Unit New Years Resolutions - Vision 2018

Started by TheSkyHornet, December 31, 2017, 03:53:07 PM

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TheSkyHornet

I'm just looking to see how some units around the globe set visions and plan out their year, including what changes you hope to introduce, or perhaps how you plan to adapt to coming changes in regulations.

Nothing rings in a new year like some idea swiping.

etodd

I'm a member of a wonderful composite unit. The only thing we need is better marketing for Cadets. We could easily handle 20-30 more. Our Squadron is still one of the best kept secrets in our city. Got to find better ways to reach parents and kids.
"Don't try to explain it, just bow your head
Breathe in, breathe out, move on ..."

TheSkyHornet

Quote from: etodd on December 31, 2017, 04:39:20 PM
I'm a member of a wonderful composite unit. The only thing we need is better marketing for Cadets. We could easily handle 20-30 more. Our Squadron is still one of the best kept secrets in our city. Got to find better ways to reach parents and kids.

Somewhat similar situation.

Our Recruiting Officer/PAO went LOA recently. I'm hesitant that he'll even return. Our Commander is trying to play catch up because we're short on the senior member roster, and I don't think people always realize what effort a strong, busy cadet program requires.

I'd love to see our cadet roster expand, less the numbers and more because it opens up new opportunities for cadets to take on leadership roles (staff duties, more elements, more flights, etc). Right now we're having a hard time finding parents to strike more interest and get involved, and I'm finding more often than not, the seniors that aren't parents have been of greater value because they're less hesitant about "butting in" with their kids' outside lives and generally more apt to be less mom/dad and more senior member.

I'm starting to grow a bit concerned on our staffing numbers because of the lack of members we have. We've got 30 cadets, averaging around 75% weekly participation. As we've expanded, more work was created, and we've retained less seniors (if not a 1-for-1 replacement). I firmly believe that we need to maintain our level of activity to keep that interest peaked and morale high, and that requires a lot of attention whether in building training or supporting it (admin, logistics, etc.).

Recruiting isn't my forte. Sure, I can manage Facebook, but that's about it for me. There's so much else that requires my attention, I just can't provide it, and I really can't afford to do those hour-long chats with prospective members. We had a pretty good system until the downsize on the senior side, at least when it came to marketing the unit. I'm hoping morale doesn't take a hit on the cadet side with lower numbers. We're still watching to see what happens with that first-year retention, since we have a big pool of renewals coming up in a couple of months.

Paul Creed III

Quote from: TheSkyHornet on December 31, 2017, 05:32:46 PM
Quote from: etodd on December 31, 2017, 04:39:20 PM
I'm a member of a wonderful composite unit. The only thing we need is better marketing for Cadets. We could easily handle 20-30 more. Our Squadron is still one of the best kept secrets in our city. Got to find better ways to reach parents and kids.

Somewhat similar situation.

Our Recruiting Officer/PAO went LOA recently. I'm hesitant that he'll even return. Our Commander is trying to play catch up because we're short on the senior member roster, and I don't think people always realize what effort a strong, busy cadet program requires.

I'd love to see our cadet roster expand, less the numbers and more because it opens up new opportunities for cadets to take on leadership roles (staff duties, more elements, more flights, etc). Right now we're having a hard time finding parents to strike more interest and get involved, and I'm finding more often than not, the seniors that aren't parents have been of greater value because they're less hesitant about "butting in" with their kids' outside lives and generally more apt to be less mom/dad and more senior member.

I'm starting to grow a bit concerned on our staffing numbers because of the lack of members we have. We've got 30 cadets, averaging around 75% weekly participation. As we've expanded, more work was created, and we've retained less seniors (if not a 1-for-1 replacement). I firmly believe that we need to maintain our level of activity to keep that interest peaked and morale high, and that requires a lot of attention whether in building training or supporting it (admin, logistics, etc.).

Recruiting isn't my forte. Sure, I can manage Facebook, but that's about it for me. There's so much else that requires my attention, I just can't provide it, and I really can't afford to do those hour-long chats with prospective members. We had a pretty good system until the downsize on the senior side, at least when it came to marketing the unit. I'm hoping morale doesn't take a hit on the cadet side with lower numbers. We're still watching to see what happens with that first-year retention, since we have a big pool of renewals coming up in a couple of months.

Pester your group commander. I believe he has some plans to help his units do some marketing this year on Facebook. In fact, he is managing a marketing campaign for one of his units now and is helping another delve into social media for the first time.
Lt Col Paul Creed III, CAP
Group 3 Ohio Wing sUAS Program Manager

TheSkyHornet

Quote from: Paul Creed III on December 31, 2017, 11:49:48 PM
Quote from: TheSkyHornet on December 31, 2017, 05:32:46 PM
Quote from: etodd on December 31, 2017, 04:39:20 PM
I'm a member of a wonderful composite unit. The only thing we need is better marketing for Cadets. We could easily handle 20-30 more. Our Squadron is still one of the best kept secrets in our city. Got to find better ways to reach parents and kids.

Somewhat similar situation.

Our Recruiting Officer/PAO went LOA recently. I'm hesitant that he'll even return. Our Commander is trying to play catch up because we're short on the senior member roster, and I don't think people always realize what effort a strong, busy cadet program requires.

I'd love to see our cadet roster expand, less the numbers and more because it opens up new opportunities for cadets to take on leadership roles (staff duties, more elements, more flights, etc). Right now we're having a hard time finding parents to strike more interest and get involved, and I'm finding more often than not, the seniors that aren't parents have been of greater value because they're less hesitant about "butting in" with their kids' outside lives and generally more apt to be less mom/dad and more senior member.

I'm starting to grow a bit concerned on our staffing numbers because of the lack of members we have. We've got 30 cadets, averaging around 75% weekly participation. As we've expanded, more work was created, and we've retained less seniors (if not a 1-for-1 replacement). I firmly believe that we need to maintain our level of activity to keep that interest peaked and morale high, and that requires a lot of attention whether in building training or supporting it (admin, logistics, etc.).

Recruiting isn't my forte. Sure, I can manage Facebook, but that's about it for me. There's so much else that requires my attention, I just can't provide it, and I really can't afford to do those hour-long chats with prospective members. We had a pretty good system until the downsize on the senior side, at least when it came to marketing the unit. I'm hoping morale doesn't take a hit on the cadet side with lower numbers. We're still watching to see what happens with that first-year retention, since we have a big pool of renewals coming up in a couple of months.

Pester your group commander. I believe he has some plans to help his units do some marketing this year on Facebook. In fact, he is managing a marketing campaign for one of his units now and is helping another delve into social media for the first time.

I assumingly considered that to be an overstep of my boundaries in the chain.

So I just dive on here to idea probe.