Recruiting new Rangers

[jayjay]

I have a happy and thriving Ranger unit of about 12 girls at the moment, we've been going for 2 years and all is great. Howver, all my Rangers are the same age - the group was started for this couple of Patrols who didn't want to move on from Guides! and they are all starting to get to the age of moving away to uni. We have one more year, then the majority of them will have moved away. Due to the age ranges in Guides at the moment, I can only expect to have about 4 girls reach 14 over the next 12 months, and though I'm sure they will come up to Rangers and enjoy it, I need more than that if the unit is to keep going! I have never had to actively recruit Rangers - does anyone have any good ideas?

[eppierose]

I am looking to start a ranger group for my Queens Guide. I thought about using the D of E popularity to sell it. Many activities cross over and if they like that then rangers is ideal. The bring a friend idea might work for the 14 year olds come to a taster session too.
Let me know how you get on and good luck!

[lucy_jb]

We tried a taster session/bring a friend evening last night and I'm hoping this will work.

[debstar]

Jealous of you having such a large unit - there are about 10 of us when 3 return from uni, so most meetings we are lucky if we get 4 members!

[Stella92]

there are 4 of us, and although we do try to recruit more there doesnt really seem to be much happening...

[Pompey_Ranger]

Get into the local colleges/sixth forms and recruit there - much the same way as recruitment is done for younger sections - just emphasie the different/extra things that can be done at SS level.

(some girls may be looking for ways to work towards Dofe etc)

Could you try your local Uni as well (there may be some young adults who would be interested)

Are their any youth centres in your area? ask to put posters up and maybe have a taster session at the youth centre?

Also, not aware of what other Guide units are around your district, but approach different groups and any YL's that maybe helping at Rainbows/Brownies/Guides or even Young Guiders (they may not know you exsist! information doesn't always get passed around the way it should do)

Arrange to do as many activities etc with different groups around your district, maybe arrange some like hikes with the Guides,make sure that everyone knows how xxx Rangers are! and that they are fun

[jennthefunkyranger]

Do you have other Guide units in the area? Even in a neighbouring division as long as you are not poaching form other units - my Rangers at home did a taster evening for three units, but in a different division. There is (was?) a unit in the division, but on the other side of the division and it was actually closer and easier to get to the unit in the neighbouring division.

We had been in the same position, with the same small group of us getting older together and no fresh blood...

[ker-stee]

Do you have other Guide units in the area? Even in a neighbouring division as long as you are not poaching form other units - my Rangers at home did a taster evening for three units, but in a different division. There is (was?) a unit in the division, but on the other side of the division and it was actually closer and easier to get to the unit in the neighbouring division.

This sounds like us! We kinda stole some from the other Division's group... WE went on a camp last year and the 2 girls who came decided they wished to remain with us and not their old unit!

They then brought along 2 more friends so we had 4 new members! We seem to recruit rather randomly!

We have gained quite a few after camps...

We regained a girl who returned back to Wakey after university...

We gained Sparkle* (We do support group too for awards and ALQ etc and now she comes to Rangers sometimes too!)

We used to do recruitment drives, which we haven't in a while... but we're gonna need to...

[SandySunshine]

I only have three Rangers in my unit at the moment! They are all ex-Guides of mine and and all just turning 18.
I think our problem is the Guide leaders in our division who are not very useful in helping to promote us. We organised a Christmas party and sent invitations out to all the Guide units in the area. Nobody came because the leaders didn't bother to tell their girls about it!!!
We're considering going round to all the Guide units and just waiting for all the girls to come out at the end just so we can let the girls know that we even exist!!!

[jayjay]

All good ideas, thanks guys.

I think the problem is partly the area we are in - very rural, all the girls go to the same school, have known each other from babyhood, there are no other schools or even 'local' Guide units - the nearest Guide unit is around 10 miles away in the town, and there is a Ranger group that they feed into.

I think I will have a bring a friend evening or something similar. The only thing with that is that it would attract girls the same age as those I have already got!