Keeping Newer Members in Lions 

Recruiting a new member takes time and effort. But getting someone to join is only the beginning.

People are more likely to stay when they enjoy being part of the club, feel connected to the people around them, know their contribution matters and can be involved in ways that work with their life.

Retention isn't about convincing people not to leave. It's about creating a Lions experience they want to continue being part of.

That applies to the member who joined last month and the member who joined twenty years ago.

People's lives change. Their interests change. What they want from Lions can change too. A club that keeps its members doesn't assume that what worked for someone five years ago will necessarily work for them today.

If we want people to stay, we need to give them something worth staying for.

1. Retention Starts on Day One

From their first experiences with the club, a new member is discovering what being a Lion actually feels like.

Do they feel welcome? Do they know people? Have we asked what interests them? Are they getting opportunities to contribute in ways they enjoy?

Induction welcomes someone into Lions as a member, but they also need orientation. Help new members understand how the club works, introduce them to the wider world of Lions and show them where they can find information, training and support.

Don't expect them to discover it all for themselves.

New members will want to get involved at different speeds. Some will jump straight in, while others will want time to watch, learn and get to know people. Don't overwhelm them and don't leave them wondering where they fit. Check in, help them make connections and let the member help set the pace.

The aim is to help a new member find reasons to want to stay, not just keep them busy. 

2. Give People a Reason to Come Back

People are more likely to stay when being involved gives them something they value. That might be friendship and connection, making a difference, supporting a cause they care about, learning something new, using their skills or simply enjoying spending time with the people around them.

Different members will value different things, and what matters to someone can change over time. However, people also want to feel that they belong, that people know them, value what they bring and would notice if they weren't there. 

But attendance isn't the same as belonging.

Someone can attend every meeting and still feel disconnected. Another member might rarely attend meetings but feel deeply connected through a project, friendships, helping behind the scenes or simply knowing they're still part of the club.

Don't use meeting attendance as the measure of whether someone is engaged or belongs.

Ask:

"What does this person get from being a Lion that makes them want to stay?"

And occasionally:

"Is Lions still giving them what they hoped it would?"

If we don't know the answers, it's worth finding out.

People stay where they feel connected, useful, valued and that they belong.

3. Have Some Fun

Lions shouldn't feel like another job.

Service and fundraising matter, but so does enjoying the people you're doing it with. Social nights, good food, laughter, friendly competition and the occasional bit of silliness all have a place.

Not everything needs to raise money, have an agenda or achieve something. Sometimes it's enough to get together, have a good time and go home thinking:

"That was fun. I'm looking forward to doing that again."

People are much more likely to stay involved in something they genuinely enjoy.

4. Help People Find Their Thing

People are more likely to stay involved when they feel their contribution matters. Meaningful involvement looks different for everyone. It might be leading a project, helping for two hours, using a particular skill, working behind the scenes or supporting a cause they care about.

Ask what people would like to do, rather than only asking them to fill the jobs the club needs done. Welcome new ideas too. Members should feel free to suggest projects, fundraisers, partnerships or different ways of doing things. Having an idea doesn't mean you've volunteered to run it. Someone else might love to take it on, or a team could develop it together. 

And don't assume that because someone is good at something, they want to do it forever. Give people opportunities to try something different.

A club that values people's ideas, skills and interests as well as their time gives members more ways to make a difference.

5. People's Lives Change

The way someone participates in Lions doesn't have to stay the same. Work, family, health and other circumstances change. People go through periods when they have more or less time and energy.

A member who needs to step back isn't necessarily a member who wants to leave. Make it easy to change how they participate without guilt. They might attend less, help from home, contribute to one project or just stay connected until life settles down.

Don't forget to be mindful of the language we use. When someone returns after being away, welcome them back rather than making them account for their absence. When circumstances change again, their involvement can change too.

Modern volunteering makes room for people's lives. Membership shouldn't become another obligation they have to escape from.

6. Check In Before There's a Problem

By the time someone says they're leaving, they may have been quietly disengaging for months. Don't wait until someone stops coming, doesn't renew or says they're thinking of leaving before asking how they're going.

Check in while there's still time to make a difference.

For new members, make a point of checking in around 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, before renewal and at 12 months. It doesn't need to be formal. A coffee, phone call or genuine conversation can tell you a lot.

Ask:

"How are you finding Lions?"

"Are you getting what you hoped for when you joined?"

"Is there anything you'd like to do more of, less of or differently?"

"Is there anything making it harder for you to be involved?"

Don't stop checking in because someone is no longer new. Long-term members' interests, circumstances and experiences change too.

Retention conversations should happen before resignation conversations.

Who Does the Check-in?

Checking in is a club responsibility, but someone needs to make sure it actually happens. If your club has a Welfare Officer, this can be a natural part of that role. They don't necessarily need to conduct every check-in, but they can help make sure members don't quietly fall through the cracks.

The actual conversation might be better coming from a sponsor, buddy, Membership Chair, President or someone the member knows and trusts.

What matters is that someone notices, someone asks and someone follows up if something needs attention.

7. Listen to What People Actually Tell You

Asking is only useful if we're prepared to hear the answer.

A member might tell us they're bored, overwhelmed, frustrated, not enjoying meetings, tired of doing the same job or interested in something the club hasn't considered before. Don't immediately defend the club or explain why things are the way they are. Get curious first. Ask what would make their experience better. Not every suggestion will be possible and not every problem can be fixed. But people should know that what they've said has been heard and taken seriously.

If something can be changed, follow through. Nothing undermines a check-in faster than asking for feedback and then doing nothing with it.

We won't be able to say yes to everything, but we do need to listen, respond and let people know what happened next. 

8. Notice When Someone Starts to Disconnect

People rarely go from happily involved to resigning overnight. By the time someone actually resigns, the decision may have been forming for weeks or months. 

There are usually signs along the way. Someone stops coming to things they usually enjoy. They become quieter, stop volunteering, give up a role, stop responding or seem less connected to the people around them. 

Don't immediately assume they're losing interest in Lions. Something may have changed. Reach out because you noticed the person, not because you're worried about the numbers.

"Haven't seen you for a bit. How are you going?"

"You haven't seemed quite as involved lately. Is everything okay?"

Sometimes nothing needs fixing. They may be busy or need some space. That conversation may also uncover something the club can help with before the member decides the easiest option is to leave. 

Notice the person before you notice the resignation.

9. Value Different Ways of Contributing

There isn't one right way to be a good Lion. People contribute in different ways, depending on their interests, skills, time and circumstances. Contribution matters more than attendance.

Don't measure commitment only by how often someone comes to meetings or how many jobs they take on. Someone who contributes occasionally, works behind the scenes or helps in a particular way is an important part of the club. 

Recognise the contributions people make. A simple thank you, acknowledgement or letting someone know their help made a difference can matter enormously. People are more likely to keep contributing when they feel what they do is genuinely valued.

Don't measure every Lion by the same yardstick. Give people different ways to contribute. 

10. Give People Room to Try Something New

What someone wants from Lions can change over time.

A member might want to:

• chair a meeting once

• try a different project

• learn a new skill

• take on a little more responsibility

• explore leadership

• or do something different because they've been doing the same thing for years.

Someone else might know exactly what suits them:

"I'm a follower, not a leader. I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, but I won't lead you there."
- Lion Glenda

That's perfectly okay. Trying something new doesn't have to mean taking on leadership. 

Give people opportunities to have a go without making every opportunity a permanent commitment. Ask a different member to chair a social meeting occasionally. Let someone lead one part of a project, organise one activity, join a team or learn alongside someone more experienced.

Small opportunities let people discover what they enjoy and what they're capable of, without asking them to sign up for the job forever. Keep asking, without pressuring. The person who said no two years ago might be interested now. The person who still says no should have that respected too.

Trying something new doesn't have to mean moving up. It can mean getting something new from being involved.

11. Look After the Engine Room

Most clubs have an engine room: the reliable people who turn up, get things done and can always be counted on. They're enormously valuable. They're also at real risk of burnout if the club relies on them too heavily.

Look after them. Check in with them too. Make sure they can say "not this time" without guilt, and don't assume that because they've always done something, they should keep doing it forever.

At the same time, don't let the engine room become a closed shop. Spread opportunities around. Break bigger jobs into smaller ones. Ask other members personally rather than always waiting for the usual volunteers to put their hands up.

Sharing the load protects the people who already do a lot, while giving other members opportunities to become more involved, learn something new or try something they haven't done before. Share knowledge too. Let experienced members work alongside someone new so skills and confidence spread through the club.

Protect your engine room from burnout and keep inviting more people into it.

12. Make It Easy to Stay

People sometimes leave because of one big problem, but it can also be a collection of small barriers that eventually make membership feel harder than it's worth. Look for the things that are making it harder to stay. 

Make Membership Easier to Pay For

How and when membership fees are collected can make a difference too. A larger bill once or twice a year doesn't just affect the household budget. It also creates a natural decision point:

"Do I really want to spend this money and renew?"

Consider giving members the option to pay their dues in smaller monthly amounts, particularly by automatic payment or direct debit. For many clubs, spread across the year, membership can work out at less than the cost of a coffee each week.

The total cost hasn't changed, but the experience of paying it has. Instead of finding a larger amount once or twice a year, members can budget for a small regular payment. When renewal comes around, there isn't another large bill landing in front of them asking them to reconsider their membership from scratch.

Make membership easier to afford and easier to manage.

Look for Other Barriers

Other barriers might include:

• meeting times that don't work for them

• transport or difficulty getting to activities

• technology or communication that doesn't suit them

• work or family commitments

• accessibility needs

• cost

• expectations about attending meetings

• feeling that every time they volunteer, they end up with another ongoing job

• not knowing how they can contribute if they can't attend regularly

Don't assume you'll know what the barriers are. Ask.

Use member check-ins. Listen for comments like "I'd come, but..." Notice patterns in what people attend, avoid or repeatedly find difficult, then ask whether something could be done differently.

Not every barrier can be removed, but sometimes a small change can make it much easier for someone to stay involved.

When Someone Needs to Step Right Back

A member still wants to belong but can't participate regularly for a while. Depending on the circumstances, there may be formal membership options such as Lion at Large that can help, but flexible participation shouldn't always require a special membership status.

A member should be able to say:

"I still want to belong. I just can't do much right now."

The club should be able to respond:

"That's okay. You're still one of us."

Sometimes the best thing we can do for retention is remove what's getting in the way. 

13. The Language We Use Matters

What we say sends a message about what our club really values.

When Bob hasn't been at a meeting for a while, instead of:

"Bob's not here AGAIN."

Then when he finally walks through the door: 

"Oh, so you DO remember where we meet!" 

Try:

"Bob! Great to see you!"

Other members hear these comments too. They learn whether missing meetings, saying no or stepping back will be accepted, or whether they'll be made to feel guilty about it.

If we say involvement can be flexible, our language needs to show that we mean it.

Make people feel welcome when they're there, not guilty about when they're not.

14. When Someone Is Thinking About Leaving

If someone says they're thinking about leaving, don't immediately try to talk them out of it. Ask them what's making them feel that way and give them a chance to tell you.

There may be something the club can help with. They might be doing too much, not enjoying what they're involved in anymore, struggling to fit Lions around everything else or feeling that they've lost their connection with the club. 

If there's something that could make a difference, talk about it. Maybe they need to do less for a while, try something different or step right back without leaving altogether. Not every resignation needs to be prevented. Some people are ready to move on. 

If that's where they're at, thank them for what they've given to the club and make sure they leave knowing they'll always be welcome back.

Hear them out, see if there's anything the club can help with, and respect their decision. 

15. When Someone Leaves

Not every resignation means the club has failed. People leave for all sorts of reasons, and sometimes it's the right decision for them.

Thank them for what they've contributed and leave the relationship in a good place. Don't make them feel guilty or as though they've disappointed everyone.

If they're comfortable talking about it, ask what influenced their decision. There may be something the club can learn from, especially if the same issue comes up more than once.

Keep the door open too. Someone who leaves today might come back later, help with a project, attend a social event or remain a friend of the club.

Leaving the club doesn't have to mean leaving the people.

The Main Thing

People stay in Lions for different reasons. They might stay for the friendships, the fun, the chance to make a difference, the feeling of being useful, or because they've found a place where they genuinely belong.

We need to know our members well enough to understand what matters to them and what makes them want to stay. 

If people enjoy being Lions, feel that they belong and know that what they bring matters, we've got a pretty good reason to expect they'll want to keep coming back.