Every political party wants to grow. A party becomes stronger and its policies more legitimate when it has a lot of active members. Especially if those members are a reflection of the society as a whole.

Membership
Recruiting members is an important task for any party and members should be trained and equipped for this task. The party at national level should ensure that there is a coherent system for recruitment.

For any individual who wants to contribute to the development of society in a certain direction, becoming a member of a party should be the best option. Party membership should give a person a more direct opportunity to influence what decisions are made than that given by the simple right to vote for a predetermined program.

Recruitment
The party will gain in legitimacy and strength if its membership is a reflection of the society as a whole. When a Branch recruits new members it should have a strategy for recruitment that take this aim into account.

Recruiting members is an ongoing activity in the party. A crucial part of the recruitment strategy is the party’s message. The Branch needs to decide on a short message to potential members answering one question – why should they join the party?

Keeping members active
Many branches lose members as fast as they recruit them. This is a common problem for most parties. Membership in the party must provide a value beyond mere voting. Members are motivated when they feel valued by the party. They want to be a part of a team, to belong and engage in activities with others in the party.

Education and training
Members want to learn about and work with issues that interest them. So one important task for the Branch is to organize education programs for the members and for the community. The goal is to empower people to become active contributors to the process of change in the community.

In a progressive party and a progressive society, we want members and citizens to continually learn and develop as human beings and as party members. This benefits the individual and the society as a whole.