Western Hemisphere Membership Development Strategy

1. Western Hemisphere Membership Development Strategy

2. Current Membership

4. Devising the Strategy

5. Regional Membership Growth Targets • Current target is 5 million members by 2020 (proposed at 2012 WH committee meeting). This target is to be reviewed in light of 2012 census figures. • MO targets: to be set as WH strategy is rolled out over next two triennia (in line with census collection 2015 and 2018) • 3 Associate members supported to achieve Full Membership by 2017.

6. Key elements of the strategy: Strand 1 Build MO capacity in the following areas: • Fund development and financial management • Leadership and governance • Succession planning & opportunities for young women • Volunteerism • Programmes for Ranger-aged members • Accessibility of Guiding across diverse communities • Strategic partnerships • Support pilot countries to achieve significant growth • Support Associate members to achieve Full membership status by 2017 • Support select MOs to recognize the added value of belonging to WAGGGS by responding effectively to their needs.

7. Key elements of the strategy: Strand 2 • Contribute regional knowledge to the review and delivery of a new WAGGGS Membership Policy that facilitates innovation, diversity and growth. • Explore possibilities within new policy: federation concept and ‘clustering countries’ together to form one MO. • Diversifying membership (National alliances, school membership, seasonal or project based membership). • Applying WAGGGS membership policy to select countries in the region.

8. Key elements of the strategy: Strand 3 • Understand what barriersexist in the region to implementing other types of membership for girls and young women through research e.g. country case studies and analysis. • Study and test new pathways that could apply in the region such as Girl Guiding / Girl Scouting through projects or partnerships with other organizations that uphold similar values.

9. Delivering the Strategy • Provide tailored and specific regional support to MOs based on their identified priorities • Strive to achieve a strong return on investment, focusing on results and where results are not being achieved, evaluate strategies. • Prioritize the use of new technology as a key training delivery mechanism (such as webinars and e-learning) to ensure maximum return on investment and access to MOs. • Broker partnerships with other MOs or regions and make better use of expertise within the region (maximize use of Western Hemisphere volunteer pool). • Evaluate current regional resources and structure and take decisions on what might require adjustment or additional investment.

10. Next Steps

11. MO Workshop11.00- 13.00 An opportunity for conference participants to be consulted on key aspects of the Global and Western Hemisphere Membership Development Strategies. The focus will be: • Strand 2 – pathways to organizational membership • Strand 3 – new pathways of membership for girls & young women

12. Session Outcomes Participants & MOs • gain a better understanding of WAGGGS’ current membership policies and structures • are engaged and involved in thinking about new membership models WAGGGS • Is able to gather valuable data and input from MOs on their views of new pathways to membership for individual girls and Member Organizations.

13. Session Outline • Groups will work on a fictional case study to consider membership issues, solutions, risks and benefits. • Groups will discuss 4 case studies: 11.00- 11.30 Case Study 1 11.30- 12.00 Case Study 2 12.00- 12.30 Case Study 3 12.30- 13.00 Case Study 4

14. Feedback MOs will have the opportunity to present their feedback on Wednesday at the following session: Wed 24 July 14.30- 16.00 Western Hemisphere– onward to 2020

15. Session Groups • Please ensure you are seated in your groups at 11.00 for the start of the session.