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Discover the importance of family-friendly clubs, the benefits of involving families, and practical steps to make your club more inclusive. From defining families to organizing family-friendly activities, this guide provides valuable insights on how to enhance your club's diversity and community impact. Learn why engaging families can help your club grow, benefit your members, and positively impact your community. Explore actionable strategies to create a welcoming environment for families, plan engaging activities, and involve younger generations in volunteering. Join the movement towards family-friendly clubs for a stronger, more inclusive community.
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What? • What is a Family? • As defined by the Vanier Institute, family is: “Any group of two or more people that consider themselves to be a family: parents, children, siblings, foster parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and any other who consider themselves a family.”
What? • What Are Some Characteristics of Family Friendly Clubs? • What Are Some Characteristics of Family Friendly Meetings? • What Are Some Characteristics of Family Friendly Projects?
What? • Family Friendly Clubs • Generational • Younger • Women • Couples • Children come to meetings and help with projects • CUB program
What? • Family Friendly Meetings • Take place at a convenient time • Start on time & end on time • Take place at a suitable location • Activity oriented • Fun for all ages, alternative activities available for children • Business conducted efficiently
What? • Family Friendly Activities • Hands-on, active • Something for everyone to do • Able to be completed in a short period of time • Meaningful and understandable • Have a direct impact on the community
WHY? • Becoming more family-friendly will help grow your club. • Your spouse and children constitute an untapped source of members • Your spouse and children have friends who may also become a source of membership growth. But There’s More…
WHY? • Your Members & Their Families Will Benefit • Activities will better fit their need for flexibility • Families will spend more time together sharing the volunteer experience • Younger family members will be exposed to the importance and joys of volunteering
WHY? • Your Club Will Benefit • Your club will become more diverse • Wider age range • Increased gender balance • Diverse membership will bring diverse skill sets • Physical energy • Organizational skills • Technology skills
WHY? • Your Community Will Benefit • Your club will be exposed to a wider range of community needs. • Closer connection to schools • Closer connection to youth activities and needs • Closer connection to family needs • Your club will have an increased ability to meet those needs because you will have more members with more skills
HOW? • Generate Enthusiasm and Acceptance within your club • Make sure members understand the changes that will be necessary • Make sure members understand the benefits to the club and to the community • It’s not right for every club. You may need to consider forming a club branch
HOW? • Plan For Changes • Form a planning committee of Lions enthusiastic about the concept • Get the Family Friendly Lions Club Concept “How To Guide” (LCI Website www.lionsclubs.org) • Complete the Family Friendly Lions Club Concept Planning Form and Action Planner (Contained in the “How To Guide”)
HOW? • Make Necessary Changes • Meeting time and location • Meeting structure • Consider a casual setting • Consider cost • Consider making meetings activity oriented • Consider alternate activities for children • Consider providing supervision for children while conducting business
HOW? • Do Family Oriented “One Day Event” Service Project • Resources • “Steps To Plan A One Day Event” (LCI Website) • “Benefits Of Participating in a One Day Event” (LCI Website) • “Family Volunteer Activity List” (LCI Website) • www.GenerationOn.org • A FANTASTIC website with ideas for kids, teens, parents, teachers, & organizations
HOW? • www.GenerationOn.org • The youth division of the Points of Light Institute • Mission: • “To inspire, equip, and mobilize youth to take action that changes the world and themselves through service”
HOW? • Consider the Lions Family Cub Program • Resources • “Lions Family Cub Program Activity Guide” (LCI Website) • “Lions Family Cub Activities” (LCI Website) • www.GenerationOn.org
HOW? • Market The New Club Structure • Publicize your one day event • Local media • Social media • Invite interested families to “try out” the club by participating • Educate your members about the family concept and how to effectively invite new families into your Lions club • Publicize club changes and service activities
HOW? • Do a Community Needs Assessment • Get the “Lions Clubs Community Needs Assessment” (LCI Website) • Contains planning and execution steps • Involves community leaders • Furnishes service project ideas • Facilitates partnering with other community organizations • Lets them know you care!
HOW? • Other Ideas • Club Family Social or Recreational Event • Community Family Involvement Night • See Family Friendly Lions Club Concept Planning Guide (LCI Website) • Take it a little bit at a time • Change can be stressful • Make sure you have club support • Keep at it!
REMEMBER • Take it a little bit at a time • Change can be stressful • Make sure you have club support • Make sure all changes and events are well planned and organized • Keep at it • Life is a journey, not a destination!