Clubs

One of the knocks on amateur radio is that it’s not very diverse. While that’s not completely true, I do think that we could do a better job of being more inclusive. Being  more diverse and inclusive could well be a way to strengthen already good clubs and help failing clubs stave off extinction.

To that end, I recently read an article in the February 2022 issue of Rotary magazine titled “Make everyone welcome: How to create a club that values diversity.” The article features a list of dos and don’ts for Rotary clubs trying to become more diverse. While I don’t see ham clubs doing all of these things—one of the reasons being they take a lot of time—they are things to think about. Here’s the list:

DO

1. Educate yourself. The article suggests, “Provide learning opportunities for your club members to expand their perspectives and open up meaningful conversations.”
2. Start a committee. Rotary is big on committees. I don’t see ham clubs starting a committee, per se, but discussing how to make your club more diverse with like-minded club members would be a start.
3. Be accessible. The article asks, “Is your club’s meeting time convenient? Is the location accessible to people with mobility challenges?” If your meeting location isn’t accessible, then perhaps it’s time to change locations.
4. Create a sense of belonging. The article says, “Involved all of your members in club activities….A buddy or club mentor system can help new members feel they belong.” You won’t keep members for very long if they don’t feel like they belong.
5. Speak up. The article says, “Hold yourselves and others accountable when a person’s actions don’t reflect Rotary’s ideals or values.” The idea here is to speak up when you see  something that makes people feel uncomfortable or is exclusionary.

DON’T

1. Cling to traditions. Some traditions, like perhaps starting a meeting with a prayer, are unintentionally exclusionary. You can change those traditions to make them inclusive.
2. Speak in “ham radio.” The article says, “Don’t speak in Rotaryisms.” Basically, this means to keep jargon to a minimum. While the majority of current members may understand the jargon, it may go right over the heads of new or prospective members.
3. Ignore your biases. The article says, “Whether conscious or unconscious, our biases prevent us from seeing the qualities in a person that might make them an excellent Rotary club member.” The same is true for ham radio club members.
4. Be cliquish. Club meetings are social events, and it’s natural to gather with the people you know. You need to make an effort, however, to greet newcomers and make them feel welcome. If you can convince a couple of current members to work with you on this, so much the better.
5. Fill a quota. I don’t like the way they’ve worded this item, but the idea here is that your club should work to reflect the diversity in your community. Being a technical hobby, this is perhaps more difficult for amateur radio clubs than it is for Rotary clubs, but making an effort will pay off.

Becoming more diverse and inclusive isn’t going to be easy. David Minster, NA2AA, ARRL CEO, recognizes this in his February 2022 column in QST. He writes:

I respect the wide points of view on the matter of diversity.  I am very aware of how these changes will be met with discomfort in the coming years. I hope that you’ll hang in there whenever and wherever they appear in the hobby…”

I’d go a step further and encourage you all not to just hang in there, but to be proactive in moving amateur radio forward.