New member Management

[BobL]

Since opening our shed about a months ago our membership numbers have basically doubled and are still growing so we are starting to be overrun with administrative tasks of bringing new members up to speed. Most new members are from the less experienced side of the population so we are also starting to have supervisory problems . The machinery in the shed is not really fully set up and we still need to sort that out. We have started wood work and metal work classes and shortly turning classes to help with this but some days I come home from the shed feeling more overwhelmed than I ever though I would.

I am going to suggest we start to put prospective members on a wait list until some things are sorted and then take on new members from the wait list in groups of about 10-15.

I would be interested to hear if other sheds have managed their growth.

[mark david]

Hi Bob, have you thought about doing small group inductions for using the machinery.
I think it is wise that anyone using any kind of machinery needs to show some basic competence in its safe operation or it is a recipe for rapid transit to A&E.


:;
Since opening our shed about a months ago our membership numbers have basically doubled and are still growing so we are starting to be overrun with administrative tasks of bringing new members up to speed. Most new members are from the less experienced side of the population so we are also starting to have supervisory problems . The machinery in the shed is not really fully set up and we still need to sort that out. We have started wood work and metal work classes and shortly turning classes to help with this but some days I come home from the shed feeling more overwhelmed than I ever though I would.

I am going to suggest we start to put prospective members on a wait list until some things are sorted and then take on new members from the wait list in groups of about 10-15.

I would be interested to hear if other sheds have managed their growth.

[BobL]

Hi Bob, have you thought about doing small group inductions for using the machinery.

A 1.5 hour general inductions session is SOP for our shed - this only covers general safety. Every new member is also assessed for general competency and provided with a coloured badge relevant to their level. Each machinery is also risk assessed so that members have to be at a certain level to operate each machine. Safety training is also incorporated into classes. We haven't started them yet but we will be doing short machine specific safety sessions with individual machines. The real headache is that of about the 60+ members not more than about 20 turn up to a specific session, many are away for various lengths of time so many fall through the cracks and the amount of repetition required to catch everyone is very frustrating.

When there are 10-12 new members coming in per week all this training etc can be done on a regular basis but when there are only 1-2 new members coming it seems inefficient to run an induction /assessment/training for such small numbers so it might be better to suspend new memberships until 15 prospective members have signed up and then run tall hese once a month in one half day. We have no paid supervisors and it's a big ask on volunteers to do all this admin. Our overall supervisor has done an amazing job and we have nominated and he has got into the finals of our Local Community Hero competition.

[issatree]

Hi Bob,
Well our Shed in Geelong, Vic. Isn't growing as fast as yours, we are up to approx. 38 Members, & we are in a Disadvantaged Area, & they just don't want to come for some reason.
Other Sheds that I know of now open quite a few days in the week, because they have such a large Membership.
One I know of have Rostered one & all, so therefore you can only come on your day.
These Sheds are popping up all over the place, & have a fair Membership
Well Bob, that's my 2senseworth.

[Kuffy]

I reckon you take on new memberships as they come in, however i think one of 2 options should be undertaken.

1. they can come and observe, chat, hangout w/e but cant run the machinery. let them play with the handtools, if they hurt themselves with a sharp chisel they obviously never spent any time in a kitchen with sharp knives. let them use the machinery once an induction course has been done.

2. they cant enter the facility until they have undertaken an induction course, one course every 3 weeks I think would be good enough. the unlucky ones that sign up the day after a course was run will have to wait 3 weeks for the next course. if they miss the course, so be it, they can catch the next one in another 3 weeks time, if they continually miss the course, they obviously don't care that much.

some way of distiguishing between people that can setup machinery (change blades/knives etc) and people that can simply operate the machinery, would be of great importance.

this has me thinking that i should go up the road and take a peek at a brand spankin new mens shed they just opened up in Feb15, maybe join it and let the old guys push me around cause im young n dumb :)

[BobL]

Thanks for the responses guys.

We had a meeting yesterday and we decided were going to go with a mix of 1) and 2).

We will be running inductions once a month.
New members have the option of
- waiting until the next induction and assessment.
- they can come into the shed but have to work with an experienced member and the cannot use any machinery until they have had their induction/assessment.

In general only gold or silver badged members can use higher risk machinery alone and only gold can service machinery.
Bronze badged members can use a machine after being show how by Silver/gold members
Green badged members can assist Silver and Gold members and Bronze members who have been shown how to use a machine.