====== Recruiting and Retaining Members ======

===== Reasons for Joining a VSA =====

  * Had a VSA in high school (early involvement)
  * To learn more about the Vietnamese culture and history
  * Meeting new people and making friends
  * Had a sibling or friend who was in VSA
  * Professional development
  * Leadership development
  * Volunteering and helping the community
  * Participate in events/projects
    * Cultural dancing
    * Self-expression
  * To reinforce the Vietnamese identity
  * Be part of a team

If any of these reasons are missing, then members won't stay in the VSA. There is also a natural order to things; social comes first, and professional development comes later.

===== Why Stay? =====

  * Fun! (i.e. the experiences are interesting)
  * Develop life experiences and friendships
  * Working towards a common goal and develop a sense of progress
    * More members
    * Increase experiences
    * Increasing a sense of community through participation
  * Close connections and friendships
  * Have invested time bear something (i.e. to see the fruit of one's own labor)

===== Getting Members Active and Involved =====

  * Bring members into project committees; it is the act of participating and creating
  * Response to "What's the Benefit?"
    * Recognition
    * Making friends and connections
    * Learning culture
    * Leadership skills
    * Learn different culture
    * Develop personal confidence

===== Advertising =====

  * The events themselves, if they are good, will promote the club
  * Word of mouth
  * Fliers and pictures
  * Networking
  * Facebook Group
  * Videos
  * Food selling
  * Radio advertising
  * Souvenirs
  * T-Shirts that stand out

===== Things for Members to Participate In =====

  * Talking & eating
  * Outdoor activities
  * Potlucks
  * Knowing thy neighbors (really get to know them)
  * Arrange transportation and carpools (not everyone has a car)
  * Give responsibilities in a project
  * Crafts & art
  * Points system; rewards for points for participation
  * Remind members
  * Breaking members into teams or families
  * Buddy system

===== Cultural Education =====

  * Food (and the stories and origins of them)
  * Tết and Tết Trung Thu
  * Folktales
    * Bánh chưng
    * Hai Bà Trung
  * VSA History
  * Vietnamese clothing
  * Teacher's Day (Nov 28)
  * Songs
  * Language lessons
  * Proverbs
  * Forums: issues, current events
  * Publications
  * Slideshow of trips
  * Biographies of members and notable Vietnamese figures

====== See Also ======

====== Interested People ======