Membership Officer - Working with Area Coordinators
Purpose
Guide how Membership Officers recruit, support, and collaborate with Area Coordinators.
Guiding Principle
Area Coordinators extend the reach of the Membership Officer.
Supporting them effectively increases local engagement and reduces central workload.
When to Use Area Coordinators
Area Coordinators are useful when:
- Members are geographically dispersed
- There are clusters of members outside the main area
- Travel limits participation in central events
Recruiting Area Coordinators
- Identify engaged members in local areas
- Look for members who are welcoming and reliable
- Start with small responsibilities
See:
Supporting Area Coordinators
- Provide clear expectations (simple and flexible)
- Share tools, templates, and event ideas
- Maintain regular communication
- Offer encouragement and recognition
Setting Scope
- Define geographic areas (zip codes or regions)
- Clarify responsibilities (welcoming, events, communication)
- Keep expectations manageable
Communication and Coordination
- Share new member information when appropriate
- Keep ACs informed of upcoming events and initiatives
- Encourage feedback from local areas
Enabling Success
- Make it easy to host events
- Reduce administrative burden
- Support first-time efforts
- Encourage collaboration between ACs
- Define and follow a regular communication system with the ACs
Common Pitfalls
- Overloading Area Coordinators
- Lack of communication or follow-up
- Unclear expectations
- Treating the role as formal rather than flexible
- Recruiting an AC and not contacting and supporting
What Success Looks Like
- Area Coordinators are active and supported
- Local events occur in multiple areas
- Members feel connected beyond the main group center
- Responsibilities are shared effectively