ESN Berlin: New Member Strategy
Buddy system for all newbies
Every newbie gets a buddy from ESN Berlin who helps them understand the structure and organize their first event.
We should welcome to the team everyone who wants to join
Basically, the same process as we had before: everybody who attends an onboarding session, signs the application form right away
Introduce mixed recruitment
Interested people are first pre-selected by the Board through a Google Form, based on criteria like fit with ESN values and staying in Berlin for a minimum period of time, for example 4 months. After that, newbies need to complete clear requirements, such as joining a team or helping organise an event, before they officially become full members.
Introduce objective requirements
New members should fulfil a clear set of requirements before officially joining ESN Berlin (e.g. joining a team, helping at an event, etc) The requirements should be transparent, so everyone knows what is expected from the beginning.
Introduce selective recruitment
New members should be selected by the Board based on clear criteria, such as motivation, fit with ESN values, and willingness to contribute. The process and criteria should be communicated transparently, so interested people understand how the decision is made.
Introduce an age limit for new members
ESN Berlin could set an age limit for new members, for example 30 or 35 years old, to make sure the section stays close to student life and its main target group. This would not affect current members who are already part of ESN Berlin.
Mandatory awareness workshop for all new members
Every new member needs to attend an awareness workshop within their first semester before becoming a full member.
People joining ESN Berlin should currently be in education.
By “education”, we mean university, Ausbildung, internship, traineeship, or a similar educational path. The alternative would be to keep membership open to everyone, including people who are already working full-time. This would not affect current non-student members who are already part of ESN Berlin.