Pete M0PSX
Yes, expecting a slightly younger shift makes sense, but it may be balanced out by interest from the older generation who may previously have been not able to travel to clubs in the past, finding the online route more convenient and easy to achieve during lockdown. Data seems to show a doubling of interest across all age groups since the first lockdown.
As for clubs – as always, the agile clubs that can adapt will do well. Some are already seizing the opportunities that online exams offer – there are several thousand newbies who’ve passed without touching a radio and likely to need help from their clubs. Clubs putting on hands-on sessions and practical nights will be more appealing than the tea/talk/raffle social clubs. There’s been increasing talk about the “Hub” model, where like-minded people find new ways to network and communicate, without the need for club venues, committees, constitutions and politics. As you say, be interesting to see how things develop post-Covid.
On the last point, our latest survey catches some of that:
and
Some of the other questions you ask may give interesting results, but I always try to ask questions to gather data on how things can / should change going forward. Questions our group asks tends to help with developing site content and updating training material. I suspect other groups need different data. If I were running a traditional club, I’d be polling members and local non-members to find out what locals want from their club.
I think the challenge going forward is a) keeping the online momentum going, and b) local clubs helping newbies to keep them interested and active.
Pete M0PSX
