Younger Members

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Younger Members

• Meeting Their Needs While Advancing AAUWs Mission

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2003 Student Survey

• Email survey sent to Student Listserv
• 20 questions sent to 579 students
• 61 responses - response rate of 10.7
• Conducted by a workgroup of the Membership
  Committee

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Who Responded

• 86 undergrads 14 graduate students
• Age
• 21 between 18-21
• 16 between 22-25
• 2 between 25-30
• 22 over 30
• From 22 states one foreign country

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Type of Membership

• 21 Branch Student Affiliates
• 25 Student Affiliates at Large
• 5 Members at Large
• 1 Branch Member
• Several graduate students listed themselves as
  Student Affiliates

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What are they looking for in a branch?

• Professional networking opportunities
• Leadership development opportunities
• Connecting with other women/peers
• Community projects
• Members of a similar age
• Interest groups

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What platforms of AAUW do they support?

• Education Equity
• Public Policy
• Legal Advocacy
• Voter Education
• International Policy
• Research on women

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How can a womens organization best serve you?

• Connections to other women leaders
• Opportunities for learning and growth
• A place to meet and share ideas
• Ideas on how to be involved in the local community

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What kind of programming appeals to you?

• Conferences Workshops
• Professional Development
• Personal Development
• Short-term community projects
• Monthly seminars or programs
• Entertainment
• Public Policy or legislative
• Ongoing long-term projects

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Use of Technology

• 91 say email is the best way to communicate with
  them
• 67 would prefer to join an online rather than a
  local branch
• 15 learned about AAUW online

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Younger Member Survey 2004

• Distributed over the YM Listserv
• 8 responses
• 7 questions
• Have belonged to AAUW for as little as 6 weeks to
  as long as 14 years
• Ages 22-39
• 5 single 3 married
• 7 no kids 1 has children
• 6 employed full time, 1 grad student, 1 student
  affiliate
• All connected with a branch

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Why did you join AAUW?

• Encouraged by a specific person
• Mother, friend, friends mother
• Mission programs
• To meet people in the community
• To learn about womens issues
• To effect change
• To make a difference

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Why have you remained a member?

• Belief in the mission
• The people
• Fun, stimulating
• I can make an impact as an AAUW member

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Are there current AAUW activities or programs
that you think are especially attractive to
younger women?

• Events that offer the opportunity to meet/network
  with other women
• Sister to Sister, NCCWSL
• Lobbying/Advocacy
• Community focused projects
• Havent seen anything that relates to my age
  group
• Not really especially the daytime meetings
• Not book clubs bridge groups

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What types of Programs Activities would you
like to see?

• Training to become involved in communities
• How to become involved in education equity
  issues
• National network for connecting with women
• Fun, Social type events
• Financial planning for now not retirement
• Womens health more than menopause
• Career oriented seminars
• Leadership Seminars

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More ideas

• Business mentoring
• More active political program
• Activities for YM only
• Things that make a difference
• Being a mentor/mentoring opportunities
• Fun fundraising events
• Fitness type events

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What does a branch need to offer, change, or keep
to attract and meet the needs of women like
yourself?

• More outdoor/active events indoors at work all
  day doesnt want to sit around in meetings in
  evenings/weekends
• Promotions on campuses to let students know about
  AAUW
• One person who is willing to work to change the
  group
• Monthly meetings with a speaker dont work for me
  needs multiple speakers/bigger event for me to
  give up other things to attend

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More things that may need to change

• Expectations of branch leaders too much busy
  work doesnt mix well with work
  responsibilities
• More young people
• Babysitting for those with young children
• Change the name people think we all are
  university professors
• Have a variety of meeting times, places, types of
  activities
• Older members who remain involved
• At least 10 YM who know what AAUW is about
• Continuous education about AAUW for members
• FUN events

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Some Suggestions

• Ask younger women in your community what they are
  looking for
• Dont assume what worked in the past will work
  today
• Be willing to change
• Connect your younger members with the Younger
  Member Caucus
• Chair Sarah Rose of Ohio prez74_at_hotmail.com

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Questions

• What activities is your branch already doing that
  you think will appeal to younger women?
• What activities are you already doing that with
  some changes might appeal to younger women?
• What new activities can your branch initiate that
  might appeal to younger women?

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