My Gay-Straight Alliance, or lack of

[Thirteenth_Floor]

so, i have a problem with the gay-straight alliance i'm president of at my school. despite the expected limited members, i'm faced with the challenge of attendance. at first, it wasn't much of a concern, it was a member or two that would come and go, but now it's become quite a problem. frequently, members will only show up for a few of the meetings, make lame excuses on how they can't make it to all of them, and with a guest speaker coming up, i'm getting a bit stressed over the fact that people are fading in and out. how do i boost attendance, and maybe even add a few more members for good measure?

 

[Thirteenth_Floor]

Lunamist_Chan

Maybe try holding events for the group?To show people what it's all about.

this is actually the first event we've had all year under my presidency, since it switches off each school year. i have many more planned, but because of roadblocks it's taken this long for it to happen! and though i get more people to come occasionally, they're often scared off by the overall lack of maturity and it bothers me to no end!

 

[Thirteenth_Floor]

Lunamist_Chan

yeah,it takes a lot of guts to be in a group like that in high school or even college.Most people are scare to come out and feel that they will be picked on even more.I wish we had a group like this when I was in school.It didn't start up till after I left high school sad Best of Luck with getting more people in your group tho!I hope all goes well for you.

thank you! i deeply appreciate this. it's been a long year, and also my first school year where i don't care about what anyone thinks about me at my school. it's only recently that this club even got established at our school, which i was ecstatic for the moment it opened. i do hope i can get more people to join, it would really make senior year AMAZING

 

[Thirteenth_Floor]

Shadow Ra Warrior

Maybe let people know your organization is a safe zone; you know a place that they can express themselves.

actually a good idea, i've been so focused on things to do that i actually haven't done a lot of advocating in regards to how close the group is meant to be, meaning that it is a safe environment. but maybe when i start working on adverts next week, it would be a good idea to emphasize that. thanks!

 

[Thirteenth_Floor]

Lunamist_Chan

Your on the starting grounds of something that can grow into so much more for your school.It's step into the future for the public to see that gays/les/transgender or bi people aren't bad at all.

definitely, something i believe strongly in. that's why i find it appalling when a school won't allow one to exist on campus, like one high school in my district. i'm currently hoping to change that though

 

[Thirteenth_Floor]

Taeryyn

If people don't want to attend, it could be because the meetings aren't interesting and they're bored.

well, the thing is we have two meetings a week, and people show up for one only. since we have two club advisers, i also feel that it shows disrespect when they only show up for one. we can't really schedule much events because of the tight leash the school has and the fact that it is impractical to schedule anything because of a lack of things

Playboy Karasu Uchiha

Sorry, I can't really help. We had no real clubs at the school I went to so there was no GSA as far as I know.

Yeah, people in high school can be a bit immature at times, but most people grow out of it and start acting more mature.

Events may be hard, especially do to lack of interest or attendance, but maybe you can have some sort of entertainment or movie night that focuses on LGBT issues. Clubs usually have discussions, entertainment, etc....right?

Like others said, let them know it is a safe zone, where they don't have to be afraid to be themselves or that anyone can join, even just for support (chances are, they might have a friend who is gay or transgender, etc...and maybe they are scared to go alone or maybe a place to educate people).

i'm hoping the day when maturity could come a bit quicker. you would think that such a serious subject would warrant some sort of mature mindset, but all i receive is lapses in attention. even the oldest member, another student, is probably one of the most immature.
like i said, it's difficult to schedule things, so much that i've actually had to go around the school itself straight to the superintendent to get things authorized. all we can really do is discussion considering that club was shut down one year for a public demonstration on campus

 

[Thirteenth_Floor]

lgtenos

I was Founder/President of my campus' first Fire Technology Club (it's still active with 100+ members strong). Granted, it's definitely not the same atmosphere as a GSA, but structure, organization, and attendance methods are the same for any club. Here are a few tips:

+ Reaffirm yourself that you are the leader of this group. Ultimately, everything falls on you. You are responsible for all the triumphs, as well as all the downfalls. You are in charge of the overall well-being of the club, as well as setting a foundation for the future. However, always note that your position is voluntary. No one is forcing you to do this job. Being a President is no easy task and there are bound to be bumps in the road. Just be ready for whatever lies ahead - the more you understand your position as such, the better.

+ Make sure you have a good Executive Board. As we say in the Fire Dept, "What's a Fire Chief without their Captains?" Collectively, the Executive Board governs the club. While a GSA is meant and should be open and equal, the Executive Board should still weigh in heavily when it comes to decisions. Make sure your Vice President is on par with everything you're doing. Ensure your Secretary is taking good notes during meetings. Keep an eye on your Treasurer's monetary records. Don't micro-manage; rather, influence them to make their own good choices in their respective positions. Again, you're their Leader, not their Manager.

+ Do not set mandatory rules any other obligations to your Members. The least appealing thing in any club is having a obligation to do something. Do not make Meetings or Events mandatory; this is actually a big turn-off. Clubs are meant to be social groups, not your sister's wedding.

+ Create a safe and friendly atmosphere in your club. Make sure everyone gets along, or at least respects one another. Yes, you will most likely come across 1 or 2 trouble makers - deal with them accordingly. Plan after-school gatherings at your local Chuck E. Cheese, if all we care. Just do something to give your Members the chance to bond. For example, after every semester, I treated my guys to a beach bonfire. I paid for all the expenses (except gas for their cars) as a way of saying "Thank you for all your hard work this semester - let's have a better one next semester."

+ If you're going to make an Event, make it well-known. Advertise, publicize, spread the word. Make sure everyone in your group [and maybe everyone outside your group] know of the upcoming events. Remember, the best type of advertisement is word-of-mouth.

+ DIVIDE YOUR WORKLOAD. I can't stress this enough. Make sure everyone is doing their fair share of work (if any), especially your Executive Board. That's what their positions are for. Hell, if you have to, add more Executive Board positions. I added a Publicist, Faculty Adviser, and Council Representative to my Board.

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I will come up with more as I think of'em.

very good ideas! especially the divide the workload, considering that although i hate to, i feel like i'm doing a lot of the work, especially to the point where i've had to enlist outside assistance for the club. the teacher advisers do a LOT for the club and i'm entirely grateful for it, but the rest falls on the initiative of myself. i constantly ask (and sometimes even demand) suggestions for events and almost always i get absolutely nothing that is even possible to follow through with. in regards of advertising, i've also been handling it, cranking out videos for morning video announcements and written announcements for the school intercom.
we still have a strict restriction on what we can do. if we do any outside event that has something to do with the club, it cannot be official because anything that happens can be tied to the school, so therefore if there is any hint of ties that can be connected to the school, the club will be disbanded if it is not approved by the school beforehand.
although i agree with you regarding the mandatory issue, it actually is the only way i can make it so that people who regularly attend actually can make it to hear important information, considering that members only provide contact information if they should so feel like. it's something i feel i need to fix up on, attendance-wise, given that we have the guest speaker in ten days and it would be embarrassing for them to arrive to a very sparse audience.