ASA Meeting November 2006 Dar es Salaam
Membership and Member Participation
ASA should create and implement strategies that would widen the membership base by increasing the number of bona fide individual and institutional members.
The number of paid up members of ASA is small yet potential membership of the association in Africa is large and always expanding due to continued output of graduates from the ARPPIS programme. Membership is diverse in both geographical distribution and professional interests which, if effectively harnessed, would turn ASA into one of Africa’s most vibrant and productive professional organisations. Member recruitment needs revitalising, with proper maintenance of records. Similarly, commitment and determination of members of ASA, which are key determinants of the association’s performance, have been below expectation. This is true of all levels of its operations, including management. The under performance has been attributed in part, to absence of motivating factors and lack of tangible benefits associated with membership.
Strategic Objective 1: Widen ASA’s Membership Base
Strategies:
a. Institute and Sustain a Membership Drive Programme
The drive will involve developing publicity and application materials which will be carried along by members travelling to any functions where it is possible to stage a membership drive. A calendar of relevant events will be compiled with information on scheduled regional forums which members are likely to attend. Special membership drives via seminars will be made at key institutions in the region where members may be travelling for other duties, in order to sensitise potential members. These activities will require some level of facilitation and support to those who will be travelling.
b. Enforce the Constitutional Requirement for Annual Subscription
The ASA constitution requires members to make yearly subscriptions in order to sustain their membership. This has not been observed in the past. There will be need for member education through appropriate communications and circulars including the use of email. Members will be supplied with copies of the constitution and be required to make annual subscription within a given deadlines.
c. Maintain Up-to-date Records of Members
An electronic database of members will be developed with searching capabilities. The database will be linked to ASA’s financial management system where members will have personal accounts. Members’ status will be regularly checked and defaulters informed.
Strategic Objective 2: Develop and Strengthen Individual Commitment
Strategies:
a. Establish and Implement a Member Benefits Programme
A programme will be developed to give special attention to professional development as well as social and commercial services to members. The programme will have the following schemes:
- Career development scheme. Benefits will include: access to competitive grants for research and facilities development projects; equipment donations; specialist literature searches; recognition award schemes; alumni fellowships; networking and mentoring; career advice; outreach services; exchange visits, re-visits to former universities etc.
- Scheme for support to social and academic functions. This will involve holding functions that bring members together, to be held often and regularly. Examples: reunions and homecoming; family days; public lectures, etc.
- Scheme for harnessing commercial benefits. These will be group schemes that exploit economies of scale in support of members. Examples include financial services, group insurance schemes, arrangements for discounts with commercial organisations, travel services, etc.
b. Enhance communication and exchange of information among members
A programme for regular exchange of information to help them identify with the association will be implemented. Its components would include the following: alumni seminars, updated alumni directories, alumni magazines, databases of members, discussion forums, mail forwarding services and hosting email domains.