Everyone remembers that nervous feeling when you are the new person joining a group for the first time. Whether you are joining a Girl Scouts troop, a sports team, a new company, or a craft group, it can be an intimidating experience. As a group leader, it is essential to know how to make new members feel less nervous when they join.
To ensure every new group member quickly feels at ease, it is helpful to think about how you felt last time you were the new girl in a group. Remembering how it felt to be in that position is an excellent way to make new members feel welcome and help you nurture an inclusive environment within the group. Here are some extra tips to ensure every girl that joins your group feels included and welcome:
Buddy Up
Introducing a buddy scheme is a fantastic way to help new members settle in fast. Having a go-to person on hand to help with things they are unsure of and provide a friendly face for new members will allow them to feel welcome right away. Buddying up new members with those that are a little more experienced is a great way to ease new members’ nerves and help them to settle in more quickly.
Asking other girls to volunteer to be buddies is a helpful way to give everyone the chance to be a buddy. Acting as a buddy for new members is often a valuable tool to bring some of the quieter girls into a more prominent role in the group and to increase their confidence.
Make Them Part of the Group
The first time that new girls arrive at your group meetings, the chances are they will be in their own clothes rather than the same uniform the rest of the girls are wearing. Wearing different clothes will make the new girl immediately feel different, and they may feel self-conscious that they stand out from everyone else. .
Gifting them spirit wear that matches the tops worn by the other girls in the group can help them feel included from the start. It is always a great way to bring a sense of belonging and pride to a team, and such feelings are especially important for new group members.
Build a Supportive Atmosphere
Ensuring that your troop environment has a friendly and supportive atmosphere is vital to making new members feel welcome. Encouraging everyone within the group to treat each other with fairness and respect is a great starting point and is something that you can work on through shared activities.
Developing an environment where each group member supports each other and wants everyone to do well is an essential skill and will serve each member well throughout their life. With everyone helping each other to do their best and recognizing each individual’s strengths you will help your group generate a really positive atmosphere which is beneficial to all members, both old and new.
Conclusion
Team work is part of life whether in a professional or informal setting. We hope these tips on how to make new group members feel welcome has been helpful and that you will apply it to your daily life. Being a new member to a group can be overwhelming for them until they find their feet. This is where you can make a difference in welcoming them to the group and making them a valuable member of your team.