, in the game,
they were my decided king and i bowed.  of course if a knight grabbed this
person and threw them upon the ground to grovel that would unacceptable.
but i doubt that happened.  i would ask why this person wasnt educated about
the customs by those who brought them to the event before i would chastise
someone for trying to correct them.  now if the whole thrown to the ground
and grovel thing happened then the knight in question should be thrown on
his head in the parking lot on his way out.  

the sca is healthy.  the sca is a pretty cool place to be.  the sca would be
better if there was never an answer on such a census as "i was looking for
something less authentic" since there are plenty of places for that.  at the
same time the answer "i wanted something more authentic" has to be
considered especially since there were some percentage of "i was looking for
a place just to party" answers.  goodness, you cant find a part to go to
with fewer requirements?  

be nice to others.  talk to folks.  ask questions.  stop looking for
handouts.  quit being negative.  treat others with respect even if you
disagree with who they are.  punish those that harm, truly harm.  have fun.

regards
logan

"I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was
hell." 
Harry S Truman 
"If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his
vengeance need not be feared"
Niccolo Machiavelli
For your SCA combat needs please visit:
www.ebonwoulfe.com/armory.htm

www.ebonwoulfe.com

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www.fighterpractice.com

-----Original Message-----
From: atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Beau
Meredith
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2011 9:58 PM
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Subject: [MR] census conclusions

Hello (MR)

   Here are a few observations from reviewing the data in the census or"my 2
cents worth". 

    The first thing that i can conclude with certainty is that we are in
fact rapidly declining in membership. This is best illustrated by graf Q7
(how long have you been a participant). The greatest percentage of members
are in the 20-29 year bracket, 21%. Everything 5 years or less is a flat 4%.
That is an abysmal number, when you factor in the "how you got into the
sca?" with 51% responding told by a friend, the numbers of years 1-4 should
make up the bulk of membership numbers. This trend clearly indicates that we
are not for whatever reasons succeeding in recruitment and retention. Now
let's look at the reasons sited by those who have left.Q4 why did you stop
participating? 55% number 1 answer real life takes priority. Well I think we
can all understand that and there is little the sca can do to change that,
however the 2nd highest reason given 36% bad experiences=0Awith people in
the sca, 3rd highest 35% burn out, more work than fun, 5th highest  27%
issues with local group and 6th highest 22% did not feel appreciated for
effort given and 8th 20% did not feel welcomed. one can not view these stats
without seeing a glaring truth about the culture of the current SCA. The
group has become hostile to newcomers and the bar has been raised to an
almost unattainable level for most newcomers. I have noticed that today most
peers feel that they can "rest on their laurels" and put much of the work
off on the newcomers because they have "earned" the right to be served. When
i joined all the peers I knew felt that the greater the rank the greater the
responsibility to the SCA and especially the newcomer. Today many peers feel
that they have "ownership" of the SCA. Many only try to increase their own
house's and not the SCA as a whole. Some have even created their own
reputations that follow them from Kingdom to Kingdom because their bad
behavior on and off the field has been epic. When someone new comes  along
and they see those who hold high office behave in a manner that is off
putting to them they are much more likely to quit the SCA than to bring
issue to the things that are turning them off to the SCA. The numbers bear
this out,keep in mind that the survey only represents those who bothered to
fill it out. For every negative response given you can bet that it
represents 3 more who did not bother to fill out the survey. Currently our
crowns are more concerned with how visible their tin hats are than the
overall enjoyment of the SCA experience to the newcomer. They may soon find
themselves wearing them for no one but each other if the trend continues.

 Solutions, 

   first thing that comes to mind,as a figher,is to keep all fighter
practices in a public place and not a private homes. This is not to say that
one shouldn't have one at your house but that a canton or shire, barony ect.
should have a regular practice in a public venue where no one can take
"ownership" of that official function. Let's face it not every one is going
to get along and that is fine, but if there is a place of neutral ground
where people can meet for practice it solves many of the problems of
personal conflicts. Also being visible is the SCA's greatest recruitment
tool. Fighting creates a spectacle that people remember and if it is regular
mundanes will come to watch and ask questions.

     Second thing,

     newcomers need know that they do not have to scrape and bow to someone
because they are "outranked".One of my people had a knight grab hold of him
and try to force him to bow to the king as he passed, had this individual
been a newcomer I am sure that would have been his last event. Not only was
that act completely out of line for the SCA it was a crime we call assault.
I give respect to those who have earned it,and wining a crown tourney or two
does not necessarily make you worthy of respect as a person. Your actions
and deeds show the quality of your charter therefore the amount of respect
that you receive. A newcomer should not feel that they will be punished for
not addressing a peer with the correct term of address.  

    Third,
      those who are in charge need to do their best to give recognition
those who are new even if it is merely asking "are you having a good time?",
"Is there anything I can help you with?" awards are not the only ways to let
people know that you are concerned about them.  
   Forth,

      we should take a look at how high the bar of achievement has been
raised over the years. Many times far more is expected of the newcomers that
was of those who hold belts and other peerages from years ago. Many people
work for years without recognition because they are not in the "right"
household. Perhaps that is because they have not been recommended but that
is where the leadership comes in by seeking out those who have gone
unnoticed and thanking them for all of the membership with an award. 

    In conclusion we need to do a much better job of helping newcomers live
out their "rock
n roll fantasy" with in the SCA if we hope to grow and even survive. When I
was in service we were told repeatedly when abroad that we are all
ambassadors of the US and we should conduct ourselves accordingly. This
lesson can be taken to heart by all members from the highest rank to the
lowest, ask yourself at the next event "Am I being a good ambassador for the
SCA?". 

Thank you for reading
Beau

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