Young Ringing Development
  • Simon Smith
    5
    I wanted to garner some insight and tips on the ringing and training of young ringers from the contributors to this forum. I am interested to hear of any ideas for both the training and retaining of young ringers. I have recently taken on some extra responsibility with the Bucks & Berks young ringers, who have a thriving group and have benefitted from straddling the counties. Able to attract ringers from a couple of deaneries and with some modest success (3rd in last years’ RWNYC rounds and call changes section), taking on many teams who are drawn from entire guilds. My daughter is one of the group and very much enjoys the opportunity to ring with other people her own age and the various outings, competitions and practices that this generates.

    Given the many discussions about the future of ringing, I would like to try to keep the enthusiasm and interest in ringing as keen as possible. Hoping that at least a few of these young ringers will become the future leaders, experts and maybe even peal ringers (my daughter certainly sees Peals as something to aspire to, something to test her skill and concentration). So any insights, suggestions and recommendations would be much appreciated.
    Simon Smith Options
  • Alison Hodge
    151
    Join the Young Change Ringers Ringers Association? https://ycra.org.uk

    But why not also get them involved in their own local association events - presumably the ODG. Most societies are looking for committee members and a group of younger people co-opted / elected and supporting activities with a youthful outlook would be great. More than one joining a Branch committee and helping focus activities for younger people would help in most areas. It would also look very good on their applications for jobs / college / university.
    Alison Hodge Options
  • Simon Linford
    315
    I agree that broadening the horizons is valuable and that is one of the things the YCRA is intending to achieve by bringing ringers together from further afield. My daughter Charlie is now constrantly on WhatsApp chatting to ringing friends who are more than 100 miles away, but they follow each others activities from afar. There were two ringers who met at the RWNYC last year who found that they were at school together, but didn't know each other were ringers because their local towers were in different assoiations and hence there was no mechanism for them to have met. Geography is less of a barrier for young people and they are not constrained by these territorial boundaries.

    It sounds like you are doing the right thing with the Berks and Bucks young ringers but an additional thing you can do is start to forge alliances with other young ringers groups. Also finding the young ringers at towers who are isolated and getting them seeing that there are other young ringers like them. If young ringers know more other young ringers, the chance of them giving up when them leave home and go to uni or into work will diminish.

    How many of your B&B young ringers don't have ringing parents? What I have found with the Brumdingers, which is really just a tower band plus visitors - keeping ringing on the radar of the kids whose parents are not ringers is really hard. I found out that one of the reasons that one of them went to Taekwando for a couple of weeks instead of ringing was that her mum paid for the Tawkwando so she thought it was more valuable. Brumdingers pay £2 a week but it's notional really - it pays for the snacks, Tshirts and a bit of travel. I wish I'd initially set it high but I was nervous charging at all.
    Simon Linford Options
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