The Internet Takes a "Byte"
Out of PWP
The Story Behind Membership Decline
The Single Parent - Winter 2003
By Richard P.
Weiss
To say that membership numbers in Parents Without Partners
have dropped in recent years would be an incredible understatement.
The nearly 40,000 members PWP had in 1998 dwarf PWP's current membership
numbers reaching just barely over the 25,000 mark. At one time, PWP
claimed over 250,000 members worldwide.
Why have membership numbers dwindled? Are there less
single parents than there used to be?
I have had many conversations with PWP members regarding
making sense of declining membership numbers when I was President of
the Philadelphia Chapter. Many members suggested that being a single
parent is currently more acceptable in our society than it had been
in the past. Therefore, even though the number of single parents may
not have changed considerably throughout the years, fewer of them feel
the need to rely on a single parent support system. This reason may
account for the dramatic decrease in memberships from the 80's to the
present, however it doesn't explain the recent decline of close to 15,000
members that PWP has lost over the past 5 years.
I believe a fairly recent development within our society
has to do with a change in lifestyle that has veered members away from
PWP. The Internet has exploded in popularity, especially beginning in
the early to mid 90's. The introduction of chat rooms, instant messaging
programs, newsgroups and online interest groups have given us a new
way to meet people. Unlike any other time in history, we are now afforded
the opportunity to meet others from the safe havens of our homes, without
the awkwardness associated with encountering strangers face-to-face.
Beginning around 1997, I recall my first experiences
logging onto the Internet. I recall how I was one of the first people
in my chapter to go online. However, within a year, a greater percentage
of members signed on to the "net." As they became hooked on
the world of cyberspace, attendance at PWP functions appeared to plummet.
And, why not? The Internet has made it perfectly acceptable
to meet total strangers online. Though PWP disclaims itself as a dating
service, we must face the fact that many members joined, believing they
would meet someone through the group. The advent of the convenience
of meeting people, online, competes heavily with meeting people "the
old fashioned way."
The resurgence in the strength of the PWP organization
has recently come into play, according to many members, including some
International board members (IBOD) with whom I have spoken. Apparently,
the Internet has lost some of its original zest; our recovery from the
novelty of choosing the sanctity of the Internet over life experiences
seems to have halted further drops in memberships. Though going online
has its place, logging off and getting out to functions is the best
way to restore the stability of PWP.
PWP has assisted hundreds of thousands of single parents
since its inception in 1957. Its future can be just as bright if members
would not only join, but also become involved in planning and running
activities and encouraging younger single parents to join. Showing members
the value of a group that understands their struggles as single parents
will keep these members interested in their chapter, and prompt them
to advertise the chapter to other potential members. Despite a drop
in membership over the years, those who have stayed active in PWP have
found it to be the single best organization a single parent could ever
hope to find, online or off.
If PWP is to survive, it must find innovative ways to
draw members and keep them, despite the diversions created by modern
technology. The need for interaction and participation of members cannot
be overemphasized when building a member base. The development of the
Internet is an amazing phenomenon in modern society, however it will
never replace the fulfillment of spending time with friends and family,
sharing fun times with our children, and dancing with our friends.
Send inquiries regarding Parents without Partners
to pwpphila@hotmail.com
For more information on Parents Without Partners, click here:
PWP#582
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