Encouraging more new people to go caving.

[Hughie]

I'll bet almost if not all the sites you looked at had a "contact us" page, or some such buttony/linky thing.

Don't know how we managed before t'internet! 

 

[Gina]

I bet they did  :

I understand the websites are all run by volunteers and it takes a lot of time and effort.  It was meant to be constructive 

 

[ttxela]

As a relative newcomer I've found clubs very accessible, the two I'm a member of both accepted me without meeting me and in both cases it was quite a while before I managed to attend a trip. Outside of clubs I've only found it necessary to express an interest in a particular site and someone will offer a trip.

Mind you I'm hardly a youngster, possibly it would be different if I was a teenager 

 

[elljay]

As another newcomer it seems to me that there are as many reasons why people go caving as there are cavers.  As a non-caver I see no attraction in squeezing through narrow water-filled passages just to see what's on the other side.  However I might be attracted by the beautiful photographic opportunities that abound, by the interesting flora and fauna, cave art, by the opportunities to discover more of this country and the world, - yet others might be attracted by the challenge, the chance to go somewhere that man has never trod before, to join expedition teams, or as a social opportunity to make new friends.  As an academic I might see new areas for research, for discovering about history, science and so on and so on.  If you want to attract more people, then perhaps all these reasons should be addressed rather than assuming that one type of recruitment drive fits all types of potential cavers. It could be more targeted, speaking at photographic or art clubs or courses -  or history, esp local history groups - and so on, find out where young people go and get in there - millions of opportunities for recruitment.  And remember that if you send along a bearded wiry 70 year old as a speaker you are likely to make bearded wiry 70 yr old recruits, which is fine but doesn't target the younger people that you're after.  You need to get out there and put the various attractions of caving about, rather than expecting people to go and find websites and campaigns, after all if they've never thought about caving as a hobby or sport, they're never even going to think of looking for it.  Take some hints from commercial marketing campaigns.

Just my tuppence worth - I now await lynching by my colleagues!!  Thanks  Liz

 

[Hughie]

  Take some hints from commercial marketing campaigns.

I can see that going down a storm at the Hunters! 

Btw, welcome to the forum, Liz!  :bow:

 

[oli]

part of what i love about caving is the diversity, something that'll be lost unless clubs recrut from all over. student cavers are allready really well catered for. those of us who are keen and go on lots of trips move on to a 'real' club pretty easaly. we have graduates helping us out on fresher trips, we have kit to borrow, we have contacts made for us deccades ago, we get the dulux introduction to caving.

also most students of my aquantence, and i speek as el presedente of my uni club, are useless at almost everything. lots of segments of the population are skilled at things other than bullshit, drinking, sleeping and eating other peoples food. they have technical skills that can be put to good use on working weekends, they know practical stuff, legal stuff, some of these groups are responcibile and committed  and the kinda people who run things. we, and the are exceptions, only know how to do anything practical cus a caver taught us. although maybe harder to find non students may be more rewarding.

checc and the uni clubs are doing theire job allright, and some people will allways find three years of caving enough. but for the non uni clubs to focus on recruting students is catching the same fish twice, as well as missin a massive chunck of the population out.

 

[Andy Sparrow]

We have about 40 members in our club.  We are open to anyone, from any social background, but our membership are almost exclusively 'educated' people.  It seems to me that caving appeals mainly to people who have imagination and enquiring minds.  To put it more bluntly - chavs don't cave.

 

[potholer]

As far as Uni clubs go, we may be approaching the point where half the population of young people ends up at a university, but not every university has a caving club.

Of the clubs that come to mind, I'm not sure that any I can think of are from the 'new universities', and just narrowing my thoughts to London, out of the old institutions there, it may be that the only club now running might be at Imperial.

Overall, it may be that a fairly small fraction of young people might come within the catchment of a uni club.

 

[elljay]

We have about 40 members in our club.  We are open to anyone, from any social background, but our membership are almost exclusively 'educated' people.   It seems to me that caving appeals mainly to people who have imagination and enquiring minds.  To put it more bluntly - chavs don't cave.

As a newcomer obviously I don't know this contributor, and can only hope his comment is tongue in cheek, if not I'm appalled -  but to repeat my earlier piece, you need to target people who don't even think about caving as a possible hobby or sport - that might be why certain groups of people don't go caving.  Has anything been done to target young people in inner cities, ethnic minorities such as the BME Ramblers, etc etc, or maybe what you're saying is that you prefer to maintain the status quo, keeping so-called 'educated' people in the majority.  And an ageing majority too.

If caving is so wonderful and has given so much to your lives, just think what it could give to other people too.  If you're serious about this issue, and I think it's a big one, then you need to be much more evangelistic.

Liz

 

[cap n chris]

Liz, you may be surprised to find that promoting caving is frowned upon by significant parts of the caving establishment, to such an extent that it is almost an article of faith to keep it out of the public realm. This is largely on grounds of conservation of the fragile environments caves often represent.

 

[j4nny]

  To put it more bluntly - chavs don't cave.

or do we just not want them to? a "not in my back yard" attutude -  though i am unsure of all the criteria of being a chav i would assume it involves a lack of respect somewhere down the line, when labelling groups of youths in hoods especially. wouldn't want to risk cave entrances being tagged with 'preston woz ere' etc etc  :tease:

 

[Peter Burgess]

Regardless of background, caving should be open to all who respect themselves, respect other people and respect the environment they are using for their pleasure. If prospective cavers are not prepared to do all of these three simple things, then they perhaps should be finding something else to do. In fact, they probably already have.

 

[menacer]

chavs don't cave.

Its cuz Warmbac du'nt make thongs innit???

 

[Brains]

To put it more bluntly - chavs don't cave.

or do we just not want them to? a "not in my back yard" attutude - though i am unsure of all the criteria of being a chav i would assume it involves a lack of respect somewhere down the line, when labelling groups of youths in hoods especially. wouldn't want to risk cave entrances being tagged with 'preston woz ere' etc etc :tease:

Sadly some Chavs do go caving / mine exploring, hence the miles of string and 1000's of tealights and glowsticks to be found in the Freestone quarries and caves such as Goatchurch, never mind the ever increasing spray painted directions, tags, comments and other drivel, sometimes to be found carelessly overpainted on historical inscriptions.
Perhaps these underground chavs need taking into the fold and being shown how to respect and enjoy the precious places under the earth?

Here an old miners drawing of a horse has been over daubed (and cleaned again by members of another forum), is adjacent to needless waymarks, and being in soot is of a temporary and ephemeral nature

 

[cap n chris]

Caving is already open to all comers, hence the BCA Equity policy:

"EQUITY STATEMENT - BCA and its members will make its services available to all sections of the sporting community, and there will be no discrimination on grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, creed, colour, occupation, religion or political opinion".

Mind you, it doesn't say there isn't tacit, or overt, discrimination on grounds of age, wealth, intelligence, social standing, personal hygiene, appearance, school tie, beauty, enthusiasm, fitness, willingness to carry diving cylinders etc..

 

[Peter Burgess]

So if spray-painting tags in caves was recognised as a necessary expression of religious faith, we couldn't chuck them out of a club?  :-\

 

[cap n chris]

Intrigued: for which religion is spray painting in caves considered a sign of devotion?

 

[Brains]

Intrigued: for which religion is spray painting in caves considered a sign of devotion?

The worship of Onan? :-[

 

[Peter Burgess]

Intrigued: for which religion is spray painting in caves considered a sign of devotion?

Hypothetical scenario, my dear boy.

 

[ttxela]

Regardless of background, caving should be open to all who respect themselves, respect other people and respect the environment they are using for their pleasure.

Education then, but in the broader sense rather than the "what certificates have you got" sense